katiecatbooks's review against another edition
2.0
An easy slow-paced read about a love affair.
Story: Carolyn and Michael Johnson are siblings. They have a story they want written and published. The story takes place in Madison county, Iowa in 1965. It concerns their mother Francesca and photographer Robert Kincaid and how their lives are changed.
Characters: Francesca is a wife and mother living in rural Iowa. She does what she's supposed to - cook dinner, take her kids to lessons and events and doesn't give any reason for gossip. Robert Kincaid is a photographer by trade, and a loner, last cowboy type by manner. He drives a truck named Harry and lives life on the road and in nature. He also writes poetry.
Language: The language in this book is very feathery. It's not gritty or fierce or savage. It's about wistful dreams and held onto memories and bittersweet romance.
A bit fluffy for my tastes, but at least it was a short read.
Story: Carolyn and Michael Johnson are siblings. They have a story they want written and published. The story takes place in Madison county, Iowa in 1965. It concerns their mother Francesca and photographer Robert Kincaid and how their lives are changed.
Characters: Francesca is a wife and mother living in rural Iowa. She does what she's supposed to - cook dinner, take her kids to lessons and events and doesn't give any reason for gossip. Robert Kincaid is a photographer by trade, and a loner, last cowboy type by manner. He drives a truck named Harry and lives life on the road and in nature. He also writes poetry.
Language: The language in this book is very feathery. It's not gritty or fierce or savage. It's about wistful dreams and held onto memories and bittersweet romance.
A bit fluffy for my tastes, but at least it was a short read.
bcbartuska's review against another edition
I read The Bridges of Madison County because it was very special to someone I care about. I knew it was about an affair and probably could have guessed what my reaction to it would be, which is that it made me mad. The writing is beautiful and lyrical and carries deep emotion, but it would be hard for me to recommend this book. A quote from the letter Francesca writes to her children sums up the worldview well: “If you love me, then you must love what I have done.” I would have to respectfully disagree, and for that reason, I wouldn’t recommend this and have chosen not to rate it.
jnikolova's review against another edition
1.0
Read on the WondrousBooks blog.
So, I looked at the bestseller lists for 1993 and this one was the top book for the entire year. I needed a book published in '93, because of the 2015 Reading Challenge: A Book That Came Out the Year You Were Born. I later found out that it was actually published in 1992, but I consider my duty done, since I couldn't find anything else connected specifically to 1993.
Anyway, I'll be blunt and I feel the need to apologize in advance: this is a book written for women who are past their prime and unhappy about their lives and look for hope wherever they can find it.
It's not a very good book either. It tells the story of a permanently sweaty photographer and a lonely farm wife, both of whom really want to have sex. There's insta-love, almost insta-sex and a tragic separation of two people who are truly meant to be together - I mean, he asked her for directions, she noticed how sexily sweaty he is and that he has sweat stains on watch and drops of sweat on his chest, and decided to invite him over to show off her sexy 49-year-old butt and to shag him on their second "date".
And to top that off, just before she died she wrote a letter to her children, which innocently starts with:
Then there is a lot of blah-blah-blah. And then, the big reveal a.k.a. why should they sit at the old kitchen table:
I mean... HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
She and Robert were separated because of her children, so she decided to get back at them by making them sit at the same table she had sex with a random guy on, while making them read about it. HAHAHAHAHAHAH WIN! And also...
As far as the love story goes, it's a few degrees above laughable and unbelievable. Same goes to descriptions of their "love-making" and the way he is a tiger, or a panther, or I don't know what that disturbing woman was describing him as. She is a neglected wife and the mother of two total a-holes who don't really care about her enough to even visit on her birthday. All she does is farm and serve her husband beers. That's exactly the type of woman an adventurous photographer, who's been around the entire globe, would fall for. Not.
The writing is not any better than the characters. In the very first chapter, when Robert starts the journey which will eventually lead him to Francesca, the author lists the things Kincaid puts in his car - one by one. And lest we forget, two lines down Robert does a mental list of the very same things. Then every time his car, Harry, is mentioned, there is again a list of everything that's in it. Every time. And when Francesca reminisces about him, she also thinks about the stuff in his car. First world problems, people!
* Spoilers ahead. Though, honestly, if you've read even one Nicholas Sparks book, none of this should come as a surprise. *
So, I looked at the bestseller lists for 1993 and this one was the top book for the entire year. I needed a book published in '93, because of the 2015 Reading Challenge: A Book That Came Out the Year You Were Born. I later found out that it was actually published in 1992, but I consider my duty done, since I couldn't find anything else connected specifically to 1993.
Anyway, I'll be blunt and I feel the need to apologize in advance: this is a book written for women who are past their prime and unhappy about their lives and look for hope wherever they can find it.
