Scan barcode
juliabristow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This was an interesting story, and was worth it to pass the time, but not much more than that. Much of the book doesn't appear to add much to the story - there are loads and loads of childhood stories and background that could have been cut. A handful would be acceptable for character development and context, but that line was crossed at at least the 50% mark.
There are parts where it kind of gives white-saviorism which I definitely already knew about the author, but now that I'm older was much more noticeable and much more cringy. I listened to this on audiobook and I just simply don't think we need to be making white narrators say the n-word regardless of the context. They also could have put slightly more effort into finding a narrator that actually had a southern accent instead of whatever atrocity that was
Graphic: Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Rape
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Mental illness, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Death, Incest, Infidelity, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, and War
jdrummond's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, War, and Classism
emklacik's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and War
ap1's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail
fkshg8465's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
shannonm306'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Blood, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, and Cancer
wbein'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? Yes
3.5
This is not a perfect book, and in fact, there are a lot of things about it that I found irritating. I did not always have a great deal of interest in hearing about Tom's New York revival, nor did I give a single shit about the ridiculous romance with his sister's therapist; definitely could have done without that. Two key aspects of the book, present throughout, kept me coming back until I finished it: my curiosity about the full events faced by the Wingo family (not to mention the powerful bond between them) and, most critically, Conroy's prose when describing the American South.
About halfway through the book, I found myself very frustrated with the events of the story. I felt like things were getting altogether too ridiculous, between the tiger and Luke's heroics. It was during a hike in the Wissahickon that it occurred to me that I was looking at this story wrong: this is a book that borders upon the realm of magical realism. Melrose Island is a place unlike the rest of the world, and the family that resides their is similarly unique. Savannah is a tortured genius; Luke is a demigod hero; Lila is a demented angel. Henry Wingo is a monster, until his children grow up and realize that he is a sad, pathetic man. And Tom, the person recounting all of this, sees himself as being just as pathetic as his father. We do not hear objective accounts of what happened to the Wingo family; we hear accounts as they are understood by Tom. Adjusting my understanding to match suddenly changed the way I saw the story, and made the plot far more interesting to me. Although Tom constantly decenters himself from the telling of this story, making it all about his sister, or his brother, or his mother, it is ultimately the story that has produced this broken man who has allowed his marriage to lapse. I became powerfully curious to see where it would go, and that curiosity did not fade until the end (though I admit that I was less invested in the outcomes of the "present," and far more interested in learning about Luke's conclusions).
The other thing, and honestly, the thing that most makes this book worth reading, is the way Conroy describes the world and the events of Tom's life. The South shines in The Prince of Tides; he communicates a deep-seated appreciation for the physical land, but also for the way of life, for the community that forms in this town. The language is incredibly evocative, bringing to life this small, humble town and the many lives led by people who call it home. I feel like my description here did not do it justice: the sample on Google really does a much better job showing the best this book has to offer.
There were things I did not love in this book. It did not captivate me end to end; it took me goddamn forever to read because frankly, at some points it was fairly boring and I was mostly interested in getting through it for the sake of having read it. However, by the end, I WAS very glad to have read it. It tells the story, warts and all, of a damaged, complex family, with wounds that will never close but who find the strength to put the pieces of their lives back together and to go on living. It takes a brutal look at intergenerational trauma, at the irreparable harm that a cruelly unhappy father and a narcissistic mother can impart, even when both parents set out with the best intentions they are capable of. It weaves a story of incredible love, of the powerful bond that can exist between siblings, especially those who have survived a home like the one I just described; it looks bluntly in the face of how difficult it is to go on when someone to whom you are bonded so closely is ripped away from you. It felt, by the end, intensely human, even while being couched in a story that frequently departed from reality. I am glad to be done with it, but I am also very glad that I read it.
Graphic: Child abuse and Sexual assault
kpitsker's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Child abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Antisemitism, and Suicide attempt
cschatz2017's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Rape
drbex's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I read this for Coach Beard's Book Club (a Ted Lasso book podcast) otherwise I probably wouldn't have finished it. I don't get why it's Dr. Sharon's favorite book unless her claim that this was her favorite was tongue in cheek because Ted said his favorite was Fountain Head. Or maybe she considered it a collection of infinite case studies for therapists!
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting