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grayjay's review against another edition
3.0
Ondaatje fictionalizes the lives of Canadian immigrants who played a large part in the early development of the city of Toronto in the early 1900s, focusing on the building of the Prince Edward Viaduct and the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant. He also weaves in historical figures such as Ambrose Small among his fictional ones.
The novel hones in on the sacrifices paid by immigrants to build the country that welcomed them in yet kept them at a distance. Yet I also felt like I was kept at a distance. I found the jumps in time, not confusing, but a little distancing. Each time we return to the lives of the primary characters their circumstances and relationships have changed.
Yet it is still a poignant story. His characters really suffer from the dominant power structures of a young Canada, eager to grow and willing to push the powerless out of its way
The novel hones in on the sacrifices paid by immigrants to build the country that welcomed them in yet kept them at a distance. Yet I also felt like I was kept at a distance. I found the jumps in time, not confusing, but a little distancing. Each time we return to the lives of the primary characters their circumstances and relationships have changed.
Yet it is still a poignant story. His characters really suffer from the dominant power structures of a young Canada, eager to grow and willing to push the powerless out of its way
balfin's review
challenging
emotional
slow-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
3.5
throughbooksandblades's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
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
3.75
This was a read for a class but it was an interesting one. While I do love the way the book was done it was very confusing at times.
readytogo's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
3.25
veechronicles's review against another edition
4.0
i really enjoyed this, maybe it was just the italian representation that i was loving but i think this was really well done
it was a little hard to get into at first and the construction parts were a bit dry, but the character building makes up for it completely
it was a little hard to get into at first and the construction parts were a bit dry, but the character building makes up for it completely
genevieveelizz's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
relaxing
sad
medium-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? It's complicated
4.5
smemmott's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Beautiful, vivid descriptions along with incredible twists in the story. The characters are in some ways ordinary people but do extraordinary things. But I didn't care about them as much as I would have liked.
awesomepancake's review against another edition
dark
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? No
1.0
Boring and confusing
1717evelyn1717's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
alisonjfields's review against another edition
5.0
There is a scene, in the very beginning of this book, during which Patrick Lewis, primary voice among the the half-dozen or so protagonists, watches Scandinavian men skate home over a frozen river on a dark winter's night in Northern Ontario, carrying handfuls of burning cattails over their heads. Ondaatje, who is the rare poet capable of writing great fiction, describes the scene thusly:
"It was not just the pleasure of skating. They could have done that during the day. This was against the night. The hard ice was so certain, they could leap into the air and crash down and it would hold them. their lanterns replaces with new rushes which let them go further past boundaries, speed! romance! one man waltzing with his fire. . . ."
And thus it begins. Dancing with the elements. A wind catching the skirts of a young nun and sending her spinning out into the air and into the arms of a daredevil bridge builder. Great explosions underwater and on land. Escape through water and betrayal by it. So much of this book exists on the perilous edge between something fear and whimsy. I've certainly never found any other book in which the acts of destruction felt so balletic.
Nuns,actresses, missing millionaires, orphan girls, burglars, radicals, immigrants and great marvels of engineering. For a slim book that often reads like poetry, there's an awful lot going on here. You hardly know where to look. And it is absolutely exquisite.
"It was not just the pleasure of skating. They could have done that during the day. This was against the night. The hard ice was so certain, they could leap into the air and crash down and it would hold them. their lanterns replaces with new rushes which let them go further past boundaries, speed! romance! one man waltzing with his fire. . . ."
And thus it begins. Dancing with the elements. A wind catching the skirts of a young nun and sending her spinning out into the air and into the arms of a daredevil bridge builder. Great explosions underwater and on land. Escape through water and betrayal by it. So much of this book exists on the perilous edge between something fear and whimsy. I've certainly never found any other book in which the acts of destruction felt so balletic.
Nuns,actresses, missing millionaires, orphan girls, burglars, radicals, immigrants and great marvels of engineering. For a slim book that often reads like poetry, there's an awful lot going on here. You hardly know where to look. And it is absolutely exquisite.