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xystophi's review against another edition
challenging
sad
slow-paced
- 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
3.75
mgoorchenko's review against another edition
3.0
As gorgeous as the writing is, I found the lack of plot to take away from my enjoyment of it. I read some paragraphs over and over again because they were seriously amazing! But I had to force myself to finish it.
leighreadsalot's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
sophronisba's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I am curious to see the film of this because I don't quite see how it could be done -- the book reads like an elegant tone poem, which is at times a divine experience and at times extremely frustrating, and it's hard for me to see how a film would capture it.
saibhandari's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
hwks's review against another edition
I might come back to this later, but this was incredibly descriptive and flowery. The prose is absolutely beautiful but I just cannot connect to the story, I find myself zoning out constantly and forgetting what I've read. I was listening to the audiobook, so I might re-attempt reading a physical copy to see if that helps.
maria161985's review against another edition
3.0
I really tried to get into this book however, I just didn't get the just of what the author was saying. I realize that Anne Michaels is a poet therefore, most of her work is attributed from her poetry, which has a great deal of analogies that I find difficult to comprehend. The main plot of the story was something that I definitely found intriguing though, especially in regards to how Jakob was saved, and the life that he led because of it. I found that when Ben's part came into play, I didn't see how his storyline was connected to Jakob, even though it seemed that they had crossed paths in some way or other, whether metaphorically or not. I felt sad for the failed relationship that Jakob endured with Alex, mainly due to his distorted past which made him afraid (possibly of commitment). It was difficult to read of Jakob's memories of his family, which made me sad to know of how they met their untimely end. It was definitely an eye-opening book, however, one that I found difficult to understand on many levels.
nancy_pocono50's review against another edition
5.0
Holocaust survivor(s) story, so heart wrenching to read. Writing was superb. As I was reading, I thought this is like reading poetry. A bit of research, the author is a poet. It shows in her beautiful descriptions of everything. This book made me go to the dictionary quite often, an attractive attribute. Would recommend to anyone who enjoys beautiful writing and a good story.
freshminttea's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0