heather01602to60660's review against another edition
2.0
This wasn't a bad book, just not *my* kind of book. I kept forcing myself to keep listening just to see if I ever connected with it, but never did. (Honestly, had I had any other audiobooks checked out I'd have abandoned it about halfway through.)
mipa_jt's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-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? Yes
2.5
carolineahearn's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
soulkissed2003's review
1.0
Just awful, and aptly named.
The book has semi-interesting characters, but you never really get to know them. The trouble is a sort of stream of consciousness storytelling that is just hard to follow. Further, by swapping between characters so often, you don't get a chance to really get a grasp on how they are really connected, or WHO each character IS.
I'm sure I read a review or a promo somewhere along the line that made me want to read this, but unfortunately the book is a huge disappointment and was frustrating to read, not entertaining or pithy.
The author has quite a few other books published. I can tell you right now I have zero interest in any of them. There are so many good books out there, waiting to be read. I'll go for those instead.
The book has semi-interesting characters, but you never really get to know them. The trouble is a sort of stream of consciousness storytelling that is just hard to follow. Further, by swapping between characters so often, you don't get a chance to really get a grasp on how they are really connected, or WHO each character IS.
I'm sure I read a review or a promo somewhere along the line that made me want to read this, but unfortunately the book is a huge disappointment and was frustrating to read, not entertaining or pithy.
The author has quite a few other books published. I can tell you right now I have zero interest in any of them. There are so many good books out there, waiting to be read. I'll go for those instead.
bookanonjeff's review
5.0
Jumbled And Disjointed, Yet Somehow Works. This is one of those books that arguably *shouldn't* work, given how truly disjointed it is with its time period and character jumps, and yet as more of a meditation/ reflective work on life and death, it really does actually work. As we work through the various streams of consciousness of Fred, Lil, Shelley, and Harvey, we see each of their lives through their own eyes as they struggle with past, present, life, and death. We see the traumas large and small, the regrets and the victories, the confusions and the joys. Admittedly, the particular writing style will be hard to follow for some, and even I found it quite jarring despite my own abilities to largely go with any flow of a book. But in the end it really does work to tell a cohesive yet complex story, and really that is all anyone can ultimately ask of a fiction tale. Thus, there is nothing of the quasi-objective nature that I try to maintain to hang any star reduction on, even as many readers may struggle with this tale. And thus, it is very much recommended.
nonna7's review
4.0
When I put my name on the library list for this book, my mother was still alive. I got the download a week ago and just finished it. This was an interesting and well written book although some (a lot!) would call it a "downer." The book centers around a house currently being occupied by Shelley, a single mother, who is a court reporter in a small North Carolina town. Shelley, her strange and unhappy 6 year old son, Harvey, Frank and Lil are the main characters. All of them have had their lives shaped by horrific losses. We only learn of Shelley's at the very end. Frank lived in the house Shelley is currently renting and wants to see the inside. Both Frank and Lil lost parents at young ages and neither ever fully recovered. As the book progresses Shelley's story unfolds as Harvey's behavior becomes more and more erratic and her older son, Jason, comes home to confront her about the lies she has told. I think I will read another of her books even if it as much a downer as this one. The elderly couple, especially, made me think more about my own mortality. It's not a pleasant thought.
rosecityreader's review
4.0
Jill McCorkle's new novel Hieroglyphics takes some time to get into because it is told from multiple points of view and goes back and forth in time from the present to earlier years in the characters' lives. But as the pieces come together, the intensity of the story grows. It is a story about parents and children, the memories they make and keep, and how they read the hieroglyphics of their family histories. The ends don't get tied up nicely, but the story will linger.
rym201's review
4.0
I think this is an excellent book but I really struggled with it. It was beautifully written and constructed- the unusual format works incredibly well- but I found the subject matter so difficult. Maybe it's a timing issue on my part. Parental loss and mortality are so tough to be immersed in.
sgparlier's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25