The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
sometimes_samantha_reads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
This one just wasn't for me... I was pretty excited about it based on the summary and I tend to enjoy magical realism, but after Part One I started to get lost. There were multiple speakers/narrators so the point of view (1st, 2nd, and 3rd!) was constantly changing and I was confused about who was talking. The time shifted a lot too and it wasn't always clear if we were in the past or present because there was a lot of mixing past and present tense writing within the same chapters. The magical realism was one element that could have been implemented earlier because it seemed it was "tacked on" toward the middle of the book.Â
I appreciated the authors sentiment in the afterward about how she went back to revise and added extra bits for some of the characters but I think it made the story more muddled and hard to follow (though I didn't read the original publication).Â
The ending, I thought, was way too tidy for how chaotic the rest of the book was. I was disappointed in it. I tries really hard to understand and enjoy this one, but unfortunately it just wasn't my thing.Â
I appreciated the authors sentiment in the afterward about how she went back to revise and added extra bits for some of the characters but I think it made the story more muddled and hard to follow (though I didn't read the original publication).Â
The ending, I thought, was way too tidy for how chaotic the rest of the book was. I was disappointed in it. I tries really hard to understand and enjoy this one, but unfortunately it just wasn't my thing.Â
Graphic: Stalking, Violence, Trafficking, Suicide, Death, Blood, Addiction, Self harm, Kidnapping, Infidelity, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, War, Pregnancy, Colonisation, Body horror, Animal death, and Alcoholism
Minor: Gaslighting, Cultural appropriation, and Incest
readerette's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It took me over half the book for it to really grow in me, but I am glad I finished. The magical, mythical elements gave the story a breathy, hard-to-pin-down feel, which is what made it hard for me to stick to.Â
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Death, and Violence
bookishcori's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
I’ve read both Antelope Wife and the reissued, Antelope Woman. There are considerable differences between the two. Wife is a 4 star for me. Woman felt more grounded and simple (in an Erdrich way still).Â
Graphic: Death, Alcoholism, and Colonisation
Moderate: Infidelity and Kidnapping
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