thelitficagenda's review
5.0
Absolutely adored this book start to finish. I fell in love with the three main characters with each of them pulling my heart strings in different ways. A beautiful read that has made its way into my favourites list.
juliescalzo's review
4.0
“We realize it is in those quiet moments that each of us has the ability to make our lives extraordinary.”
This is our current book club choice, and I flew through it. It’s told in first person by the main character, Sam Hill. Sam was born with red eyes, a condition he would keep for the rest of his life. Because of his red eyes, he was teased, bullied, and excluded as a kid. However, Sam had a fierce mother. She was fiercely religious and fierce in her love and advocacy for him. Throughout this story, Sam tells of his struggles and triumphs in school, his friendship with the only Black student at the school, Ernie, finding his talent in writing, & his relationships with women, including his best friend Mickey. He also jumps ahead to adulthood, where he has an ophthalmologist practice with Mickey, helps support his parents, & encounters an old bully.
This is a story of family, friendship, and what makes a life. It does jump around quite a bit between Sam’s childhood and adulthood, so that was occasionally hard to follow. I really enjoyed Sam’s relationships with his friends and his family. I also enjoyed the theme of acceptance that this employed. I didn’t quite emotionally connect like I would’ve connected, but I did enjoy reading it overall.
This is our current book club choice, and I flew through it. It’s told in first person by the main character, Sam Hill. Sam was born with red eyes, a condition he would keep for the rest of his life. Because of his red eyes, he was teased, bullied, and excluded as a kid. However, Sam had a fierce mother. She was fiercely religious and fierce in her love and advocacy for him. Throughout this story, Sam tells of his struggles and triumphs in school, his friendship with the only Black student at the school, Ernie, finding his talent in writing, & his relationships with women, including his best friend Mickey. He also jumps ahead to adulthood, where he has an ophthalmologist practice with Mickey, helps support his parents, & encounters an old bully.
This is a story of family, friendship, and what makes a life. It does jump around quite a bit between Sam’s childhood and adulthood, so that was occasionally hard to follow. I really enjoyed Sam’s relationships with his friends and his family. I also enjoyed the theme of acceptance that this employed. I didn’t quite emotionally connect like I would’ve connected, but I did enjoy reading it overall.
kristenfh's review against another edition
4.0
I so badly wanted to give this book five stars, but there was just way too much god at the end. Great story and I loved the relationship between Sam and his mom, and while I like the direction the ending took, I thought all the god was unnecessary. A true testament to the indoctrination of children into religion.
ejschell33's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
rknuttel's review
4.0
I’m not quite sure how to describe this book. I feel like I read most of it thinking it was fine, nothing extraordinary but enjoyable. The events in the plot were pretty ordinary life events for the most part. It was quite sad in many places. Yet it was such an easy read, and it kept pulling me forward, despite the day-to-day nature. Sure, a kid with red eyes isn’t exactly what you call normal, but it didn’t feel extraordinary enough to live up to the title. But by the time I got to the end, I had shed many tears and was sad to see these characters go. I was particularly impressed with Mickie and Sam’s mom. I loved them. ❤️
The relationships drive this book. The way that the characters care for each other through thick and thin is truly lovely. I enjoyed the present day timeline the most, but for the story to really make an impact, you need those childhood memories. Everything comes full circle, in more ways than one.
The relationships drive this book. The way that the characters care for each other through thick and thin is truly lovely. I enjoyed the present day timeline the most, but for the story to really make an impact, you need those childhood memories. Everything comes full circle, in more ways than one.
sacrificebyfire's review against another edition
5.0
A Perfect Novel
I'm not reading anything else in 2020, because I can't think of anything better than starting it with This Tender Land and ending it with this book.
I'm not reading anything else in 2020, because I can't think of anything better than starting it with This Tender Land and ending it with this book.
chrissydisibio's review
5.0
I really enjoyed this book! I love the style how the “chapters” were usually only a couple pages it felt like I was getting through the book faster and it flowed really well. I loved how it went back and forth in time. Sam was so lucky to have his mother and father and I just really loved their relationship as well as Mickie and Ernie being there for him all his life. This book questions faith a lot and I think there are some great lessons that come from it.
ndbeyer's review
5.0
Great book to help you appreciate the attributes we are born with that make us "extraordinary".
hello_sweetie11's review
5.0
This book was incredible! It was heartbreaking and heartwarming all in the same moments. It made me infuriated with the world, and yet hopeful. Wonderful.