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jaclyncrupi's review against another edition
3.0
I read this book cover to cover, every single word, and I honestly had no idea what was happening at any given moment for at least half of it. Something about the prose felt impenetrable and oblique. I’ve read nearly all of Hall’s work to date and I think most likely I am the problem. I expected a pandemic novel and that’s only half of what she’s written here. I failed my own rule of always taking the work as you find it.
roseparis's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
sophiavass's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
c_ward68's review against another edition
3.0
Not one for me and reinforced that I don’t like her writing style at all. I found it too self-consciously ‘literary’. However it is well written, so I’ve given it 3 stars. The passages about her childhood were the most enjoyable and interesting, as well as the descriptions of her conflicted relationship with her mother.
But the very visceral relationship with her lover didn’t interest me at all, nor the endless, gratuitous passages of sex and later illness. And the whole concept of a more aggressive viral pandemic is absolutely not what I want to read about whilst living through one - dreadful. Is this what we can expect a plethora of books on in the next few years? I hope not!
But the very visceral relationship with her lover didn’t interest me at all, nor the endless, gratuitous passages of sex and later illness. And the whole concept of a more aggressive viral pandemic is absolutely not what I want to read about whilst living through one - dreadful. Is this what we can expect a plethora of books on in the next few years? I hope not!
torihoo's review against another edition
2.0
There were parts of this book that were really moving, but I found a lot of it oddly difficult to access. It's not that it wasn't a good book, exactly, just that it wasn't my cup of tea.
suzid's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This is mainly about a woman's experiences of her childhood, with her mother and also with her lover, outside life is dipped into but we don't see much about other people. It's full of her emotions, is deep and descriptive.
juli_mod's review against another edition
4.0
„Ich bin immer noch ein Halbling im Moor und sammle Beeren, trinke aus dem unterirdischen Fluss und stelle Sachen aus Zweigen und Dornen her. Die Welt existiert durch Wahrnehmung und Wiedererschaffung. Du warst der Riss in der Matrix, die unvermittelt offenbarte Wahrheit. Deinetwegen konnte ich mit Gewissheit sagen: Ich glaube daran, ich glaube alles davon.”
pam_pam_85's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent