Scan barcode
rose421's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ljjohnson8's review against another edition
2.0
I very much enjoyed another Gowdy (Helpless - 5 stars) so I was excited by the prospect of her latest. But I was disappointed by this slow-moving but well-written novel, that had too many go-nowhere features (Marsh) and an oddly cold and bland feel to it. I feel like I understood Gowdy's themes and points, but I guess she just didn't make me care. However, she has a lot of other titles; I loved Helpless; and even this novel was written with distinctive care and style, so I will try another.
siobhanward's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book had such a strong premise, but the execution just wasn't quite there. I loved the glimpses into Rose's past and Ava, but even still it felt underdeveloped at times. This was a pretty short book, so I wonder if another 50 pages would have allowed things to be a bit more fleshed out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Death
astral_nay's review against another edition
2.0
While I enjoyed the writing style, many components of the plot left me concerned. The author takes a rather prolife stance on abortion, and there’s a a few instances of racism (the whole thing about “Indian visions” felt really unnecessary and tone deaf). The synopsis of the book also left me thinking this was going to be a gothic thriller with some magic realism. In actuality, this book was oddly paced and more so about grief. I’ve heard good things about this author, so I might be inclined to try her works again some time, but I just really didn’t jive with the political ideologies in this book, or the misleading synopsis.
lizmart88's review against another edition
3.0
This is the first book by Barbara Gowdy I have read, and now I am interested to check out some of her previous novels.
I definitely recommend this one. It's a quick read, but will stay with you as you think about the themes even longer.
I am a big fan of magical realism, so I always appreciate when authors use elements of magical realism. In this case, the main character Rose begins to have these "episodes" (her words for them) where she is inhabiting the body of another woman named Harriett, but still fully conscious of herself.
The episodes appear to be linked to a series of big thunderstorms. Her boyfriend is a weatherman and he is determined to find a scientific explanation. But I appreciated that Ms. Gowdy didn't try to explain too much why it was happening.
I didn't expect to be so hooked on what is kind of a flimsy plot line. But I quickly wanted to know who Harriet was. And I wanted to learn more about Rose's mother, Fiona, who is slowly descending into dementia.
The book switches back and forth between Rose in present day and flashbacks to her childhood, leading up to an accident involving her sister Ava. There are no quick shortcuts, overselling of a story, or anything too trite. The book moves along quickly, and then ends, kind of like life, with not everything tied up in a bow.
While I didn't think the book was particularly subtle as I read it, I find myself still mulling over what it meant a day later. There's certainly a few layers underneath the story. The exploration of mother /daughter relationships, the idea of atonement for past accidents, and the idea of the spiritual or other world are all woven in.
Ultimately, I really enjoyed reading it. It's the kind of book I think you enjoy even more on the second reading when you start to discover all the little things the author has put in that you missed the first time.
Full disclosure: I received an advanced readers copy from Tin House Books in exchange for an unbiased review.
I definitely recommend this one. It's a quick read, but will stay with you as you think about the themes even longer.
I am a big fan of magical realism, so I always appreciate when authors use elements of magical realism. In this case, the main character Rose begins to have these "episodes" (her words for them) where she is inhabiting the body of another woman named Harriett, but still fully conscious of herself.
The episodes appear to be linked to a series of big thunderstorms. Her boyfriend is a weatherman and he is determined to find a scientific explanation. But I appreciated that Ms. Gowdy didn't try to explain too much why it was happening.
I didn't expect to be so hooked on what is kind of a flimsy plot line. But I quickly wanted to know who Harriet was. And I wanted to learn more about Rose's mother, Fiona, who is slowly descending into dementia.
The book switches back and forth between Rose in present day and flashbacks to her childhood, leading up to an accident involving her sister Ava. There are no quick shortcuts, overselling of a story, or anything too trite. The book moves along quickly, and then ends, kind of like life, with not everything tied up in a bow.
While I didn't think the book was particularly subtle as I read it, I find myself still mulling over what it meant a day later. There's certainly a few layers underneath the story. The exploration of mother /daughter relationships, the idea of atonement for past accidents, and the idea of the spiritual or other world are all woven in.
Ultimately, I really enjoyed reading it. It's the kind of book I think you enjoy even more on the second reading when you start to discover all the little things the author has put in that you missed the first time.
