Scan barcode
siria's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
A fictionalised account of the author's childhood in 1950s Mongolia, The Blue Sky is at its best when Galsan Tschinag is both showing us the rich texture of nomadic daily life and how much the child narrator doesn't understand about what's going on around him. As a Soviet satellite, mid-20th-century Mongolia underwent a process of livestock collectivisation and political purges, and passing references to "kulaks" clues in the reader to what the narrator's parents are so worried about. The pacing is slow, but occasionally feels too deliberately so, and the ending smacks too much of "Book 1 of 3." Still, the writing is often beautifully evocative, and the build up to the ending works very well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
__sam__'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
towardinfinitybooks's review
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death and Death
darlin_lazlo's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Child abuse
fuzzyhebrew's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This book doesn't really have a plot, it's more just some happenings in this time period in this place. A dog dies in it, which I hated, but it served the themes of losing connections to the nomadic lifestyle. The ending is very abrupt and doesn't provide closure. I thought it was well-written and took me into the setting. Then when I read it was an autobiographical retelling of the author's childhood, it increased in esteem. I want to read the other books in the trilogy, but unfortunately they aren't available at my library.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
rebeccameyrink's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The first of Galsan Tschinag’s trilogy based on his life. Thuu it s book was beautiful and heartbreaking. It covers his early years in the Altai mountains living a traditional Tuvan lifestyle which is threatens by the Russian governments looming presence. I haven’t read any Mongolian fiction before this book and I’m very happy I did.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Death