rosie_fraser's review against another edition
2.0
An intertwining of stories but without the complexity of character needed.
A nice story concept but without much empathy or imagery being built around the people and places in both storylines it was hard to feel the emotional arc of the story.
A nice story concept but without much empathy or imagery being built around the people and places in both storylines it was hard to feel the emotional arc of the story.
brock111's review against another edition
4.0
I struggled with this book initially, but I am glad I stuck with it. I wish we were reading this for book club because there are parts I would like to discuss with others. The characters were interesting and kept surprising me. The author tied things together neatly at the end. This is another book that will keep me thinking.
adrienneambo's review against another edition
3.0
Alternating story of a group of female missionary in China's Kashgar region in the 1920s and a modern day woman of London. Family secrets bring the two time periods to life in this intense debut. The characters never really get off the ground, but I was impressed by the author's knowledge of this exotic and foreign setting.
onceuponasarah's review against another edition
3.0
I read this after The Tenth Gift by Jane Johnson, and I liked that one better. This one felt a little flat - I couldn't really connect to the characters. But if you like this type of book I would recommend The Tenth Gift mentioned above.
apetranoff's review
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
An interesting read though not what I expected
msjaquiss's review against another edition
3.0
This novel was another where the title was misleading. Sure, the main narrator took a bicycle with her into Asia but she never seemed to ride it and none of her narrative really was about traveling on a bicycle. Annoying. Still, I enjoyed the characters, the story and the back and forth between the present and the past. It was a fun read and quick but not an earth-shattering read for me.
itabar's review against another edition
My problem with this book were two:
1. The author's voice jarred me. When I started analyzing the writing style I realized I wasn't absorbed by the story.
2. I didn't care about *any* of the characters. They weren't particularly interesting or endearing.
I only finished this book because it was chosen for our book club. One of us liked it, the other three didn't.
1. The author's voice jarred me. When I started analyzing the writing style I realized I wasn't absorbed by the story.
2. I didn't care about *any* of the characters. They weren't particularly interesting or endearing.
I only finished this book because it was chosen for our book club. One of us liked it, the other three didn't.
judyward's review against another edition
4.0
I picked this book up from the stack from the library primarily because it's due back on Thursday thinking that I would read for 15 minutes or so. Best laid plans--I read this while I was cooking breakfast, I read it while eating breakfast, I read it in the garden, I read it all afternoon. I couldn't put it down. In her debut novel, Suzanne Joiner seamlessly weaves together two stories. In the first, set in 1923, three young English women find themselves under house arrest in Kashgar, Turkestan after being accused of murder. The three were missionaries, although to be fair, Evangeline English is accompanying her younger sister, Elizabeth, (riding a green BSA Lady Roadster) more for the adventure rather than out of concern for the saving of souls. Rounding out the trio is Millicent Frost who dominates Elizabeth and suspects that Evangeline is interested more in writing a book about their travels than proselytizing. The murder charge was the result of the three women trying to help a young girl they found lying by the side of the road giving birth. After her baby girl was born, the girl bled to death. In the second story, set in the present in London, Frieda Blakeman, befriends a young man from Yemen she discovers sleeping in the hallway outside of her apartment. Returning from a trip in the Middle East, Frieda also finds a letter informing her that she has been listed as next-of-kin to a recently deceased woman named Irene Guy. Frieda has never met anyone named Irene Guy and now she has a week to clean out Irene's apartment before the contents are sold for salvage. Slowly, by alternating how the two stories unfold, Joinson reveals the connections.
froydis's review against another edition
3.0
3 1/2 stars - interesting book! I liked how the author went back and forth between the eras. I must admit I found the past story line much more compelling than the present storyline. I was not as interested in Frieda and her dilemmas and they pale in comparison to those of the ladies in the past. The descriptions in this book are wonderful! I could really feel the tension and the effects of the desert. I can recommend the book.
caroparr's review against another edition
4.0
Loved the Central Asian setting and the characters who only subtly reveal their true selves. The 1924 story is stronger than the contemporary one, but I appreciated both. Beautifully written, and the kind of book I want to start again as soon as I've finished it.