mariebrunelm's review
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Here is a peculiar book I would be hard pressed to summarise. I considered abandoning it many times, and only kept going because I could feel a reading slump coming and I didn't want it to taint a future read I'd anticipated.
For most of this book I was confused. It is very intricate and jumps back and forward in time so that I had no idea when and where and who I was reading about. The prose was quirky and imaginative, but at the start I thought it was a bit forced. Then towards the end it came together for me and, perhaps because the story became a little bit more linear, I managed to reach the end.
History of the Rain is really a book about storytelling and the love of books and bookish legacies. It is also meandering and you might get bogged down more than once, just like the characters do in the Irish countryside the story takes place in.
I'd still recommend it, because it has a very special kind of beauty and will appeal to readers who are well-versed in classics and do not fear to be led astray in the narrative chronology. There were more than a few quotable lines that I didn't write down because I was busy finding my bearings in the book. Be warned also that it is a very sad one (have a peek at the content warnings and do ask me if you need more specific ones), although there's this deep, deep faith in literature that brings a little light and hope.
For most of this book I was confused. It is very intricate and jumps back and forward in time so that I had no idea when and where and who I was reading about. The prose was quirky and imaginative, but at the start I thought it was a bit forced. Then towards the end it came together for me and, perhaps because the story became a little bit more linear, I managed to reach the end.
History of the Rain is really a book about storytelling and the love of books and bookish legacies. It is also meandering and you might get bogged down more than once, just like the characters do in the Irish countryside the story takes place in.
I'd still recommend it, because it has a very special kind of beauty and will appeal to readers who are well-versed in classics and do not fear to be led astray in the narrative chronology. There were more than a few quotable lines that I didn't write down because I was busy finding my bearings in the book. Be warned also that it is a very sad one (have a peek at the content warnings and do ask me if you need more specific ones), although there's this deep, deep faith in literature that brings a little light and hope.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Terminal illness, and Grief
Minor: War and Fire/Fire injury
vanitar's review
3.0
Enjoyed parts two and three more. Although this book is quite different from what I normally read, I loved the way she finds herself and her family in the stories. It depicted well the beauty of sharing our stories and carrying the stories of others and how we impact those around us.
fant_ine's review
dark
emotional
medium-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
3.5
citrusboombox's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
neil_denham's review
2.0
The author only discovered the useful vehicle of plot in the last third of the book.
mary_r_m's review
3.0
Audio.
Would listen to it again just for the accent of the narrator. I did enjoy the stories.
Would listen to it again just for the accent of the narrator. I did enjoy the stories.
yoneb_26's review
4.0
This book is wonderful. I love Ruth Swain and I love her story and all the sentences that made me smile and especially her capitalisations! A joy to read.
lynnenad's review
emotional
reflective
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? Yes
4.0
I largely enjoyed this book but not as much as This Is Happiness by the same author. This book was written before This Is Happiness but is also set in the fictional Irish village of Faha. In this book, the story is narrated by Ruth. She is a convincing character with a good story to tell (essentially her family history) but her voice is quite irritating, with many asides and sentences that are often a paragraph long.
Overall though a good story with a lot to say about storytelling and the drive of creation
Overall though a good story with a lot to say about storytelling and the drive of creation
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer and Child death
debbiecuddy's review
5.0
I laughed, I cried and was deeply moved by this lovely story. I couldn't put it down and didn't want the story to end. I borrowed this book from the library and found the writing to be so beautiful and lyrical that I am going to buy it so I can read it again.