ginnikin's review
4.0
I really liked this. The story is complex and develops nicely; instead of large exposition dumps, bits of information are doled out bit by bit, drawing the reader in through curiosity. The characters are complex, with their own desires and darknesses and traumas, but a desire to do right. Even the antagonists get some development and depth, even if one of them turns out unrepentant, it's okay because it's done well.
jess_zf's review
3.0
Well, it was better than the last Marley novel I read - The Glass Harmonica. It was sweet, and the sci fi aspects were interesting, but the ending sorta flopped together.
eupomene's review against another edition
4.0
Isabel Burke, a priest in the Order of Mary Magdalene and also an anthropologist, travels to a distant planet where a group of "old children" were discovered: children who haven't aged in over a 100 years. A corporate entity is on the planet to build a power station and of course there is some speculation on how these children's immortality might be exploited, but the tale is far more complicated than that. Author Louise Marley weaves science fiction, faith and the crises thereof, misplaced love and the meaning of soul into a riveting story that I couldn't put down. Must read more Louise Marley! The Terrorists of Irustan was also excellent.
marhill31's review
4.0
Here's my review of The Child Goddess:
http://kammbia1.wordpress.com/2012/12/11/book-review-33-the-child-goddess-by-louise-marley/
http://kammbia1.wordpress.com/2012/12/11/book-review-33-the-child-goddess-by-louise-marley/
squirrelfish's review
4.0
Touching, emotional, complicated characters, motivations, and a deceptively simple plot. I thought the back of the book gave a bit too much away. I also felt like while many of Louise Marley's books make me cry this was the least necessary tears. On the border of being a tear-jerker for the fun of it.
fiddledragon's review against another edition
5.0
I have always loved Louise Marley's books from the first book I'd read of hers [b:The Terrorists of Irustan|577258|The Terrorists of Irustan|Louise Marley|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1175959416s/577258.jpg|1869018], and this book is no different. Marley weaves her characters into her stories. She blends plot, emotion, texture, sound, and culture expertly leaving you wanting to read more about the world that she creates.
That being said, I was frustrated with this book with how she treated the mystery of Oa - I felt that she took too long to unfold the mystery. I won't say much more because I don't want to leave spoilers. But overall, I would happily read it again, and recommend it to others.
That being said, I was frustrated with this book with how she treated the mystery of Oa - I felt that she took too long to unfold the mystery. I won't say much more because I don't want to leave spoilers. But overall, I would happily read it again, and recommend it to others.
errantdreams's review against another edition
5.0
You know an author is good at depicting a character when you get so swept up in the character’s emotions that you actually get angry along with the character! Isabel tries so hard to get Oa to be treated well, and when the seemingly heartless Dr. Paolo Adetti does everything in his power to stymie her, it drove me nuts. I actually hated Adetti, and it was almost difficult to read the portions where it became clear that no really, he’s human too, and not an evil person. There’s only one character who could be seen as being relatively one-sidedly bad, and she manages to remain interesting by owning her lack of repentance for her choices.
The relationship between Simon and Isabel is engaging: Isabel broke her vow of celibacy with Simon, and Simon broke his marriage vows with Isabel. But the two are genuinely in love and trying to do the right thing now. Oa is also a fantastic character, descended from an old African tribe that lost contact with Earth before colonizing the planet Virimund. She’s a child, and yet not a child. She raises many questions about what a person would be like if they could never grow up. Jin-Li Chung and Matty Phipps are great examples of side characters done right. They have implied backstory and plenty of personality. Jin-Li tries to help just because it’s the right thing to do, and ends up getting sucked into the trip to Virimund that Isabel must take. Matty was the only friendly face Oa saw on her journey to Earth.
Isabel’s religion is a real and present thing for her, and in some ways makes it easier for her to help Oa. This is handled without heavy-handed moralizing or implications that one religion is necessarily better (or worse) than another. It’s one of the better depictions of religion I’ve seen.
Content warning for some child abuse and a rape mention.
Overall I was totally sucked into this book, and stayed up late to finish reading it.
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2019/03/review-the-child-goddess-louise-marley/
The relationship between Simon and Isabel is engaging: Isabel broke her vow of celibacy with Simon, and Simon broke his marriage vows with Isabel. But the two are genuinely in love and trying to do the right thing now. Oa is also a fantastic character, descended from an old African tribe that lost contact with Earth before colonizing the planet Virimund. She’s a child, and yet not a child. She raises many questions about what a person would be like if they could never grow up. Jin-Li Chung and Matty Phipps are great examples of side characters done right. They have implied backstory and plenty of personality. Jin-Li tries to help just because it’s the right thing to do, and ends up getting sucked into the trip to Virimund that Isabel must take. Matty was the only friendly face Oa saw on her journey to Earth.
Isabel’s religion is a real and present thing for her, and in some ways makes it easier for her to help Oa. This is handled without heavy-handed moralizing or implications that one religion is necessarily better (or worse) than another. It’s one of the better depictions of religion I’ve seen.
Content warning for some child abuse and a rape mention.
Overall I was totally sucked into this book, and stayed up late to finish reading it.
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2019/03/review-the-child-goddess-louise-marley/
urban_mermaid's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this. I purchase this as part of a Story Bundle and had no preconceptions. I really loved the world-building, character development, and even the plot. There are a couple small things that keep it from being five stars - some moments where it has a little white savior feel and some things that could have been dialed in a bit more. That said, it is rare to read a book where multiple characters change/grow, and where children are respected and their voices heard. I read through the entire book in one sitting on a plane which tells you how engaging it was.
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