cozyinthenook's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
blearywitch's review against another edition
3.0
Birthday book 6/13 for 2021; Random theme.
I am absolutely certain that Sofia, Bulgaria is a place I would fall in love with. Not in the sense I'd want to settle there but a place I'd want to live in for a few years, alone, to experience what life is like there, and to drink in the sights and sounds of an ancient bustling city.
Beautiful prose, easy to read, artfully descriptive (not the sex scenes, those were just explicit details) - that's what the stars are for. I believe my last romance (with sex scenes) book was in my early twenties. I stopped reading them and called them literary pornography not because I'm a prude but because it's predictable, it doesn't add value to my literary goals. Well, bloody hell suddenly I'm reading gay Fifty Shades of Gray. It was really hard to enjoy this book and thankfully it was short. I finished it because the writing was good but I didn't find the story memorable or enjoyable.
I am absolutely certain that Sofia, Bulgaria is a place I would fall in love with. Not in the sense I'd want to settle there but a place I'd want to live in for a few years, alone, to experience what life is like there, and to drink in the sights and sounds of an ancient bustling city.
Beautiful prose, easy to read, artfully descriptive (not the sex scenes, those were just explicit details) - that's what the stars are for. I believe my last romance (with sex scenes) book was in my early twenties. I stopped reading them and called them literary pornography not because I'm a prude but because it's predictable, it doesn't add value to my literary goals. Well, bloody hell suddenly I'm reading gay Fifty Shades of Gray. It was really hard to enjoy this book and thankfully it was short. I finished it because the writing was good but I didn't find the story memorable or enjoyable.
shivamt25's review against another edition
3.0
The book deals with a lot of complicated emotions arising due to a lot of factors affecting the protagonist.
You would really need to set yourself down to thoroughly grasp everything otherwise you'll miss the connection and then it will just feel boring.
I just felt it's a really good book but it also expects the readers to do the heavy lifting when it comes to keeping them interested in the book.
You would really need to set yourself down to thoroughly grasp everything otherwise you'll miss the connection and then it will just feel boring.
I just felt it's a really good book but it also expects the readers to do the heavy lifting when it comes to keeping them interested in the book.
anthonyk's review against another edition
4.0
I think this book is really, really good, the only problem I have is that the prose at times can be really, really dense and hard to read. There's no dialogue tags or quotation marks, and this is fine, but sometimes the dialogue interrupts these really long, descriptive paragraphs filled with really long sentences and it can make it hard to read. Especially when some characters aren't named or their just mentioned by first initial. I would recommend because Greenwell is a really good writer, though I'm not sure how accessible the book is as a whole.
lupipupi's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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? Yes
4.25
shamwisegamgee's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This is like the equivalent to eating a really rich slice of cake. It is beautiful, but sometimes it's too much. For me about 75% through it was a bit too much. But I cam see many who'd lobe it to completion. I'm just more austere in my tastes.
mahdiyar's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
taygivs's review against another edition
5.0
I read both of Garth Greenwell's novels in over the course of about 7 days and at the end of both books I sat sobbing because his writing is so damn good. I seriously just feel thankful to be alive to witness his art and I will never ever be the same now. I’ve never read anything like this.
It is violent, deeply unsettling, erotic, lonely, breathtakingly gorgeous, and written with a frankness that’s makes me want to hide. I’m not exactly recommending it. Just know that it is making me *FEEEEEEL* things and I’m gasping for breath with each turn of the page. I cannot hype this enough. I am shook.
It is violent, deeply unsettling, erotic, lonely, breathtakingly gorgeous, and written with a frankness that’s makes me want to hide. I’m not exactly recommending it. Just know that it is making me *FEEEEEEL* things and I’m gasping for breath with each turn of the page. I cannot hype this enough. I am shook.
shaunhutch's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
3.0