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beq3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Even the landscape is difficult people walk down lanes, and through gates, find doorways in the wall and plunge into the water. The landscape is endlessly described but I could never visualise it clearly. I think now this is probably deliberate as it adds a lot to the unsettling atmosphere of the book and increases your sense of these being people who are in some way lost.
An excellent read, but quite challenging. One of those books that you find yourself puzzling over afterwards.
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
irenelpynn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Religious bigotry
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Suicide attempt
aquakirst's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
jeremie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
knkoch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
A teacher begins to engage in an inappropriate relationship with a student.seanajk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Homophobia
joanaprneves's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The story builds up to be exactly that, a hypothesis. Imagine a small community gathered close to a nunnery, trying to live a simple life of devotion and as devoid of modern comfort as possible. Some of them are there for different motives (Dora and Nick), which unsettles the peaceful routine of the group. However even some characters, like Michael, who aspire to a spiritual life but are eaten away by their more pedestrian desires, also break the community from within.
There is, however, in one of the plot lines, as aspect of Nabokov’s Lolita (that is, a sexual predatory tendency seen from within) that may be treated with too much detachment for today’s mores and awareness about grooming. Having said that, the way lust and love are rendered in the book is unique as we get to follow the fleeting force of lust and the quiet explosion of love. Also, the “Bell” is a metaphor that evolves along the book, it’s never stereotypical, it’s always intriguing and would make for an interesting debate in a book club. Loved it loved it loved it. Did not give it full marks because of the way homosexuality is referred to - although with total acceptance by the writer who, I believe, was bisexual - and the relations between an adult and a minor which are not flagged as problematic.
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Suicide, and Outing