Reviews

The Book of Goose, by Yiyun Li

jessie_f_s's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

jacobbechaz's review against another edition

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emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Book of Goose is a strange and compelling tale of exploitation, dependency, toxicity and manipulation. Power is constantly shifting and changing shape throughout the novel, as Agnes follows the designs laid out by her best friend Fabienne and the many adults who take the reigns of their literary career. There were many moments of profundity on the topics of death, happiness and ‘real’ life.
SpoilerAgnes’ realisation that Fabienne’s games and plots are her way to cut into the world and take revenge for her knowledge that the pair’s friendship is incompatible with ‘real life’ is heartbreaking and emotionally rendered.
It took me some time to become emotionally invested in the characters, the events seeming so absurd at first. By the end I was struck by the weight of its final reflections upon the central friendship and what this episode of their adolescence meant.

cinnamonmarti's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

rectanglenn's review

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adventurous dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

ady_soundslike80's review

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challenging dark emotional reflective 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? Yes

5.0

In Yiyun Li’s novel, The Book of Goose, two young girls, Agnes and Fabienne, are growing up as best friends in St. Remy, a rural town in France, after WWII. Fabienne is wild, clever, and cruel and Agnes is naive, obliging, and obsessed with her best friend. Together, they decide to write a book. The novel is published and this unexpectedly sends the two girls down separate paths. 

The Book of Goose explores a complicated relationship between two very different girls. It simultaneously explores freedom, expression, love, and secrets. For the first half of the book, we grow to understand the character of Fabienne as seen through Agnes’s adoring eyes. Then, as Agnes is propelled into a different and undesired future, we learn more about Agnes. The story acts as a character study, but the relationship between the two characters combined with beautiful, sparse writing makes this book a very compelling read. 

hannahefay's review against another edition

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emotional reflective tense fast-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

4.0

justinegauthier's review against another edition

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challenging reflective medium-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

4.0

cisium's review against another edition

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dark reflective tense

4.75

juliadejong's review against another edition

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2.0

2.5* Nah. Where were the geese, mate? You can't just call something the book of goose and have this dramatic ass (tho stunning) picture of a dead goose on the cover when you only mention geese or goose related stuff on basically the first and last page of the book. Smh.

matildawormwood's review against another edition

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reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5