jennyconrad88's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
emily1602's review
I did not like the main premise of this book. Half of the book is narrated by a woman who has cancer, the other half is narrated by the cancer itself. The book was blurbed by a lot of authors I like, so I picked it up anyway. There were many luminous ideas and sentences in the book, almost enough to make me overlook how much the premise still annoyed me by the end.
meg_charest's review
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
The writing in this book is utterly exquisite. Capturing so acutely the beauty that coexists and fuels human tragedy, I couldn't help but read sentences over and over again in my head. Mortimer so beautifully captures the courage, pain, beauty, and suffering of enduring love of so many kinds. It feels experimental at times. The novel is easy to get into, but drags on a bit, though given the subject matter of the book, this really does take on a quality of performative writing in a moving way. I finished this with tears running down my face and can tell it will live in my mind a long time.
kazters's review against another edition
4.0
What can I say the end of this book was raw it was emotional and it was beautiful. Even more when you realise this is Maddie Mortimer’s debut novel.
The story is told from both lia’s voice and that of the cancer invading her body. I was t sure this would be a book for me and at times it was a difficult read but it’s a thing of beauty
The story is told from both lia’s voice and that of the cancer invading her body. I was t sure this would be a book for me and at times it was a difficult read but it’s a thing of beauty
krysha's review against another edition
5.0
this was one of the most gut wrenchingly painful but absolutely beautiful books i’ve ever read. Maddie Mortimer is a genius and she did an incredible job creating characters that matter. i know that i will carry these people and their story with me for quite some time.
this was a read unlike any other, a fantastic mix of poetry and prose. the personification of everyone’s greatest fear, and the revelation that it is in essence the same as self.
Lia is diagnosed with a terminal illness, and the reader gets to follow her family’s struggles with coping. it’s quirky, stunning, and most of all relatable. i will recommend this book a thousand times over. absolute perfection
this was a read unlike any other, a fantastic mix of poetry and prose. the personification of everyone’s greatest fear, and the revelation that it is in essence the same as self.
Lia is diagnosed with a terminal illness, and the reader gets to follow her family’s struggles with coping. it’s quirky, stunning, and most of all relatable. i will recommend this book a thousand times over. absolute perfection
d_m's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
clmckinney's review against another edition
5.0
This is about a 30 something woman who has cancer. She is married with a child. To say that this book is just about illness would do it a great disservice. It is about family, love, life, growing up and so many other things. It is wise and funny. This book broke me by the end. This novel deserves much praise. I hope this makes the booker short list. I give this one 5/5.