annawalsh's review against another edition
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
paochavezgt's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
nglofile's review against another edition
3.0
A thought-provoking story that should lend itself to a good discussion with a willing group, especially if they are able to move past whether each character is likable or not.
My personal response is somewhat tempered, which may have to do with being unduly influenced by hype. I expected something a bit more special, but my experience was mixed.
audiobook note: Lovely reading by Noah Taylor. I'll confess to a personal affinity for Australian narrators, and Taylor's gentle expression adds interest to what could have been a bit bleak.
My personal response is somewhat tempered, which may have to do with being unduly influenced by hype. I expected something a bit more special, but my experience was mixed.
audiobook note: Lovely reading by Noah Taylor. I'll confess to a personal affinity for Australian narrators, and Taylor's gentle expression adds interest to what could have been a bit bleak.
emmacarambola's review against another edition
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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
tamara_mousa's review against another edition
5.0
You can find a summary about it in my blog- https://www.tamarayousefmousa.com/
kcoccia's review against another edition
4.0
As I was reading it I thought it was good but wasn't crazy about it but honestly now that I've finished it and had time to sit on it, it was a great story. It was very unique and while not action packed it was filled with a lot of emotion and I really appreciate that. Not necessarily a "cry all the time" kind of book but leaves you feeling a bit deflated and sad.
bookward's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
jonwesleyhuff's review against another edition
3.0
I really admired the writing in this book in a lot of ways. The lighthouse has so many romanticized connotations, and the author wonderfully plays to that and subverts that. The lighthouse on the desolate Janus Rock feels like such a fully-realized place. Not just a place, but a pocket universe that her characters are able to inhabit for a while, safely. The sense of place, and the allure and danger of isolation are as well-defined as the characters. The first part of the book, where we come to know the characters, and explore the lighthouse and their world is probably the strongest. It all goes a little pear-shaped when the main drama starts to unfold.
I thought the author did a wonderful job of making the characters feel like real people that you understand even when they are making terrible choices. Overall, it's a beautifully written and transporting book. But, even in the early sections there are times when you start to see cheesier elements drift in. Some passages veer from beautifully written to slightly overwrought. By the time the main dramatics kick in, you realize nearly everyone in the book has been weeping or gaunt or haggard or missing a loved one lost to nature or the war. Now, this is tricky because I think the author is trying to paint the picture of a town scarred by war, and I think that's admirable. But a little goes a long way, and you do start to feel like you've turned the corner and are now in a weepy Lifetime movie after the third or fourth person remembers their child that died too early.
The ending isn't unsatisfying, but again it felt like it teetered on melodrama. I actually would have been fine with Tom and Isabel heading out into their future with the possibility of Lucy-Grace contacting them, but never knowing. I didn't need such a bow wrapped around everything.
All that being said, I enjoyed a lot of elements of this book, and it kept me turning the page. I think it's best just to go in with your expectations properly calibrated, and I wonder if the hype the book is getting is going to play against that for some people.
I thought the author did a wonderful job of making the characters feel like real people that you understand even when they are making terrible choices. Overall, it's a beautifully written and transporting book. But, even in the early sections there are times when you start to see cheesier elements drift in. Some passages veer from beautifully written to slightly overwrought. By the time the main dramatics kick in, you realize nearly everyone in the book has been weeping or gaunt or haggard or missing a loved one lost to nature or the war. Now, this is tricky because I think the author is trying to paint the picture of a town scarred by war, and I think that's admirable. But a little goes a long way, and you do start to feel like you've turned the corner and are now in a weepy Lifetime movie after the third or fourth person remembers their child that died too early.
Spoiler
There are also some plot points that seem a bit ill-defined. For instance, I never quite got the concept of the man and baby ending up in the boat. This would be a slow-moving getaway at best. And they seem to imply he had a heart attack shortly after making the getaway. Janus is far enough away, that it just seems odd the boat didn't go back to shore instead of being carried off to Janus. It's a fairly minor point, but a niggling one.The ending isn't unsatisfying, but again it felt like it teetered on melodrama. I actually would have been fine with Tom and Isabel heading out into their future with the possibility of Lucy-Grace contacting them, but never knowing. I didn't need such a bow wrapped around everything.
All that being said, I enjoyed a lot of elements of this book, and it kept me turning the page. I think it's best just to go in with your expectations properly calibrated, and I wonder if the hype the book is getting is going to play against that for some people.
daisytudball's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
imbos's review against another edition
3.0
If you want to feel depressed... this is the book for you. Sad and depressing. Starting with the stark location of an isolated lighthouse. Tom, a man damaged by WW1 and his wife Isabel, after suffering through miscarriages and a stillbirth, discover a boat on their island. Inside are a dead man and a baby girl. Against his better judgment Tom lets Isabel convince him to keep the baby. A happy little family story this is not.