awildernessofbooks's review against another edition
5.0
This book hit all the right notes for me. Quiet, contemplative, bringing beauty out of an ordinary life. We follow Zorrie from a young orphan, through her time as a “ghost girl” in a radium plant, and most firmly in a small farming community in Indiana. We follow her as she experiences life, loss, tries new work endeavors, makes new friends, and cultivates life-long relationships. We listen to her wonderings on life, love, aging, grief, faith, work, friendships, and their meaning and beauty. This is a short 160-page novella that helped me to reflect on what adds value to a life and what it might look like at the end looking back.
_bethandherbooks's review against another edition
hopeful
sad
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? No
4.0
gillian0231's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Truly an amazing story. I just read this book to complete the ABC challenge I do each year, and I've never been happier to have randomly picked up a book, solely because of the title. These little slice of life stories about ordinary people are so simple and yet so heartwarming. Somehow Hunt is able to show us a person's entire life in under 200 pages and make us connect with her and feel for her so much that I was sad to finish the book. Nothing really incredible or exciting happens, but I still couldn't put it down. It was a great journey through hope and beginnings that eventually bleed into grief and how to continue life after that. It was beautifully written, easy to follow, and just all around an incredible read.
corkykat's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
michquig's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
erinbirnel's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
_sarah_reads_'s review against another edition
4.0
The best way that I can think to describe this book is to say that it is a quiet book. It reminds me a little bit of Kent Haruf.
jbmorgan86's review against another edition
2.0
This is nominated for the National Book Award. It’s less than 200 pages . . . but it was still a struggle for me to get through. Why? It wasn’t an awful book. It’s just one of those books where it seems like everything happens around the character and nothing happens to the character herself. It also seemed like some characters just appeared on the scene without properly being introduced. Who are these people? Why should I care about them? Maybe I was just too distracted while reading . . .
clairebartholomew549's review against another edition
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This book is quiet and sweet, and following Zorrie is a lovely ride. I didn't get a ton out of the book, hence my three stars, but I did find Zorrie likeable and enjoyed the descriptions of the scenery. This is definitely a sleepy book, but it's a good snapshot of life in rural, depression-era Indiana.
ljm1028's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0