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anaselma's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.5
vrg797's review against another edition
challenging
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
ldcmanon's review against another edition
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
jijirich's review against another edition
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This was very much a slice of life, but not in the lighthearted sense that I am accustomed to. It never really grabbed my attention, but I am glad that I eventually got the perfect rainy day to finish it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, and Death of parent
kolson20's review against another edition
3.0
This was definitely a different book than I originally expected and it took me a little while to get into it. One major problem that prevented me from loving this book was the story skipped around so much I didn’t know what was happening. The dialogue was too much and I felt like, by the end, I knew a lot about the narrator but also knew nothing. Something I loved though was the take on LGBTQ relationships during that time. It was a serious issue to tackle and I thought the author did a great job with it!
celiananas's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
kimb2's review against another edition
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
2.5
“We kept each other’s secrets. We were equals”
The difficulties people faced in defying society norms and mores of the 1960’s are highlighted in this story set in Iceland. I chose this book based on a desire to read more books set outside of the U.S and the U.K.
Hekla,named after a volcano, dreams of becoming a writer while Jon is gay and dreams of being able to love who he wants and yearns to work in the theatre. Together they forge a relationship where they can confide in each other.
Set against the backdrop of Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream speech and the Kennedy assassination, the two main characters realize the harsh realities of the world they live in. Women belong in beauty pageants rather than the arts and men belong on fishing boats rather than the arts.
While the premise of this story is certainly interesting, I’m not sure about the ending. I’m still gathering my thoughts.