achedester'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
raebereading's review against another edition
5.0
My new favorite book!
Then again, every-time I read a book by J. California Cooper, it's my new favorite.
The title says exactly what the book is about, life is short, but wide.
Simply a MUST READ!
Then again, every-time I read a book by J. California Cooper, it's my new favorite.
The title says exactly what the book is about, life is short, but wide.
Simply a MUST READ!
doctormon's review against another edition
3.0
Life is Short is a novel of love in all its many different forms--old, young, loyal, abusive, resilient, enduring, etc. I enjoyed the first half of this book, in the good times and the bad times, but in the second half, life was long. Some of the relationships dragged in their development and then ending was oddly preachy compared to the rest of the work. It is an authentic portrayal of life, but I got to a point when I was finishing it just to finish.
mythyagain's review against another edition
3.0
A folksy tale focusing on two families of African Americans lasting over a century. Starting off sad, the story does finally have a happy ending emphasizing that you are never too old to find your soulmate. One strange aspect of this story involves the narrator, whom you learn at the beginning is 90 years old. Her commentary throughout the story is at times funny, but the reader never learns how the narrator knew the characters.
jcbmathcat's review against another edition
2.0
This was a character study, but to me, it jumped so quickly from character to character that I never felt fully involved with any of them. I read the entire book, as I wanted to see what happened to several of the characters. The setting was Oklahoma at the beginning of the 20th century, and the book covered the better part of the 1900's.
I rather liked the author's voice, but just had trouble connecting to the characters in the way I like.
This was the September selection for one of the fiction book clubs to which I belong.
I rather liked the author's voice, but just had trouble connecting to the characters in the way I like.
This was the September selection for one of the fiction book clubs to which I belong.
turophile's review against another edition
3.0
The book is written from the perspective of a narrator who is personally telling you a story while sitting next to you. Some may find this charming, I found it hokey. the "oh mys," etc, felt forced to me.
The narrator weaves a tell of two people/families who blend together - I enjoyed the latter half of the book, but felt that the first section gave short shrift to the early characters.
It's a nice easy read that went on about 5 pages too long. The story ultimately about love and how it can build or manifest over time. At the very end a key character diverts the story by talking about becoming a jehovah's witness. The detail detracts from the ending - religion does not play a big part in the larger story. It felt like the author was making a last minute statement on religion that does not fit with the rest of the book.
The narrator weaves a tell of two people/families who blend together - I enjoyed the latter half of the book, but felt that the first section gave short shrift to the early characters.
It's a nice easy read that went on about 5 pages too long. The story ultimately about love and how it can build or manifest over time. At the very end a key character diverts the story by talking about becoming a jehovah's witness. The detail detracts from the ending - religion does not play a big part in the larger story. It felt like the author was making a last minute statement on religion that does not fit with the rest of the book.
iamlorna's review against another edition
3.0
I love J California Cooper... but this was too long and drawn out. An lots of sad and unfortunate events. I hope this is the worst of her content. I hope her other content is nothing like this book. An the whole geriatric love story was cringe af.
Glad I finished it.
Glad I finished it.
tangleroot_eli's review against another edition
3.0
I knew this one would be a bit of a slog. It was a recommendation from my mom, and we have very different reading tastes. On the other hand, because she knows we have very different reading tastes, she saves her recommendations for books she really wants me to read. So I gave this one a shot.
And it's... definitely the kind of book my mom likes. With her reading tastes that are so very different from mine.
(It worked better if I stopped "reading" it and started "listening" to it; that is, when I imagined that the narrator was actually telling me the story. I still didn't like it very much, but some of the language choices worked better for me when I imagined them as actual speech.)
And it's... definitely the kind of book my mom likes. With her reading tastes that are so very different from mine.
(It worked better if I stopped "reading" it and started "listening" to it; that is, when I imagined that the narrator was actually telling me the story. I still didn't like it very much, but some of the language choices worked better for me when I imagined them as actual speech.)
ashlawls's review against another edition
2.0
I unfortunately liked the title a lot more than I liked the book. There was too much switching around, and I'm still unsure of the reasoning behind the outside narrator.
ryner's review against another edition
3.0
Set in rural Oklahoma, this American family saga spanning four generations is touching, inspiring and bursting with wholesomeness punctuated by misery inflicted on good, kind folks by thoughtless and hurtful people (and, spoiler: justice rarely prevails). It is very well-written, and I would definitely read more by Cooper, but there was a bit too much heartbreak and exploitation for reading this to have been an enjoyable experience.