the1trueolivia's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
welllovedspines's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-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
gattram's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
ciaralindner's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
annieogg's review against another edition
emotional
fast-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
chrismologos's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
mazza57's review against another edition
I am so glad i didn't have to but this book which simply makes me want to put my hand to my forehead and go "woe is me". The MC simply defines the woe is me character I do not understand what people see in this does no one notice the ansolut awfulness of terms such as "the quadroon" and "the black woman". where is the romance / the affair? the whole book is pure self interest. It does not merit even one star but GR does not allow us to qualify a book as trash
maizie_mccarthy's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
A journey of introspection without ever introspecting. Just factual changes, like 'this way of acting doesn't sit right with me anymore, I think I'll stop and change it'. Why? Doesn't really matter! Of course, the reader is thinking on it and seeing layered emotional and intellectual development. At first I was a bit iffy on what kind of book this would be, but I loved that at the end of it, we were really only meant to care about Edna. As it should be.
The values of self and sense of self as a woman, and how those can be expected to change with motherhood, are explored in a way that put so many of my sort of vague thoughts and feelings into words. I did not read this book and feel any resounding agreement with Edna's way of life or decisions. I mean, her shortcomings are right there for the reader to see. I don't believe that this was meant to be a story about some long-suffering martyr to the feminist cause. It is a story about a woman who, as she discovers a will to do what she wants to do, realizes that maybe she doesn't know what she wants to do.
This book will not think for you. It will not analyze classism, privilege, or feminism for you. It shows a flawed character living snippets of her life, her interactions with people, and small scenes of her mind. The presence of mental illness, or at least mental 'unwellness', is shown in a way that I found very interesting within the prose--subtle, nuanced, and really not dwelled upon in any clinical sense.
Each character felt incredibly real and layered, but Edna is almost tangible. Again, she is no heroine, not a perfectly balanced, self-aware, thoughtful feminist. She is just a woman in a book.
I would recommend this book to anyone, at least over the age of fourteen or fifteen.
The values of self and sense of self as a woman, and how those can be expected to change with motherhood, are explored in a way that put so many of my sort of vague thoughts and feelings into words. I did not read this book and feel any resounding agreement with Edna's way of life or decisions. I mean, her shortcomings are right there for the reader to see. I don't believe that this was meant to be a story about some long-suffering martyr to the feminist cause. It is a story about a woman who, as she discovers a will to do what she wants to do, realizes that maybe she doesn't know what she wants to do.
This book will not think for you. It will not analyze classism, privilege, or feminism for you. It shows a flawed character living snippets of her life, her interactions with people, and small scenes of her mind. The presence of mental illness, or at least mental 'unwellness', is shown in a way that I found very interesting within the prose--subtle, nuanced, and really not dwelled upon in any clinical sense.
Each character felt incredibly real and layered, but Edna is almost tangible. Again, she is no heroine, not a perfectly balanced, self-aware, thoughtful feminist. She is just a woman in a book.
I would recommend this book to anyone, at least over the age of fourteen or fifteen.
belleofthebooks's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0