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laheath's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"In a long life, there is a singular moment when you know you've made more memories than any new ones you'll ever make. That's the moment your truest stories--the ones that made you the you that you became--are ever more in the front of your mind, as you begin to reach back for the you that you deemed best."
"Because if ever I could claim to have seen the face of God, it was in the colossal faces of the giraffes."
"Storytelling matters now. Emotion matters. Our imagination has become an ecological force."
Moderate: Cursing, Gun violence, Racism, Sexism, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Racial slurs, Suicide, Murder, Pregnancy, and War
silverhill's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Suicide, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racism, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
dwdillydally's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I don't know if the story is tight enough to be my 'book of the year,' but overall, I loved it. Many parts of this book appealed to me:
- Historical fiction
- Road trip story
- Features animals. SPOILER
- Main character is a curmudgeon
- Set during the 1930s / Great Depression
- Variety of scenes set in rural America and a revolving door of interesting weirdos
Two criticisms:
1. The ending rambles a little, but I forgive it because by then, the POV is from an old man with slight cognitive problems. So the tone matches the main character's state-of-mind, but I'm not sure if that was the author's intent or not.
2. The only woman character (human; one of the is female) SPOILER...
Graphic: Gun violence
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Suicide, and Death of parent
Minor: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Medical content, Car accident, and War
justcallmeemily's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Racism, Suicide, and Violence
Minor: Child death, Racial slurs, and Vomit
oceanwriter's review
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Racism, Suicide, and Violence
Minor: Child death, Racial slurs, and Vomit
sporksyeye's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Minor: Racial slurs and Racism
latashman's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I read the Author's Note at the end and appreciated this quote from Jon Mooallem, "Storytelling matters now. Emotion matters. Our imagination has become an ecological force".
Graphic: Animal death, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Racism, and Sexism
shyleek's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
makinzimyers's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child death, and Racism
mariposa517's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Moderate: Child abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cursing, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and War