emziesreads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-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
A beautiful tale of love and acceptance and post-war working class Australians.
lory_enterenchanted's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Reviews and more on my blog: Entering the Enchanted Castle
Winton's novel immerses the reader in the lives of two very different families who become linked through inhabiting a common house. It's wonderful to see how their distrust and separation slowly melt, and the walls literally come down between them, while many aspect of human experience, in all its dirt and glory, are touched on. Winton's style is poetic, impressionistic, jumping about from character to character; it's not a book to read for the plot, but for getting into the heads of a number of people who will become as real to you as your own family. The middle section had me a bit bogged down at times, but I'm glad I stuck through to the end, which moved and touched me.
Winton's novel immerses the reader in the lives of two very different families who become linked through inhabiting a common house. It's wonderful to see how their distrust and separation slowly melt, and the walls literally come down between them, while many aspect of human experience, in all its dirt and glory, are touched on. Winton's style is poetic, impressionistic, jumping about from character to character; it's not a book to read for the plot, but for getting into the heads of a number of people who will become as real to you as your own family. The middle section had me a bit bogged down at times, but I'm glad I stuck through to the end, which moved and touched me.
ames's review against another edition
4.0
This novel tells the tale of two working class Australian families living side by side but painfully separate and gradually growing together. Characters undergo a personal journey towards independence, while simultaneously learning to be part of a family. Cloudstreet does not paint a picture of a perfect life; it is the arduous journey towards acceptance of personal identity and as part of a family that truly makes this book a resonant and worthwhile read.
Overall, this book is a vivid and amusing insight into working class life in Australia post-Second World War, and I urge you, Australian or not, to give it a read.
Overall, this book is a vivid and amusing insight into working class life in Australia post-Second World War, and I urge you, Australian or not, to give it a read.
bethreadsandnaps's review against another edition
4.0
This one has been on my "to be read" shelf for years. In the next few months, I'm trying to clear out the ones that have been languishing around for years and make a concerted effort to actually read them.
Sam, his wife Dolly and their 3 children are down on their luck, as Sam has lost fingers in an accident. He's prone to gamble away his paycheck anyway, and his wife isn't much better with her penchant for drinking and smoking. A wise uncle left a home to the family when he died with the condition that it can't be sold (or gambled away) for 20 years. They actually use their noggin and decide to rent half the house to the Lamb family.
The Lamb family, headed by Lester and Oriel, are hard-working, religious, and maybe a bit quirky. They have 6 children, one of which nicknamed Fish who has brain damage after an accident.
The house brings these disparate families together as they learn to cohabitate over the course of 20 years.
I watched the miniseries before I read the novel, and it does feel like the novel is a bit choppier than the miniseries. Particularly toward the end of the novel, there are very short chapters, and it's more difficult to get into.
Sam, his wife Dolly and their 3 children are down on their luck, as Sam has lost fingers in an accident. He's prone to gamble away his paycheck anyway, and his wife isn't much better with her penchant for drinking and smoking. A wise uncle left a home to the family when he died with the condition that it can't be sold (or gambled away) for 20 years. They actually use their noggin and decide to rent half the house to the Lamb family.
The Lamb family, headed by Lester and Oriel, are hard-working, religious, and maybe a bit quirky. They have 6 children, one of which nicknamed Fish who has brain damage after an accident.
The house brings these disparate families together as they learn to cohabitate over the course of 20 years.
I watched the miniseries before I read the novel, and it does feel like the novel is a bit choppier than the miniseries. Particularly toward the end of the novel, there are very short chapters, and it's more difficult to get into.
___liam's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
maybe the silent generation should’ve stayed silent
gengray47's review against another edition
3.0
I thought I should read this because it's considered a "great work of Australian literature". However I found this book boring as anything, the characters had no development, random events would suddenly be introduced, and the lack of quotation marks is just annoying.
tia_20's review against another edition
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
1.0