Reviews

Day by Michael Cunningham

valkeakuulas's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

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

1.75

Cunninghamin tuotanto on mielessäni oli jo pitkään laskusuuntaista, ja ehkä jopa luvattoman tylsää ja huonoa. Päivät on kirjailijakaaren huipentuma siinä, että sen lukemisesta ei oikein saa mitään. Kirja on muodoton, hahmoton ja persoonaton; kirja joka on kuin juoksuhiekkaa joka ei upota mutta soljuu. Sitä hiekkaa, jota lapsille yhdessä vaiheessa annettiin, joka myöhemmin tukki kaikki viemärit.

Rakenne on vääränlainen ja henkilökohtaisesti lukeminen aiheutti suunnattoman pettymyksen siinä, että teos oli kunnianhimoton ja henkilöhahmot niin kovin pahvisia, mutta samaan aikaan kovin amerikkalaisia. Vilahtipa mielessä myös se kyyninen ajatus, että jos Cunninham ei olisi Cunnigham teosta ei olisi koskaan julkaistu.

Koen, että teos on litmus-testi, johon on helppo ja neutraali verrata kaikkea aikaisemmin ja myöhimmin luettua. Teos on kielellisesti maalaileva Yhdysvaltalainen pastissi, jota ilman voi elää, mutta huomattavasti parempaakin on löydettävissä.

jen_sanford's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

4.0

oldandnewbooksmell's review against another edition

3.0

A literary fiction novel about a family on April 5 before Covid-19, the spring during the Covid-19 lockdown, and right after the world starts opening back up.

I struggled with caring for the family on this one. The only one I really cared about was the little girl, and even she didn’t seem like she would be real to me.

This is the first book of Michael Cunningham’s that I’ve read and I’m not saying he can’t write. In fact, he wrote these days in such detail, I felt like I was really watching the family while I read them. But, it was just something that was missing for me to actually care about the characters.

Maybe it’s still weird for me to read books about the pandemic quite yet.

This book wasn’t 100% for me, but it’s still good. And I feel like those who like reading about family dynamics and such will greatly enjoy this.

*Thank you Random House and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

aguirre_c's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

hannah_nichols's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.25

let17's review against another edition

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

2.5

neighbour27's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

3.25

czcraine3'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Lots of self examination that doesn't obviously move characters forward, just more deeply  into the noise in one's head when trying to figure out why you're unhappy instead of just being.

bastiaanbruinsma's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

samantha_refvik's review against another edition

5.0

This captured something about how the pandemic made loving people so different and difficult that I don’t have great words for, but I’m really grateful I read it.