hazy_amber's review against another edition
3.0
TL;DR
I have mixed feelings about this one.
On one hand - not for a second i regret reading it. On the other - i will definitely not be recommending it to anyone, or re-reading it.
Now long details to read.
Why I chose it to begin with
This was suggested by a fellow reader from one of my book clubs.
The description looked good, the Prohibition era is an interesting one, so we all eagerly agreed.
How the reading felt
I had the weirdest feeling while reading this book.
When i was about half done, i texted a friend that "I am half done, yet nothing really happened yet!"
So without spoiling it much, i'd just say - it's a strangely, unevenly paced book.
You feel like nothing happens, then boom,
How characters are
So lately the things i caught myself looking for are (in that order):
- well written female characters
- relatable characters
Female characters: even though you have a number of them, all of them seemed like a sketch, like a work in progress, even more surprisingly so, given how much time is dedicated to "nothing happens" aka explaining characters.
Relatable characters: none really. None of the "struggles" of the characters moved me, maybe because i strongly believe that characters just go with the flow most of the time
Overall impressions
So i had higher expectations for the plot development. Given it's set in Prohibition times and given the blurb, i was expecting more action packed plot.
The things mentioned in the blurb happen in the passing, even though they could've made a great story - they don't really get developed all that well.
The short, sometimes too short chapters gave me an even weirder feeling pace wise.
The characters also felt a little underdeveloped, like the author started outlining them and then decided not to.
Jumps in time didn't help either - suddenly your characters are in a completely different status or place in their life and you have no idea how that happened, even though that would've been the most interesting part of it.
On a separate note - the recommendation from Stephen King on the book cover still puzzles me A LOT.
I have mixed feelings about this one.
On one hand - not for a second i regret reading it. On the other - i will definitely not be recommending it to anyone, or re-reading it.
Now long details to read.
Why I chose it to begin with
This was suggested by a fellow reader from one of my book clubs.
The description looked good, the Prohibition era is an interesting one, so we all eagerly agreed.
How the reading felt
I had the weirdest feeling while reading this book.
When i was about half done, i texted a friend that "I am half done, yet nothing really happened yet!"
So without spoiling it much, i'd just say - it's a strangely, unevenly paced book.
You feel like nothing happens, then boom,
How characters are
So lately the things i caught myself looking for are (in that order):
- well written female characters
- relatable characters
Female characters: even though you have a number of them, all of them seemed like a sketch, like a work in progress, even more surprisingly so, given how much time is dedicated to "nothing happens" aka explaining characters.
Relatable characters: none really. None of the "struggles" of the characters moved me, maybe because i strongly believe that characters just go with the flow most of the time
Overall impressions
So i had higher expectations for the plot development. Given it's set in Prohibition times and given the blurb, i was expecting more action packed plot.
The things mentioned in the blurb happen in the passing, even though they could've made a great story - they don't really get developed all that well.
The short, sometimes too short chapters gave me an even weirder feeling pace wise.
The characters also felt a little underdeveloped, like the author started outlining them and then decided not to.
Jumps in time didn't help either - suddenly your characters are in a completely different status or place in their life and you have no idea how that happened, even though that would've been the most interesting part of it.
On a separate note - the recommendation from Stephen King on the book cover still puzzles me A LOT.
prairieraven's review against another edition
4.0
Brilliant writing, loved this book so much I could barely put it down. It took me a few reads to start getting into it and then it didn't take long for the story to take off. I loved the details and the way the story threads tightened together as it progressed. I have not enjoyed a book and especially a books ending in a long time. Solid 4.5/5 stars.
karenllowe's review against another edition
An enjoyable read. It immersed me in the 20s of Detroit. Lots of characters and a good intertwining of plots. It felt genuine. I felt it was a little longer than it could have been (dragged a like in a few spots), but it held my attention all the way through. I recommend it!
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