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jessthemess8112's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I thought this story was so beautifully written that the reader experiences the family drama, the greed, the perseverance of living during war time, the FMC's self discovery journey, and love not just from romantic relationships, but from friendships as well. Although it was a slow paced book, it really made you part of the family.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Grief, Alcohol, and War
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Classism
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
hazelgirl21's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Abandonment and War
Minor: Fatphobia
emma_sky's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Infidelity, Death of parent, and War
waterwolves's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Grief
Minor: War
tracey1981's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I am sometimes reluctant to crap on books I don’t enjoy, but in this case, Rosamund Pilcher doesn’t need me to hold back. This book shows up on a top 100 UK books of all time list from 2003 and has lots of other high praise. I do NOT understand.
What little plot there was was super predictable AND foreshadowed, leaving literally nothing to the imagination. And while I’m here for the “people > money and material things” moral to the story, that point was made in chapter one and then belaboured for 600 more pages.
I signed up for a kind of old fashioned book so I probably should have anticipated the strict gender norms, ableism and fat shaming but it was all gross nonetheless.
The characters were very one dimensional. We’re supposed to hate the main character’s children because of their materialism and general unlikeability. However I sometimes empathized with these assholes because it was very clear that their mother didn’t like them, or their children, and kind of always hadn’t, in one case at least in part because of fatness and ugliness, and in the other case in part because he looked like his terrible father.
I can’t believe I finished this book. The only redeeming qualities I can think of are: the setting was kind of charming sometimes; the Cosmo character was ok; I liked that it wasn’t in a hurry but I would have liked that more if it was slowly going literally anywhere good, which, as I’ve said, it was not.
Was this my worst book of the year by far? Yes. Was it my pick for book club? Also yes. 🤦♀️
What little plot there was was super predictable AND foreshadowed, leaving literally nothing to the imagination. And while I’m here for the “people > money and material things” moral to the story, that point was made in chapter one and then belaboured for 600 more pages.
I signed up for a kind of old fashioned book so I probably should have anticipated the strict gender norms, ableism and fat shaming but it was all gross nonetheless.
The characters were very one dimensional. We’re supposed to hate the main character’s children because of their materialism and general unlikeability. However I sometimes empathized with these assholes because it was very clear that their mother didn’t like them, or their children, and kind of always hadn’t, in one case at least in part because of fatness and ugliness, and in the other case in part because he looked like his terrible father.
I can’t believe I finished this book. The only redeeming qualities I can think of are: the setting was kind of charming sometimes; the Cosmo character was ok; I liked that it wasn’t in a hurry but I would have liked that more if it was slowly going literally anywhere good, which, as I’ve said, it was not.
Was this my worst book of the year by far? Yes. Was it my pick for book club? Also yes. 🤦♀️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Fatphobia, and War
lucymae0515's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Cursing
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