Reviews

The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel

kadecrash's review against another edition

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2.0

Station Eleven felt like a flawless labyrinth that all converged at the end for a satisfying finish. This novel felt like a labyrinth where the paths tripped over one a other and never led anywhere.

The flow of the novel felt jarred and with so much back and forth it was difficult to keep track of the characters. There was a lot of back and forth and rereading on my part. It just didn't have the flow and felt like it was trying just a little too hard to keep up with Station Eleven.

I feel it's important to note, Emily St. John Mandel handles the human psyche and conversation with amazing precision. Her writing itself is a pleasure, which is why I gave it three stars. It is why I kept reading to see how it played out. I wanted to like this novel a lot more than I did and I will still purchase any work of hers in the future but this novel did not do it for me.

mammalfish's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

angelina41's review against another edition

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Couldn’t get into it 

_kendab's review against another edition

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3.0

Sometimes a body of work is stronger than its individual components. I’ve read a few of St. John Mandel’s books (Station Eleven, Sea of Tranquility, and The Glass Hotel), and independently, they lean towards being disjointed. Together, though, they cohere into a compelling argument—the futures we fear speak to a world that we secretly long for. What if this delicate hell we have created finally crumbles around us?

--From my blog, which you can subscribe to!

kristen_eden's review against another edition

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5.0

Maybe not the best book to read in the middle of a pandemic that is causing a massive economic crisis. The whole tone of the book is sad. But in a good way? But still maybe wait to read it.

looloolibby's review against another edition

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

3.0

mmhenthorn's review against another edition

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3.0

Easy, quick read. I enjoyed the way the story was presented.

cakedcrusader's review against another edition

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3.0

Enjoyable story, felt a bit lost at parts but in the end it came together nicely!

davidngillespie's review against another edition

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mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

vaguelymodern's review against another edition

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

4.0