It's not a very good book either. It tells the story of a permanently sweaty photographer and a lonely farm wife, both of whom really want to have sex. There's insta-love, almost insta-sex and a tragic separation of two people who are truly meant to be together - I mean, he asked her for directions, she noticed how sexily sweaty he is and that he has sweat stains on watch and drops of sweat on his chest, and decided to invite him over to show off her sexy 49-year-old butt and to shag him on their second "date".
And to top that off, just before she died she wrote a letter to her children, which innocently starts with:
"If possible, please sit at the old kitchen table to read [this letter]. You'll understand that request shortly."
Then there is a lot of blah-blah-blah. And then, the big reveal a.k.a. why should they sit at the old kitchen table:
"In our old kitchen, Robert and I spent hours together. We talked and danced by candlelight. And, yes, we made love there..."
I mean... HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
She and Robert were separated because of her children, so she decided to get back at them by making them sit at the same table she had sex with a random guy on, while making them read about it. HAHAHAHAHAHAH WIN! And also...
As far as the love story goes, it's a few degrees above laughable and unbelievable. Same goes to descriptions of their "love-making" and the way he is a tiger, or a panther, or I don't know what that disturbing woman was describing him as. She is a neglected wife and the mother of two total a-holes who don't really care about her enough to even visit on her birthday. All she does is farm and serve her husband beers. That's exactly the type of woman an adventurous photographer, who's been around the entire globe, would fall for. Not.
The writing is not any better than the characters. In the very first chapter, when Robert starts the journey which will eventually lead him to Francesca, the author lists the things Kincaid puts in his car - one by one. And lest we forget, two lines down Robert does a mental list of the very same things. Then every time his car, Harry, is mentioned, there is again a list of everything that's in it. Every time. And when Francesca reminisces about him, she also thinks about the stuff in his car. First world problems, people!
dylanperry's review against another edition
2.0
Rating is floating somewhere between a 2.5 and a 3. I went into The Bridges of Madison County with no expectations and I come away indifferent. It’s not terrible. It just isn’t my kind of book, and that’s okay.
Okay, so imagine your mom has passed away. You and your brother are given a letter among her things in your childhood home, where she first tells you to go sit in the kitchen before proceeding to recount how she had boned a photographer guy years ago right there in the kitchen—right where you’re sitting—and pretty much everywhere else in the house and in the yard too. Oh, and how the sex was amazing and needs to point out to your sister—her daughter—“Sorry, honey, there’s not another like him.” She then says she almost left your family for this week-long fling.
Now, do you think “Wow, she gave it all up for us. She had to live with that for years.”?
Or do you think:
“Ew.”
Or:
“Why in the fuck was it important for us to sit here where she banged a stranger?”
It’s funnier than it is annoying but I found that reaction from her children reading that letter to be the biggest leap in this hurdle race of a book.
Spoiler
SPOILEROkay, so imagine your mom has passed away. You and your brother are given a letter among her things in your childhood home, where she first tells you to go sit in the kitchen before proceeding to recount how she had boned a photographer guy years ago right there in the kitchen—right where you’re sitting—and pretty much everywhere else in the house and in the yard too. Oh, and how the sex was amazing and needs to point out to your sister—her daughter—“Sorry, honey, there’s not another like him.” She then says she almost left your family for this week-long fling.
Now, do you think “Wow, she gave it all up for us. She had to live with that for years.”?
Or do you think:
“Ew.”
Or:
“Why in the fuck was it important for us to sit here where she banged a stranger?”
It’s funnier than it is annoying but I found that reaction from her children reading that letter to be the biggest leap in this hurdle race of a book.
merygobar's review
5.0
me ha parecido tan bonito, pero a la vez tan desgarrador…
la prosa del autor es preciosa, así como algunas de las frases que te golpean con una fuerza bestial y te hacen reflexionar.
la historia de amor, simplemente hermosa y pura
la prosa del autor es preciosa, así como algunas de las frases que te golpean con una fuerza bestial y te hacen reflexionar.
la historia de amor, simplemente hermosa y pura
natashaball's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
fortunesdear's review against another edition
2.0
My love for the musical is keeping me from giving this a lower rating. Not the best book but also not the worst.
spudidi's review against another edition
2.0
Ok as a short story, but there just isn't much to it- if it was just a nice simple and matter of fact story of this romance between two people I'd have liked it more, but all the grandness assigned to it (greatest love story EVER, magical/mystical stuff) made it a bit silly to me. I don't see why this book should be elevated so much above any typical romance novel? Maybe I'm too much of a cynic, it's a short read so worth making up your own mind about, as so many people seem to have gotten so much from it.
mishawnb's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-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
4.5