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patsypoo's review
1.0
I hated it! I listened to it and I must say the narration is fine. The accents and different voices are good and Anna did a spot on job with what she had to work from. But it was a slog...
I like to say as little as possible about plots of books because I myself prefer to go in as blind as I can. So all I'll say is that this Mormon family struggles to come to terms with a family tragedy and I struggled to keep my interest in their story.
The novel itself could've been so much more. The beginning was good and I thought I was on to a winner. I also loved Jacob and his take on the world around him - that's where my lonely star comes from.
However, we don't spend anywhere near enough time with him to make up for his narrow-minded father, who is so blindly dedicated to his church that it struck me as bordering on fanaticism.
Most of the other characters seem brainwashed by their belief system as well and extremely out of touch with the world in which we currently live. It felt way too contrived in parts and I didn't buy into it.
Maybe I'm too much of an agnostic to understand that kind of behaviour. On the other hand, I've read a few reviews from people who say they're Mormon and they dispute a lot of what's portrayed in the book.
I'd also like to point out that although I'm a nonbeliever, I do enjoy discovering and reading about different religions. Having said that, every time we got Ian's point of view it was as if he was turning his faith into a cricket bat and repeatedly beating me over the head with it. Not just me but every member of his family, too.
Don't waste your time. Go read something else! You're welcome.
I like to say as little as possible about plots of books because I myself prefer to go in as blind as I can. So all I'll say is that this Mormon family struggles to come to terms with a family tragedy and I struggled to keep my interest in their story.
The novel itself could've been so much more. The beginning was good and I thought I was on to a winner. I also loved Jacob and his take on the world around him - that's where my lonely star comes from.
However, we don't spend anywhere near enough time with him to make up for his narrow-minded father, who is so blindly dedicated to his church that it struck me as bordering on fanaticism.
Most of the other characters seem brainwashed by their belief system as well and extremely out of touch with the world in which we currently live. It felt way too contrived in parts and I didn't buy into it.
Maybe I'm too much of an agnostic to understand that kind of behaviour. On the other hand, I've read a few reviews from people who say they're Mormon and they dispute a lot of what's portrayed in the book.
I'd also like to point out that although I'm a nonbeliever, I do enjoy discovering and reading about different religions. Having said that, every time we got Ian's point of view it was as if he was turning his faith into a cricket bat and repeatedly beating me over the head with it. Not just me but every member of his family, too.
Don't waste your time. Go read something else! You're welcome.
naomilovestoread's review
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
lucyyriddell's review
reflective
sad
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
3.0
viis97's review
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
4.0
_p0ssum_'s review
emotional
sad
medium-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
2.25
yaelm's review
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, and Suicide attempt
julietejames's review
dark
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
brogan7's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
This is a melancholy story. I didn't realize--I don't know how I missed it?--it's the story of a family coming to terms with the loss of the youngest daughter.
Carys Bray delivers her characters in her own inimitable style--there they are, mere pieces of paper, but the characters lift off the page and walk...the proud Dad, a Bishop in his Mormon faith, a man who clings to that faith in the face of this horrifying event in his life; the mother, not born within the faith and never quite absorbed by it, who is absolutely stilled by the loss of her child; the siblings: Zippy, who is trying to negotiate a world where her body and mind are trying to resolve themselves to the narrow future she is offered, a "good girl" who wants what is right and good and asked of her; Al, the next oldest, lippy and rebellious and looking for himself, for his own right path, though he doesn't know what it is and suspects he can't live up to it; and Jacob, the third child, who, at seven, is bent on believing in miracles...
Bray's touch on religion is feather-light; she doesn't judge, she just tells. And when you come face to face with phenomenal loss, who's to say what is the path to healing? What story you have, what helps you carry on?
And what if the story of someone you love, is not the story you need for your own healing? But what is love if not the imperfect knitting together of stories? And what is life if not the construction of stories, whether from the past or into the future, a retelling of what you believe to be true, or need to be true, in order to survive?
Carys Bray delivers her characters in her own inimitable style--there they are, mere pieces of paper, but the characters lift off the page and walk...the proud Dad, a Bishop in his Mormon faith, a man who clings to that faith in the face of this horrifying event in his life; the mother, not born within the faith and never quite absorbed by it, who is absolutely stilled by the loss of her child; the siblings: Zippy, who is trying to negotiate a world where her body and mind are trying to resolve themselves to the narrow future she is offered, a "good girl" who wants what is right and good and asked of her; Al, the next oldest, lippy and rebellious and looking for himself, for his own right path, though he doesn't know what it is and suspects he can't live up to it; and Jacob, the third child, who, at seven, is bent on believing in miracles...
Bray's touch on religion is feather-light; she doesn't judge, she just tells. And when you come face to face with phenomenal loss, who's to say what is the path to healing? What story you have, what helps you carry on?
And what if the story of someone you love, is not the story you need for your own healing? But what is love if not the imperfect knitting together of stories? And what is life if not the construction of stories, whether from the past or into the future, a retelling of what you believe to be true, or need to be true, in order to survive?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Sexual content
Depression, non-consensual sexmilomo's review
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75