Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead

36 reviews

jodar's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.0

Well-written and strangely absorbing, but what an odd mix of themes: semi-orphans abandoned to an incapable uncle; a frontier-like childhood; a nasty marriage with liquor-running adventures; wilderness solitude (more than once); a war story; a movie star; an adventure story of long-distance flight.

Scarcely an admirable character appears at all, except perhaps for secondary and tertiary characters. How to think of the MC, her twin brother and closest childhood-then-adult friend? Introverted, certainly, but none to me are attractive. All have their own obsessions (flying, art, wilderness) and seem to care only about their own selfish needs.

There’s sexual promiscuity by the main characters throughout, with barely any consideration for consequences to others. Steps to avoid pregnancy are detailed, but non-historical is the lack of any concern for venereal disease at a time of horrible and inadequate treatment. This ignorance doesn’t even make sense while the characters are young and isolated from society, as the prostitutes the MC befriends would surely be knowledgeable. It’s anachronistic behaviour till after the 1950s–1960s at least, when effective treatments became available and the ‘sexual revolution’ began to take off. The trope of non-heterosexual relationships as some sort of forbidden and secret enlightenment arises, of course; it’s seemingly unavoidable these days.

From time to time throughout the MC’s life and for sure at the end, the futility of existence and a resigned nihilism comes to the fore:

All the times she [the MC] has brushed against death, she’s never given much thought to what might come after. Now she considers it. She supposes there will be nothing. She supposes each of us destroys the world. We close our eyes and snuff out all that has existed, all that will ever be. (Final chapter, “The End”)

This is the malignancy that American individualism and its preoccupation with freedom looks like, I suppose, when it is untempered by a wider Christian concern towards others in society or a belief in the ultimate importance of our actions. I doubt this is what the author intends the reader to come away with, however.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Abandonment, Death, Suicidal thoughts, War, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Abortion, Murder, Grief, and Infidelity

hayleyvem's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Gun violence, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, Violence, War, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Rape, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Death of parent, Abandonment, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, and Suicidal thoughts

karingforbooks's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

3.25

The premise is interesting and what parts focused on the circumnavigation were fascinating and enjoyable. But the author jumps around a lot and I’m not sure what the point of Hadley was. She felt superfluous since we had all the other info through Marian anyway. Also the focus on sex and relationships drove me up the wall. Every other page there was a reference to or discussion of sex that was unnecessary and added nothing. I think if this were 300 pages it would have been much better 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Grief, Rape, War, Abandonment, Alcoholism, and Death of parent

Minor: Abortion

ppppaula's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

I adored the main story about Marian and all of the historical side stories, but the present day story about the actress added nothing and to me, was unnecessary. This would have been a 5 star read without it.  The writing was spot on, and the historical stories were so well told from the get go and really gave a sense of place and character. I really could picture the different places, especially Missoula, Alaska, Seattle & Antartica. Loved the stories about Addison, the ship,, Jamie, Eddy, Caleb, Wallace, and of course Marian. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Rape, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Abandonment, and Abortion

doilooklikeamolly's review against another edition

challenging emotional slow-paced

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

4.0

This is a marathon of a read! It's incredibly dense with painstaking backstory. I went into it knowing that many reviewers didn't enjoy these perhaps superfluous additions, but as I read I kept thinking to myself "would I have edited this out," and more often than not my answer was no. The interwoven timelines are supported by histories that add complexity to the characters and the way they experience pain, joy, and one another's flaws. The end result is this dynamic, emotional, expertly crafted arc. I recommend it to anyone who loves a slow burn - an opportunity to just steep in the narrative and language.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Rape, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse

There is some sex positive coming of age content, but also brief moments of non-consensual acts under the guise of marital duty.

Spoiler

This includes non-consensual removal of contraceptive device, forced impregnation and mention of abortion.

lols_cat's review against another edition

adventurous informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Violence, and War

Moderate: Alcoholism, Addiction, Death of parent, and Death

Minor: Abortion, Pregnancy, Homophobia, Abandonment, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

heatherilene's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Violence, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Homophobia, Domestic abuse, Death, and Rape

cecilialau_'s review

3.75

Loads and loads happens especially in the beginning of this book. I defo recommend reading it at a time where you can “handle”/grasp a lot of characters and plot; it’s not a light read. It’s a good story, it’s heavy at times, it’s well-crafted and I enjoyed Jamie’s storyline the most tbh. My big book fear came out though as I thought it dragged a little here and there but I also had high expectations for it which is unfair tbf. Still worth a read

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Abortion, Incest, Addiction, Alcohol, Death, and War

jazhandz's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, War, Alcoholism, Death, and Alcohol

Moderate: Abortion, Rape, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Confinement, Misogyny, and Sexism

Minor: Animal cruelty, Homophobia, Dementia, and Hate crime

smaravetz's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring sad medium-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? Yes

4.0

This was great- on the long side but tied all ends together by the final chapter. Really enjoyable. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Sexual violence and Rape

Minor: Alcoholism, Death of parent, and Abortion