monicamjw's review against another edition
4.0
Guterson is a wonderful story-teller who fills the narrative with local color and creative back-stories for his characters.
mamalemma's review against another edition
5.0
David Guterson is a master at drawing evocative pictures with words and as such, the world he has drawn in The Other is fully realized in time and place. The Other might be characterized as a coming of age story gone horribly wrong, and a friendship that abides through the years. Highly recommended.
cher_n_books's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars - It was really good.
Really enjoyed the beautiful descriptions of the Pacific Northwest setting, which just so happens to be my favorite American region.
I read in an author interview that this book has its roots in Robert Frost's poem, "The Road Not Taken." The premise is centered around a wealthy young man that turns his back on his fortune and society, heads out to live in the woods where he eventually dies alone. This is reminiscent of [b:Into the Wild|441013|Into the Wild|Jon Krakauer|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320449852s/441013.jpg|3284484], though this author has a much more mature and contemplative writing style. I really enjoy books that tackle misanthropic or minimalist ideologies, and this one was no exception.
The pacing of this one was slow in places, but it was an interesting and thought provoking read. I look forward to reading more of his works.
The Hoh River (mentioned many times in the book):
-------------------------------------------
Favorite Quote: You've been kidding yourself about yourself for so long, you're someone else. Your you is just a fragile fabrication. Every morning, you have to wake up, assemble this busy, dissembling monster, and get him or her on his or her feet again for another round of fantasy.
First Sentence: I attended Roosevelt (the Teddies, Teds, or Roughriders), a public high school in North Seattle, while my friend John William Barry was a student at Lakeside, our city’s version of an East Coast private academy like Phillips Exeter or Deerfield.
Really enjoyed the beautiful descriptions of the Pacific Northwest setting, which just so happens to be my favorite American region.
I read in an author interview that this book has its roots in Robert Frost's poem, "The Road Not Taken." The premise is centered around a wealthy young man that turns his back on his fortune and society, heads out to live in the woods where he eventually dies alone. This is reminiscent of [b:Into the Wild|441013|Into the Wild|Jon Krakauer|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320449852s/441013.jpg|3284484], though this author has a much more mature and contemplative writing style. I really enjoy books that tackle misanthropic or minimalist ideologies, and this one was no exception.
The pacing of this one was slow in places, but it was an interesting and thought provoking read. I look forward to reading more of his works.
The Hoh River (mentioned many times in the book):
-------------------------------------------
Favorite Quote: You've been kidding yourself about yourself for so long, you're someone else. Your you is just a fragile fabrication. Every morning, you have to wake up, assemble this busy, dissembling monster, and get him or her on his or her feet again for another round of fantasy.
First Sentence: I attended Roosevelt (the Teddies, Teds, or Roughriders), a public high school in North Seattle, while my friend John William Barry was a student at Lakeside, our city’s version of an East Coast private academy like Phillips Exeter or Deerfield.
antidietleah's review against another edition
1.0
This book gets a big fat DNF. I got 15% of the way through before giving up. There was something exhausting about reading it. The author, a local English teacher, shares his experiences growing up with his friend who apparently left him millions of dollars. They both seem really odd and probably did way too many drugs in the 60's and 70's. The lure of a local author wasn't enough for me to put up with this book to the end. Sorry, did not finish.
judyward's review against another edition
4.0
I was excited when my book discussion group chose this book. The author's Snow Falling on Cedars is one of my all-time favorite books, so I picked up this book with anticipation. I have mixed feelings about the book even though I gave the book four stars. It's a dark story dealing with issues of class, friendship, and extremely different ideas about what constitutes a fulfilling life. Neil Countryman is raised in a working class neighborhood in Seattle, while John William Barry has an upper class background and a solid pedigree of the offspring of two of Seattle's leading families. They meet at a track meet when they are 16 years old and become best friends--in fact Neil may be John William's only true friend. Neil follows a more traditional path to adulthood. He goes to college, drifts into a relationship and then marriage, and becomes a high school English teacher. John William, on the other hand, wants to turn his back on his wealth and tradition and retreat into the wilderness of Washington State. In this way, there are strong parallels between the choices made by John William Barry and the leading character in Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild. John William asks Neil to help him disappear off the grid. Countryman does and the results of that act impact the rest of his life. A compelling read that will be hard to forget.
angelagriffith's review
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
It was an interesting story, framed interestingly - as the main character didn’t narrate their own story. The writing was careful and well-placed, which I appreciated :)
Not too many books on the topic of purely masculine friendship, which is why I picked it up - thanks for a intruiging read. I wish there was a slight more definitive ending. I felt like it could’ve ended before the tv interview. I didn’t really think there was a point in including the final pages. What’s said has been said.
Not too many books on the topic of purely masculine friendship, which is why I picked it up - thanks for a intruiging read. I wish there was a slight more definitive ending. I felt like it could’ve ended before the tv interview. I didn’t really think there was a point in including the final pages. What’s said has been said.
marlowek's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked the story, but two criticisms: 1) the author spends way too much time describing details that didn't need to be described. 2) Far, far, far, too many commas, and dependent clauses, in his sentences.
daisy503's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
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? Yes
3.0
misslezlee's review against another edition
3.0
Not so much one story as four or five stories intertwined around one character who is not the narrator. Each story has a different setting and feel to it, but always, the one character dictates what happens next. The stories are not linear, but that doesn't really matter.
Three quarters of the way through the novel, when the character's father launches in to a lengthy reminiscence of Dr. Spock's childrearing techniques, I began to wish I'd already finished the book. But mostly, I enjoyed the storytelling and the feel of the episodes. I wanted to use the hot tub they dug out in the wilderness. I remembered traveling around Europe as a student.
Three quarters of the way through the novel, when the character's father launches in to a lengthy reminiscence of Dr. Spock's childrearing techniques, I began to wish I'd already finished the book. But mostly, I enjoyed the storytelling and the feel of the episodes. I wanted to use the hot tub they dug out in the wilderness. I remembered traveling around Europe as a student.