Full disclosure: I received an advanced readers copy from Tin House Books in exchange for an unbiased review.
caredavidson's review against another edition
2.0
This is an awesome phenomenon idea that the author could have really went wild with, instead, this book was so flat. I blame the editor.
clyssandre's review against another edition
3.0
In France, where I grew up, Little Sister would be at home in my favourite genre: le fantastique. As Wikipedia describes it: “What is distinctive about the fantastique is the intrusion of supernatural phenomena into an otherwise realist narrative.” Fantastique is my favourite genre because it very much deals with how we human reacts in the face of events we don't understand. Do we freak out? Do we try to find a rational explanation? Do we take advantage of it? Or maybe all three, just like in Little Sister.
The main character of Gowdy's new novel is Rose, the manager of a struggling independent movie theatre whom she inherited from her late father. She is very badly overworked. Also, her mother is developing dementia and recently started blurting out dirty jokes. As to her boyfriend, he is a nerd of the obnoxious type who turns any emotional statement into an Ikea instruction manual. It's fair to say that Rose is somewhat dispirited.
Then, on a Toronto stormy day, a clap of thunder gives Rose a glimpse to another existence. She becomes a voiceless host in a mysterious woman's body, and witnesses a few minutes of what seems an incomparably more exciting life.
Just as suddenly, she's back in her own body, stunned and nose-bleeding. As she scrambles to make sense of her experience, a few other storms lash Toronto the following days and cause similar “episodes”, offering a fuller and maybe bleaker picture of the mysterious woman Rose is inhabiting.
So, her boyfriend blames the whole thing on migraines and food additives. Rose, on the other hand, decides to search for the mysterious woman. As for me, I was wondering if she was simply losing it, in some kind of epic delusional burnout. This is why Little Sister screams Fantastique to me: the doubt surrounding the main character's sanity as well as how her attitude evolves towards the “episodes” as they keep coming. (note: you do get to know if the mysterious woman exists or not... if you read the book).
This points at the strength of Little Sister: the characters, their development and expression. The book has such a collection of fascinating, vividly fleshed out characters that I find it worth reading just for that. I enjoyed how Rose matured through the story, and how the personality of the mysterious woman subtly “bled out” on her. Rose's mother Fiona is such an attaching and humourous character despite—or maybe because of—her condition. Rose's boyfriend is hilarious, although mostly because he isn't mine. The ex-convict new employee at the theatre brought some gentle wisdom to the story.
Under Gowdy's pen, characters appear unique and alive, and most importantly they seem real. The writing is so natural that Little Sister feels like a memoire at times. I really appreciated Gowdy's talent.
Unfortunately, my enthusiasm for this book was cut short by the story's unspectacular ending. First, major questions are left unanswered. Second, it is so mundane and anti-climatic in regards to the extraordinary experience of Rose! Even though it had a heartwarming quality to it, my first—and subsequent—thought was “oh, that's it?”. I was really expecting more.
Nevertheless, I can't ignore the great time I had with the characters of Little Sister: it was captivating, humourous and relaxing to read. Because the ending might leave you a bit deflated, I'd recommend to focus on the journey more than the destination. Indeed Little Sister's plot is a bit weak yet it is hard to hold a grudge when the storytelling is so good.
Now, have a nice week everybody :)
The main character of Gowdy's new novel is Rose, the manager of a struggling independent movie theatre whom she inherited from her late father. She is very badly overworked. Also, her mother is developing dementia and recently started blurting out dirty jokes. As to her boyfriend, he is a nerd of the obnoxious type who turns any emotional statement into an Ikea instruction manual. It's fair to say that Rose is somewhat dispirited.
Then, on a Toronto stormy day, a clap of thunder gives Rose a glimpse to another existence. She becomes a voiceless host in a mysterious woman's body, and witnesses a few minutes of what seems an incomparably more exciting life.
Just as suddenly, she's back in her own body, stunned and nose-bleeding. As she scrambles to make sense of her experience, a few other storms lash Toronto the following days and cause similar “episodes”, offering a fuller and maybe bleaker picture of the mysterious woman Rose is inhabiting.
So, her boyfriend blames the whole thing on migraines and food additives. Rose, on the other hand, decides to search for the mysterious woman. As for me, I was wondering if she was simply losing it, in some kind of epic delusional burnout. This is why Little Sister screams Fantastique to me: the doubt surrounding the main character's sanity as well as how her attitude evolves towards the “episodes” as they keep coming. (note: you do get to know if the mysterious woman exists or not... if you read the book).
