Reviews

Definitely showed the times in terms of language/jokes, but also seemed to acknowledge them as parody. Was a quick read that flowed easily and I was intrigued by the portrayal of female characters.

saoirselee's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

4.5

Ann Patchett can both write books AND recommend them!

cronads's review against another edition

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emotional funny medium-paced

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

4.5

sunbreak's review against another edition

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2.0

Halfway through the book I realized that I was misled when another author I love said Barbara Trapido was a must-read. "A product of its time" isn't appropriate to say anymore, she should have known better. Anyhow, I finished it to see what happens to this dreadful family, who really is an embodiment of the transatlantic accent. Unfortunately, they continued about their way and Barbara decided a miracle baby was a great ending. She's quoted as saying " “Anyone who reads Brother Of The More Famous Jack will know it’s anti-racist, even if the some of the characters run the risk of being bigoted, so I’m comfortable with that." but I certainly did not see that this book as anti-racist, just the opposite, racism was causal and un-confronted and perhaps normalized. Along with all of that I didn't find it compelling or funny or witty, it was just kind of like watching people you don't like making mistakes and facing little consequences, which is quite unfulfilling.

nooks_en_books's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

pumpkinblossom's review against another edition

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After reading a bunch of gushing praise for it, this book really didn't grab me from the beginning. Maybe I'm just not in the right frame of mind for it right now, or maybe it's not for me.

aftonphillips's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.75

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