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pasc96's review against another edition
4.0
Flawed? Yes, very much so. But what can I say? I love Tom, the protagonist, warts and all; his deeply troubled family; and Lowenstein, the psychiatrist who falls in love with him. And the depictions of the Southern low country, set against vivid New York City scenes, are among the best travel writing around.
dugoutdug23's review against another edition
4.0
Great writer who can create pictures with words like few others and weave them into a compelling story about life, love and the pain sometimes associated with both.
graywild's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
Rereading this book after 20+ years. Excellent writing. Story is not an easy one to read. It centers on Tom Wingo working with his twin sister Savannah's psychiatrist - Susan Lowenstein in NYC. Tom grew up in a poor South Carolina town with his sister, brother Luke and his parents. There is a thread of abuse and mental illness. There is also a thread of pushing away terrible things that happen in hopes no one will find out. The characters are well developed and not one dimensional. The movie was very good but I liked the book better. Highly recommend.
ladybrik's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this book. The writing was beautiful and the subject was tough but rewarding. There were several very painful parts that make it probably impossible for me to read again. I'm looking forward to watching the movie, though!
aureles's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
doucetju's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
briangodsey's review against another edition
4.0
The language often got too flowery for me and some of the metaphors were terrible, but I enjoyed the book, particularly the second half. A lot of the unpleasant prose could be ascribed to the generally insufferable narrator, but it doesn't mar the other characters enough to overshadow them.
Overall, this is a solid, Southern, family-and-small-town-driven, engaging piece of literature.
Overall, this is a solid, Southern, family-and-small-town-driven, engaging piece of literature.