waveszz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
fimrry's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
northernfleabag's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
cami19's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
nadiafleur's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
ballrooms_of_mars's review against another edition
4.0
What a very strange experience. Really enjoyed it. Mundane details delightful and surprising, all wrapping up an insidious rot at the core of it. Displacing it, I suppose. Really bedding down in those details; burying the body with them.
Quite by accident, it's the third book read recently that doesn't use quotation marks around dialogue, which is always a bit fascinating to see on a page.
Quite by accident, it's the third book read recently that doesn't use quotation marks around dialogue, which is always a bit fascinating to see on a page.
the_devotress's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
As a fan of the Lynne Ramsey film adaptation of this, it was interesting seeing the differences between these two versions of the same story.
As usual with book-to-film adaptations of character-centric stories that are actually about something else, the film loses a lot of the meditations on Scottish identity that fill this book, but the forefront character exploration is Lynne Ramsey's strength anyway and that shows in her film.
The other main difference is, if I recall correctly, Ramsey speeds up the pace of the story significantly, which improves the story a lot. There are points here where the actual story doesn't really move forward for stretches of 30 pages at a time, which helps the lonely, freefalling vibes of Morvern's character, but makes the reading experience a lot less enjoyable.
unfortunately, in this round of adaptation wars, the film won.
As usual with book-to-film adaptations of character-centric stories that are actually about something else, the film loses a lot of the meditations on Scottish identity that fill this book, but the forefront character exploration is Lynne Ramsey's strength anyway and that shows in her film.
The other main difference is, if I recall correctly, Ramsey speeds up the pace of the story significantly, which improves the story a lot. There are points here where the actual story doesn't really move forward for stretches of 30 pages at a time, which helps the lonely, freefalling vibes of Morvern's character, but makes the reading experience a lot less enjoyable.
unfortunately, in this round of adaptation wars, the film won.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Suicide
Minor: Vomit and Sexism
jessmcginty's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
3.5