Reviews

The Great Believers, by Rebecca Makkai

woln_a's review against another edition

5.0

Moim pierwszym skojarzeniem po skończeniu jej było „Małe życie”.

Jednak ta książka niw tylko wyciskala łzy, ale tez otulała w pewnych momentach. CUDOWNA

carireadsbooksandtarot's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

In this dual timeline novel, we follow Yael in the 1980s and Fiona in 2015. Yael is working to procure a rare art collection for Northwestern from an elderly lady who spent her twenties in Paris. As a gay man, he's dealing with the stark realities of the AIDs crisis as he loses friends and worries about his own health. One of his first friends lost to AIDs is Nico, Fiona's brother. Fiona is still dealing with the aftermath of caring for Nico and his friends through the AIDs crisis when she lands in Paris in 2015, trying to find her daughter Claire.

This is a character-driven novel and I found myself feeling particularly connected to Yael and his story. I felt immersed in his life at a time in history that was incredibly tragic and frightening but is rarely visited in novels today. It's hard to believe that this crisis took place in my lifetime and ravaged the queer community so completely in some places like Chicago. This book addresses the issue of mortality so well.

In Fiona, we see how losing so many friends at a young age shaped who she became later in life and even affected her relationship with her daughter. Her memories are so vividly portrayed on the page, a testament to the incredible writing found here. 

I was a little tentative to start this book as it was 18 hours on audio but I really became immersed, especially in 1980s Chicago, and greatly enjoyed the listening experience as narrated by Michael Crouch. This is an emotional read and I think it will stick with me for a while because the story and characters felt so true to life. 

ccee's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Toxic relationship

abbyperryman's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-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

4.5

natasza_'s review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

rglossner's review against another edition

5.0

My first five star read of the year. The story follows Yale Tishman, the development director for a university art museum, and Fiona, the younger sister of the first of his friends to die of AIDS. The novel follows two timelines: the 1980s AIDS crisis in Chicago and its effect on Yale and his friends; and a present day storyline involving Fiona and her family and the long term effects of the crisis.

kornik's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted 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? It's complicated

4.0

anhumann's review against another edition

dark emotional sad

3.0

prioryofpages's review against another edition

5.0

Chciałabym coś napisać. Coś, co oddałoby tę książkę tak, jak należy. Ale nie potrafię; ta książka tak mną wstrząsnęła, że jeszcze długo będę o niej pamiętać.

Historia Yale’a - jego życia, jego przyjaciół - zaczęła się naprawdę niewinnie. Chociaż jak niewinna może być scena pogrzebu przyjaciela? Autorka już od pierwszego zdania wciąga nas w historię, przeplata ją zwykłymi codziennymi rzeczami z okrucieństwem, które niosło ze sobą AIDS. Tworzy bohaterów prawdziwych. Naprawdę do bólu prawdziwych. Pokazuje realia lat osiemdziesiątych, kiedy rząd udawał, że nic nie widzi, niewinni ludzie umierali, odchodzili w ciszy, a choroba była dla wielu z nich wyrokiem.

Autorka przybliża nam historie dwóch osób. Yale’a Tishnera, w latach osiemdziesiątych, i Fionę Marcus, trzydzieści lat później. Mam ogromny żal do Fiony. Mam żal o to, jak się zachowywała i jak bardzo stała się samolubna. A Yale... oh, Yale.

Naprawdę jest mi ciężko mówić o tej książce. Niesamowicie mną wstrząsnęła, sprawiła, że musiałam ją odłożyć wiele razy, rozpłakać się, żeby po chwili wrócić do tej historii i znów się rozpłakać. Jest to smutna i prawdziwa opowieść o tym, jak choroba zabierała ludzi, którzy chcieli być szczęśliwi. Tylko tyle.

Rebecca Makkai zrobiła to, czego nie udało się Yanagiharze w Małym życiu. Stworzyła historię przyjaciół, ich normalnego codziennego życia, i pokazała prawdziwe ludzkie oblicze.

Wciąż boli mnie serce na myśl o Yale’u. Książka jest smutna, ale nie narzuca tego smutku. Bardziej zmusza do przemyślenia tych wszystkich wydarzeń, ponieważ tak to właśnie wyglądało. Mnie głęboko to poruszyło i bardzo polecam wam tę książkę.

bradurban's review against another edition

5.0

‘The Great Believers’ is captivating, beautiful, and heartbreaking; I do not have the words to do it justice. The familiar setting of the Midwest and Wisconsin added an extra level of interest.