betag1013's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Sexual content, Alcohol, Grief, and Infertility
jmhobson's review against another edition
4.0
How lovely to discover a book by a favorite author, one I somehow missed before. I love how here, as elsewhere, Shields insisted that average lives in Winnipeg are compelling by writing about them. I'm a long way from the Canadian prairie, but I feel comfort in the fascination of the every day.
sueann's review against another edition
3.0
There was a point near the end of this book that I wanted to hurl it across the room. But since I was reading on my Kindle, I didn't. I especially liked the character of Tom. Interesting how many connections there were between Fay and Tom and I liked the way that unfolded. A good "workout read."
kitty_kat21's review against another edition
3.0
What I found interesting about this book was the minute detail of everyday life that is so mundane and yet so personal to the characters, it really made them come to life. The romance didn’t occur until halfway through the book, and to be honest this story hasn’t stuck with me.
rhgadavis's review against another edition
5.0
Heartbreaking, heartmending and exquisitely written piece of life and love.
mhewza's review against another edition
3.0
Holiday reading. Not a million miles from Olive Kitteridge or Frasier in documenting ordinary humans, but without the strength of characters.
stephsj's review against another edition
5.0
Spoiler-free summary:
Fay McLeod, a folklorist studying mermaids, wakes up one morning to quite simply realize that she does not love her partner of three years. Tom Avery, a late-night radio host who was raised by 27 mothers, has been married and divorced three times. Both, despite their infinite connections to the city, are alone, drifting through the familiar streets of Winnipeg, surrounded by a complex web of acquaintances and memories. Carol Shields' The Republic of Love chronicles their tumultuous paths toward love and happiness, which may or may not go hand in hand.
.....
I am so surprised (and somewhat ashamed) that I had not heard of Carol Shields or The Republic of Love before receiving this ARC from Open Road Media. Apparently a movie was made based on the book and Shields won the 1995 Pulitzer Prize for her novel The Stone Diaries. After beginning the novel, it really did not come as a shock to learn that Shields was such a revered writer. This book definitely stands out from other books I've reviewed. It is polished, amazing, beautiful, astounding - I could go on and on. I loved this book.
This novel, I've decided, is what I will hand out when and if people ask me, "What is love?" Love is a wordless, messy, nonsensical thing that, somehow, Carol Shields has been able to describe in a beautiful, witty novel. How? I keep asking myself, "how?" I want to pass this novel out to my friends, my family, my ex-boyfriends, everyone, with the hope that they will understand me better when they're finished.
It's sweet and romantic, but it is also devastating and disturbing. Shields does not sugar coat things that we are accustomed to being sugary sweet. People do things in this novel that make no sense and they hurt one another and it's fabulous because it's true. Shields spends just as much time describing the dark underbelly of love as she does describing the beauty and happiness of it. I liked that. A lot.
I loved the language - the novel is written in beautiful, rhythmic prose. Moments of complete incomprehension and unhappiness are described with succinct grace. Tom and Fay both had their own clearly defined voice, which I appreciated.
Please, read this novel.
www.bookpuke.com
Fay McLeod, a folklorist studying mermaids, wakes up one morning to quite simply realize that she does not love her partner of three years. Tom Avery, a late-night radio host who was raised by 27 mothers, has been married and divorced three times. Both, despite their infinite connections to the city, are alone, drifting through the familiar streets of Winnipeg, surrounded by a complex web of acquaintances and memories. Carol Shields' The Republic of Love chronicles their tumultuous paths toward love and happiness, which may or may not go hand in hand.
.....
I am so surprised (and somewhat ashamed) that I had not heard of Carol Shields or The Republic of Love before receiving this ARC from Open Road Media. Apparently a movie was made based on the book and Shields won the 1995 Pulitzer Prize for her novel The Stone Diaries. After beginning the novel, it really did not come as a shock to learn that Shields was such a revered writer. This book definitely stands out from other books I've reviewed. It is polished, amazing, beautiful, astounding - I could go on and on. I loved this book.
This novel, I've decided, is what I will hand out when and if people ask me, "What is love?" Love is a wordless, messy, nonsensical thing that, somehow, Carol Shields has been able to describe in a beautiful, witty novel. How? I keep asking myself, "how?" I want to pass this novel out to my friends, my family, my ex-boyfriends, everyone, with the hope that they will understand me better when they're finished.
It's sweet and romantic, but it is also devastating and disturbing. Shields does not sugar coat things that we are accustomed to being sugary sweet. People do things in this novel that make no sense and they hurt one another and it's fabulous because it's true. Shields spends just as much time describing the dark underbelly of love as she does describing the beauty and happiness of it. I liked that. A lot.
I loved the language - the novel is written in beautiful, rhythmic prose. Moments of complete incomprehension and unhappiness are described with succinct grace. Tom and Fay both had their own clearly defined voice, which I appreciated.
Please, read this novel.
www.bookpuke.com
lidewij's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0
hyzenthlay76's review against another edition
2.0
Light, somewhat fun, but ultimately quite forgettable. I was most intrigued by the protagonist's mermaid studies, which didn't play a big role.
readcaffeinated's review against another edition
reflective
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