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laheath's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
"In a long life, there is a singular moment when you know you've made more memories than any new ones you'll ever make. That's the moment your truest stories--the ones that made you the you that you became--are ever more in the front of your mind, as you begin to reach back for the you that you deemed best."
"Because if ever I could claim to have seen the face of God, it was in the colossal faces of the giraffes."
"Storytelling matters now. Emotion matters. Our imagination has become an ecological force."
Moderate: Cursing, Gun violence, Racism, Sexism, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Racial slurs, Suicide, Murder, Pregnancy, and War
dwdillydally's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I don't know if the story is tight enough to be my 'book of the year,' but overall, I loved it. Many parts of this book appealed to me:
- Historical fiction
- Road trip story
- Features animals. SPOILER
- Main character is a curmudgeon
- Set during the 1930s / Great Depression
- Variety of scenes set in rural America and a revolving door of interesting weirdos
Two criticisms:
1. The ending rambles a little, but I forgive it because by then, the POV is from an old man with slight cognitive problems. So the tone matches the main character's state-of-mind, but I'm not sure if that was the author's intent or not.
2. The only woman character (human; one of the is female) SPOILER...
Graphic: Gun violence
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Suicide, and Death of parent
Minor: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Medical content, Car accident, and War
sareidle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Car accident and Death of parent
Minor: Racial slurs
justcallmeemily's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Racism, Suicide, and Violence
Minor: Child death, Racial slurs, and Vomit
oceanwriter's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Racism, Suicide, and Violence
Minor: Child death, Racial slurs, and Vomit
sporksyeye's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Minor: Racial slurs and Racism
mariposa517's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Moderate: Child abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cursing, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and War