littlefoot10's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this book, I thought it had a great premise. I really enjoyed the beginning a bit more, the end sort of dwindled out for me. I really liked Ana, trying to piece together this mystery of why they left their home. I was hoping for a bit more of the Mennonite culture to be infused in the last half of the book like it was in the first half. I enjoyed her relationship with Suki, and getting to know her mom on her own terms. This novel overall was pretty decent, but I just love the cover... it embodies Ana perfectly.
savannahsprice's review against another edition
4.0
(3.5 stars)
I recieved an ARC of this book from a giveaway.
For the first half of Once, in a Town Called Moth, I was utterly bored and waiting for the plot to kick in, but now I can appreciate how it was just (very) slow-building. I can easily say that I really liked the second half, and I liked how things connected.
I really liked the main characters and how insanely real and relatable they were. Although I was confused with the names of some side/minor characters, it didn't really distract me from enjoying the book.
I feel like the size of the book was just perfect to tell the story- you see a lot of books dragged on today to be 300 pages. I really like how the cover is simple, yet meaningful. Before reading, I was wondering how a fishtail braid up close could be of any significance to the story.
Besides for the kind of boring writing, my other big complaint is the pacing/format. The dividers (I don't know the official name for them) were kind of useless at most points, but effective at some. Showing how time passed was a big issue for me- travelling on a train, for one; the narrator is telling us she's going to a relatives' farm, and then she's suddenly there, no showing of time passing.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It had its faults, but I would recommend it to anyone who wants an easy and enjoyable read with an interesting story.
I recieved an ARC of this book from a giveaway.
For the first half of Once, in a Town Called Moth, I was utterly bored and waiting for the plot to kick in, but now I can appreciate how it was just (very) slow-building. I can easily say that I really liked the second half, and I liked how things connected.
I really liked the main characters and how insanely real and relatable they were. Although I was confused with the names of some side/minor characters, it didn't really distract me from enjoying the book.
I feel like the size of the book was just perfect to tell the story- you see a lot of books dragged on today to be 300 pages. I really like how the cover is simple, yet meaningful. Before reading, I was wondering how a fishtail braid up close could be of any significance to the story.
Besides for the kind of boring writing, my other big complaint is the pacing/format. The dividers (I don't know the official name for them) were kind of useless at most points, but effective at some. Showing how time passed was a big issue for me- travelling on a train, for one; the narrator is telling us she's going to a relatives' farm, and then she's suddenly there, no showing of time passing.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It had its faults, but I would recommend it to anyone who wants an easy and enjoyable read with an interesting story.
ljrinaldi's review against another edition
3.0
This is obviously a well researched book on the Mennonite communities in Canada and Bolivia, and that part of the book is quite interesting, and Ana's memories of the colony, told in the first person, are interesting. The part when she is in Toronto, after her father makes her leave with him, as a teenager is told in the third person, and is good as well, as we see her getting used to living in a city, but I felt as though she assimilated to quickly, got up to speed quite fast, and it is a bit jarring to be in third person while all this is happening.
It is a quiet story. Things happen, but mostly in her head, I think. Well written, but the ending felt a bit abrupt.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
It is a quiet story. Things happen, but mostly in her head, I think. Well written, but the ending felt a bit abrupt.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
meleaglestone's review against another edition
3.0
A smart read for a younger audience of twelve and up, I give a ‘middle of the road’ rating of 3 out of 5 stars because even though there were some negatives I did enjoy the plot.
Read more of my review at my blog here
Read more of my review at my blog here
thewrappedupreader's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
kaliishacole's review against another edition
4.0
My Rating: 3.5 stars
When I first started reading this I instantly connected it to The House On Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros because of the main character's personality and her observations of the people around her. Also there was a part about shoes and identity which were major motifs in The House On Mango Street. It was a little difficult to pay attention to some minor parts of the story while reading, but it was beautifully written. Basically this book follows a Bolivian/ Canadian 14 year old, named Ana or Anneli who has recently moved to Toronto, Canada with her father. Her mother had disappeared 10 years ago and Ana hasn't heard from her or heard anything about her since. Her dad always tries to dodge her questions no matter how many times she asks. In Toronto, Ana meets Suvi who becomes her best friend along with a boy named Meesha. Suvi tells Ana that she should try going to school and Ana does only to find that one of her teachers seems to let things slide and that she's still in a place full of strangers besides her friends. While trying to solve the case of her mother's disappearance and her dad's continuous dodging, Ana will learn how to overcome being the different one and will learn how to adapt to a totally new place.
When I first started reading this I instantly connected it to The House On Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros because of the main character's personality and her observations of the people around her. Also there was a part about shoes and identity which were major motifs in The House On Mango Street. It was a little difficult to pay attention to some minor parts of the story while reading, but it was beautifully written. Basically this book follows a Bolivian/ Canadian 14 year old, named Ana or Anneli who has recently moved to Toronto, Canada with her father. Her mother had disappeared 10 years ago and Ana hasn't heard from her or heard anything about her since. Her dad always tries to dodge her questions no matter how many times she asks. In Toronto, Ana meets Suvi who becomes her best friend along with a boy named Meesha. Suvi tells Ana that she should try going to school and Ana does only to find that one of her teachers seems to let things slide and that she's still in a place full of strangers besides her friends. While trying to solve the case of her mother's disappearance and her dad's continuous dodging, Ana will learn how to overcome being the different one and will learn how to adapt to a totally new place.