This points at the strength of Little Sister: the characters, their development and expression. The book has such a collection of fascinating, vividly fleshed out characters that I find it worth reading just for that. I enjoyed how Rose matured through the story, and how the personality of the mysterious woman subtly “bled out” on her. Rose's mother Fiona is such an attaching and humourous character despite—or maybe because of—her condition. Rose's boyfriend is hilarious, although mostly because he isn't mine. The ex-convict new employee at the theatre brought some gentle wisdom to the story.
Under Gowdy's pen, characters appear unique and alive, and most importantly they seem real. The writing is so natural that Little Sister feels like a memoire at times. I really appreciated Gowdy's talent.
Unfortunately, my enthusiasm for this book was cut short by the story's unspectacular ending. First, major questions are left unanswered. Second, it is so mundane and anti-climatic in regards to the extraordinary experience of Rose! Even though it had a heartwarming quality to it, my first—and subsequent—thought was “oh, that's it?”. I was really expecting more.
Nevertheless, I can't ignore the great time I had with the characters of Little Sister: it was captivating, humourous and relaxing to read. Because the ending might leave you a bit deflated, I'd recommend to focus on the journey more than the destination. Indeed Little Sister's plot is a bit weak yet it is hard to hold a grudge when the storytelling is so good.
Now, have a nice week everybody :)
caseythecanadianlesbrarian's review against another edition
2.0
With a unique magical realist premise (during thunderstorms one Toronto woman Rose had episodes where she's transported into the body of another as a kind of observer) it's surprising that this novel is as bland as it is. I just felt like it didn't do much or go anywhere. The contemporary story is offset by a narrative in Rose's youth around when her sister Ava died in an accident. I'm uneasy about the inclusion of an early implication of future sexual abuse of a child which then didn't even occur. It didn't seem necessary to the narrative and left me feeling anxious about returning to that plot in a way that knowing Ava was going to die didn't.The woman that Rose visits becomes a kind of stand in sister but the ending to this part of the story was anti-climactic.
kelseyreedx's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
ace_bookworm's review against another edition
0.25
It's not often that I give books 1 star, but this was just so disappointing? It started out as a great premise with the always-interesting addition of magical realism, but it never went anywhere.
[spoilers below]
Promises made at the beginning were never fulfilled: for example, Fiona doesn't really start talking about Ava's death so much as wondering where her second daughter is, which to me just seemed to be the effects of her dementia; we are never told why it is these two women who have this strange connection beyond Rose noticing (and fixating) on Harriet's eyes which remind her of Ava; it is never explained if this has ever happened before with any other thunderstorms. This last point raises more questions: if it has, why is Rose so shocked and confused? If not, why this thunderstorm, why now? And then to have that connection suddenly severed is equally startling since there is no explanation given. I can understand magic realism being part of the story, but there's no discussion of what might have triggered the onset of Rose's "episodes" or why they stopped.
The plot seems driving toward a much more satisfying conclusion, but it's never given. I was waiting for Harriet to have some kind of connection to Ava (or even be Ava herself somehow) but that never happened. And I was left with the ultimate question of "so what?" unresolved. It felt weirdly superficial, despite the wealth of minute details, and left me wondering why I had bothered to read it.
[spoilers below]
Promises made at the beginning were never fulfilled: for example, Fiona doesn't really start talking about Ava's death so much as wondering where her second daughter is, which to me just seemed to be the effects of her dementia; we are never told why it is these two women who have this strange connection beyond Rose noticing (and fixating) on Harriet's eyes which remind her of Ava; it is never explained if this has ever happened before with any other thunderstorms. This last point raises more questions: if it has, why is Rose so shocked and confused? If not, why this thunderstorm, why now? And then to have that connection suddenly severed is equally startling since there is no explanation given. I can understand magic realism being part of the story, but there's no discussion of what might have triggered the onset of Rose's "episodes" or why they stopped.
The plot seems driving toward a much more satisfying conclusion, but it's never given. I was waiting for Harriet to have some kind of connection to Ava (or even be Ava herself somehow) but that never happened. And I was left with the ultimate question of "so what?" unresolved. It felt weirdly superficial, despite the wealth of minute details, and left me wondering why I had bothered to read it.