msjoanna's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted to like this book more than I did. Maybe I would have liked it more had I read the print version rather than listening to the audio version. But the first person narrative should have translated well to audio format. The narrator was fine - neither fantastic nor horrid. But the story was just frustrating. The narrator, an Ethiopian immigrant who owns and operates a convenience store in a tough neighborhood in Washington, DC just never won my heart. Despite being in the US for seventeen years, he built almost no community or friendships and seemed basically lackadaisical about his life and circumstances. I guess that is part of the point-he had big dreams that got lost in day to day living-but it didn't make for a very compelling read.
caitlinxmartin's review against another edition
5.0
I collect corner stores. How can I do that? I mean, it's not like I can put them in my pocket and take them home to shut up in a curio cabinet. Thing is, I love corner stores. Wherever I live I find and visit corner stores. Usually I have a favorite that's in walking distance from my house and I am a loyal customer until I move. So far, Seattle and the Bay Area have had the best corner stores.
My favorite corner store in Seattle was open 24/7, sold cigarettes and basic food stuffs and had a soda fountain so you could buy a great big Dr. Pepper with tons of ice. The owners were Pakistani and always a source for great conversation. Eventually they added a case where they sold pizza by the slice and home made samosas. I miss going there since I left Seattle. My current corner store is owned by these really cool brothers from Syria. They put a lot of work into refreshing the store when they bought it, including installing a tile floor with an Arabic pattern in it that is stunning. They are also very nice and call me "beautiful lady."
The corner store that The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears reminds me of is another Seattle corner store. I went there sometimes when I lived in the Pike/Pine corridor right before I moved in with my husband in Lake City. It was very mysterious. Owned by Ethiopians, carried mostly Ethiopian food stuffs, dimly lighted and filled with smells of all kinds of spices.
It had an old-fashioned screen door (I love the sound of a screen door) and when you entered there was usually one man behind the counter and a group of three or four men at a table off to the side drinking coffee and I suspect talking politics, although I didn't understand their language. They were never friendly, but never unfriendly - just sort of neutral. They seemed isolated in their own little immigrant world and I never could find a way to penetrate that. I imagine Sepha's corner store like this one.
This is a beautiful subtle novel about an Ethiopian immigrant who comes to America all alone at 17 and years later finds himself the proprietor of a failing corner store in a gentrifying neighborhood. Sepha is lonely, but less so when he meets and befriends Judith and her multi-racial daughter, Naomi who renovate and move into one of the huge old houses down the street. Sepha develops a crush on Judith that seems to be reciprocated, but the biggest surprise is his relationship to Naomi, solidified over a copy of The Brothers Karamazov.
Mr. Mengetsu writes beautifully and captures and delivers moments that are so palpable you could touch them. His characters and sense of place are rich and deep. I said earlier this was a subtle book - by that I mean it isn't filled with big moments - rather it is stitched together out of the ordinary moments of our lives. There is despair here, loneliness, fear, and racism, but there is also wit, and joy. Highly recommended.
My favorite corner store in Seattle was open 24/7, sold cigarettes and basic food stuffs and had a soda fountain so you could buy a great big Dr. Pepper with tons of ice. The owners were Pakistani and always a source for great conversation. Eventually they added a case where they sold pizza by the slice and home made samosas. I miss going there since I left Seattle. My current corner store is owned by these really cool brothers from Syria. They put a lot of work into refreshing the store when they bought it, including installing a tile floor with an Arabic pattern in it that is stunning. They are also very nice and call me "beautiful lady."
The corner store that The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears reminds me of is another Seattle corner store. I went there sometimes when I lived in the Pike/Pine corridor right before I moved in with my husband in Lake City. It was very mysterious. Owned by Ethiopians, carried mostly Ethiopian food stuffs, dimly lighted and filled with smells of all kinds of spices.
It had an old-fashioned screen door (I love the sound of a screen door) and when you entered there was usually one man behind the counter and a group of three or four men at a table off to the side drinking coffee and I suspect talking politics, although I didn't understand their language. They were never friendly, but never unfriendly - just sort of neutral. They seemed isolated in their own little immigrant world and I never could find a way to penetrate that. I imagine Sepha's corner store like this one.
This is a beautiful subtle novel about an Ethiopian immigrant who comes to America all alone at 17 and years later finds himself the proprietor of a failing corner store in a gentrifying neighborhood. Sepha is lonely, but less so when he meets and befriends Judith and her multi-racial daughter, Naomi who renovate and move into one of the huge old houses down the street. Sepha develops a crush on Judith that seems to be reciprocated, but the biggest surprise is his relationship to Naomi, solidified over a copy of The Brothers Karamazov.
Mr. Mengetsu writes beautifully and captures and delivers moments that are so palpable you could touch them. His characters and sense of place are rich and deep. I said earlier this was a subtle book - by that I mean it isn't filled with big moments - rather it is stitched together out of the ordinary moments of our lives. There is despair here, loneliness, fear, and racism, but there is also wit, and joy. Highly recommended.
cheraford's review
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
juliebrochmann's review against another edition
3.0
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kateagan's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
chanelaine11's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
the_emas's review against another edition
4.0
Since I read this in spurts over the course of my last year of thesis work, I can't write a full review. However, the writing was fantastic. Mengestu has a great voice and captured so many of the subtleties of life beautifully in his prose. I'm already excited to dive into his next novel, now that the thesis is written and I can devote more time to reading.
neuschb's review against another edition
4.0
Engaging, lucid prose. An immigrant story. And an interesting title.
ashleyspilk's review against another edition
3.0
This book tricks you into believing that our situations in life are hopeless. As he casually chronicles African coup history as conversation between friends, what he's really saying is, the names change but the situation is the same. And as he tells of a D.C. neighborhood divided by race and economics, he again re-iterates that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Not true. If everyone adopted the same, hopeless apathy and inertia as the main character, life would be pointless. Dear friends, life is not hopeless- unless you seek Truth where it cannot be found, peace where it does not exist, and fulfillment in the vast nothingness of society. Then, yes, yours is a hopeless pursuit. However, the God of the universe, who created everything we see and hear and feel and know, loves you intimately and gave Himself as a ransom for our lives- He calls us His own. He loves us inexplicably though we cannot nor will not ever deserve or earn His love. And it is His love who defines who we are, what we are, and why we are. Not being an American, an African, nor any other label we own. The world can change, but not by the short-sighted methods we've employed. By Love, honest, authentic Love for God and for all people.
lmurray74's review against another edition
5.0
I read this in a couple of sittings which is as it needs to be in order to accompany the narrator on his journey. A simple, heartbreaking tale which completely sucked me in. I felt I was by the narrator's side the whole way. I felt great empathy with him and the details will linger long after the story has been read.