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nimeneth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It was solidly good, definitely a moving exploration of grief and forgiveness and moving on. I'm not really happy with the overall portrayal of men - all of them were either basically all good or all bad when they were more than just a name on a page like most of the Iola townsfolk were, and black and white viewpoints don't always make for great reading. I did like Victoria's work on the peach farm, when it was mentioned upon, and the fact that a menagerie of animals kept popping up in the background made it feel a little real. But honestly, nothing much happens, and especially in the first quarter or so, Victoria reads like an observer in her own life. I'm glad she found a little more agency. I do wish part 3 hadn't skipped over a full decade, and that the ending had actually added a little more, but I'm not disappointed with having taken the time with this one.
Also, why did we learn so much about the men in Victoria's life (Cal, Og, Seth, her dad) when she basically stopped talking about all of them once they physically left the scene? They all get like one line of ending, and that's not even enough to tie up the loose ends that are still flapping around.
Moderate: Death, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and War
Minor: Miscarriage, Car accident, and Sexual harassment
justnei's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Racism, and Murder
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Infertility
alyse_turns_pages's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Kidnapping, Grief, and Murder
proudtobeabookaholic's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Den här boken har jämförts med Där kräftorna sjunger och jag skulle absolut säga att den är i samma anda, men det här med jämförelser är alltid riskabelt. Det är vackra naturbeskrivningar och Victoria är en kvinna som i många fall får klara sig själv. Hon får uppleva många svårigheter och hon håller all sorg inom sig. På något sätt upplevde jag tempot i boken som både snabbt och långsamt. Tidsperioden är mellan 1948 och 1971 och så gör vi nedslag vissa år, så jag antar att det är därför.
Slutet kändes lite abrupt och jag hade gärna sett att boken varit lite längre. Samtidigt så var det på sätt och vis naturligt att den slutade där den gjorde. Vill inte säga mer för att undvika att spoila.
Jag lyssnade på ljudboken i uppläsning av Anna Maria Käll och hon gjorde som vanligt ett riktigt bra jobb.
Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Racism, Grief, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
mdavis26's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Death, Drug use, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
miranda226's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
1.0
Zelda is one of the only redeeming characters, and I would have been much more interested in hearing her story.
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent
reading_ladies_blog's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
astoriareader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
- It is the 1940s at a peach orchard in rural Colorado in a town called Iola. Victoria Nash is 17, and she is the woman of the house, as her mother & aunt died about 5 years ago. Due to gender roles of the time period, Victoria is expected to fill the gaps that her mother’s absence left (e.g., domestic duties, cleaning, cooking, etc). Without any choice of her own, she mindlessly fills the roles, and she becomes an adult as a child. She lives with her father, her uncle Og, and her troubled brother Seth.
- One day, Victoria meets a handsome Indigenous man, Wilson Moon aka Wil. **Note: We never learn Wil’s community or nation of people, so I wish I could provide a better description.
- From their first meeting, Victoria and Wil have a spark & chemistry. Sadly, Iola’s community is filled with racism, and Wil quickly becomes an outcast. He becomes a forbidden love for Victoria.
- We follow Victoria’s life from 17 year old to an adult woman. The story spans about 20+ years.
- I started this book on a Tuesday night, and I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. I woke up early the next morning to finish, so I ended up reading it all in 13-14 hours.
- This is the author’s debut novel, and I am surprised, as the writing is top-notch. Read skillfully paints the landscape with words and weaves a beautiful story together. I loved how easy it was to visualize & empathize with the characters.
- Impressive character development. Victoria is a likable, relatable, & capable main character. I felt emotionally connected to the lows and the highs of her story. Also, loved the choice of a diverse love for Victoria. When we meet Victoria, she is only 17, and we get to see her beautiful journey over a few decades.
- Victoria’s story is a heavy read, as there are many heartbreaking moments. I found myself forgetting to breathe in a few parts. As we experience lows, we get to see the rise from the ashes & follow Victoria into adulthood.
- Although the initial part of the book starts slow & sets the stage, it’s worth it. It’s a well-plotted book, and if you trust the process, it becomes an enthralling ride.
- There were so many intriguing themes flushed out in this one: racism, discrimination, prejudice, self-esteem, self-acceptance, gender roles, women’s roles, friendship, loss, grief, motherhood, strength, perseverance, resilience, love, loneliness.
- Coming-of-age story. Although, after finishing, I did look into some of the historical points mentioned by the author (such as the town of Iola), so in a way, this also would fall into a historical fiction category.
Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Murder, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Alcoholism, Grief, and Alcohol
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Miscarriage, Car accident, Death of parent, and War
chansicotte'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
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Pregnancy
raeerdna's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Misogyny, Death of parent, Abandonment, and War
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Hate crime, Violence, Car accident, Murder, Pregnancy, and Colonisation
Minor: Drug use, Miscarriage, Torture, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail