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chelsbels's review against another edition
4.0
Much of this book was too routed in realty and that made it all the more difficult to read. I did not like Finn at all. It was good but sadly difficult emotionally. I really question the parents thinking this was best for there family 1 month away 1 month there... but I don’t know what I would have done.
anastasia1710's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
naharobed's review
4.0
A quiet, moving story about a family in a small fishing town in Newfoundland. The fish are all gone and as a result, everyone has started leaving. There’s an overarching sense of loss and desolation. There’s no food, no work, no people.
It’s a very beautiful story and you can feel the connections this family has with each other. The story switches back and forth in time from the present in 1992 to the 70s when Aiden and Martha, the parents, were young. Music plays a big role in this story and it lends itself to the writing as well which is poetic and lyrical. I really loved seeing how Aiden and Martha met and developed their relationship. And in the present day it was both heartbreaking and heartwarming to see how Cora and Finn were trying to save their family in their own ways through sheer dedication and determination. It’s a slow-paced story, but maintains a sense of nostalgia and melancholy.
It’s a very beautiful story and you can feel the connections this family has with each other. The story switches back and forth in time from the present in 1992 to the 70s when Aiden and Martha, the parents, were young. Music plays a big role in this story and it lends itself to the writing as well which is poetic and lyrical. I really loved seeing how Aiden and Martha met and developed their relationship. And in the present day it was both heartbreaking and heartwarming to see how Cora and Finn were trying to save their family in their own ways through sheer dedication and determination. It’s a slow-paced story, but maintains a sense of nostalgia and melancholy.
lisamchuk's review against another edition
4.0
Lovely, lyrical story, still full of family & hope. I listened to the audiobook and enjoy the accent work by the narrator - that really made me feel like I was immersed in the story.
melodys_library's review against another edition
4.0
Emma Hooper writes with so much care. There’s no other way I can describe her attention to detail and these places she invents and crafts her stories around. Her writing is so simple and so graceful that it only hit me later: How did she write with such warmth about a cold ghost town of a fishing village? She uses unconventional grammar and punctuation that makes this story almost musical.
This is a quiet story, a melancholy story, a story for anyone who has struggled with change. I had to drop a star because there were some slow parts though.
This is a quiet story, a melancholy story, a story for anyone who has struggled with change. I had to drop a star because there were some slow parts though.
moshalala's review against another edition
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.75
secanno's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.25
druy10's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
craftygoat's review against another edition
5.0
Set in Newfoundland, the constant cold, wet weather lends to the novel’s melancholy tone. The Connor family has lived in the same tiny fishing village for generations. But when the fish are gone, the Connors and their neighbors have to look elsewhere for work.
Parents Aidan and Martha plan to keep their family in their beloved home by working alternate months at a remote worksite. Their 14-year-old daughter Cora, who yearns for the outside world, decorates their neighbors’ abandoned houses with international themes. And their 11-year-old son Finn occupies himself by wandering, building, and playing his accordion. But as the months pass and the Connors face the possibility of losing their home for good, the family members find their own ways to fight for what they love. Cora sets out with a plan to find normalcy for herself and her brother. Finn feels like he’s the only one who can bring back the fish, and with them, the old way of life.
Interspersed in their story are flashbacks to that old way of life, back in the not-so-simple days when fish were abundant, and when Aidan and Martha first met.
Themes of love and loss and loyalty flow through the book. The characters are beautiful and flawed. There’s a touch of magic, especially in Finn’s plans and in the fascinating tales Finn’s accordion teacher tells him.
As was the case with her debut novel, Etta and Otto and Russell and James, Hooper’s dialogue is simplistic and written without quotation marks. While that’s occasionally distracting, the style generally flows nicely with the quiet nature of the characters and setting. Her prose is often repetitive, but in a lyrical way that matches the musical tone of the novel.
And there’s so much music - seafaring songs, mermaid songs, songs sung together or alone. In fact, if you enjoy audiobooks, you should definitely look for this one. The audiobook performer sings the songs so beautifully, it adds another dimension to the book. Hooper is both an author and a musician, and her author’s note includes some of the songs’ history. I was enamored enough that I downloaded versions of several of the songs.
This wistful, hopeful, musical novel is worth adding to your cool-weather reading list.
Book provided by The Oklahoman for review purposes. See published review.
Parents Aidan and Martha plan to keep their family in their beloved home by working alternate months at a remote worksite. Their 14-year-old daughter Cora, who yearns for the outside world, decorates their neighbors’ abandoned houses with international themes. And their 11-year-old son Finn occupies himself by wandering, building, and playing his accordion. But as the months pass and the Connors face the possibility of losing their home for good, the family members find their own ways to fight for what they love. Cora sets out with a plan to find normalcy for herself and her brother. Finn feels like he’s the only one who can bring back the fish, and with them, the old way of life.
Interspersed in their story are flashbacks to that old way of life, back in the not-so-simple days when fish were abundant, and when Aidan and Martha first met.
Themes of love and loss and loyalty flow through the book. The characters are beautiful and flawed. There’s a touch of magic, especially in Finn’s plans and in the fascinating tales Finn’s accordion teacher tells him.
As was the case with her debut novel, Etta and Otto and Russell and James, Hooper’s dialogue is simplistic and written without quotation marks. While that’s occasionally distracting, the style generally flows nicely with the quiet nature of the characters and setting. Her prose is often repetitive, but in a lyrical way that matches the musical tone of the novel.
And there’s so much music - seafaring songs, mermaid songs, songs sung together or alone. In fact, if you enjoy audiobooks, you should definitely look for this one. The audiobook performer sings the songs so beautifully, it adds another dimension to the book. Hooper is both an author and a musician, and her author’s note includes some of the songs’ history. I was enamored enough that I downloaded versions of several of the songs.
This wistful, hopeful, musical novel is worth adding to your cool-weather reading list.
Book provided by The Oklahoman for review purposes. See published review.