ccloleanne's review
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
spiderman15's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Another home run from one of America's preeminent writers. Mr. Kennedy again finds a woman's voice in Jane and spins her tale as it takes her through the depths of despair in several countries. Jane may not remain in a pit of despair, but she also doesn't have daffodils and joy as a resolution to her story. Exactly like life.
kylie0506's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
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? Yes
3.5
stevie_2e's review
5.0
This story just happens. You meet Jane and you, with steady interest, follow her through the events of her life. Readers will not be sorry for time spent with Jane.
brittanyhurdle's review
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
dcrice's review against another edition
4.0
Plot galore! The story revolves around the heroine, Jane, who on the night of her 13th birthday announced to her always-feuding, alcholoic parents that she is never getting married or having children. When her father walks out on the family the next morning, Jane’s mother blames her daughter for the catastrophe. The story continues its twisting, turning path through Jane's time at Harvard and a not-so-as-private-as-she-thinks affair with a professor, a short-lived gig at a high-paying stock firm, several run-ins with her deadbeat dad, a disastorous affairs, and tragedies too numerous to count. Still, through all this, and as unbelievable as the tragedy after tragedy become the story entertains and the plots (all of them) move along smoothly and rapidly.
lillyalaine36's review against another edition
2.0
I have been a big fan of Douglas Kennedy for a few years now, The Pursuit Of Happiness and A Special Relationship were fabulous books, with great punchy storylines, good lead characters and all round good writing.
I truly have awaited the release of his novels with great anticipation - however - The Woman In The Fifth was such a huge departure from his normal writing that I really did not understand why he had written it. I swallowed hard though and immediately requested Leaving The World in the hope that the last books reviews had persuaded him to return to his normal writing style.
Instead Leaving The World is very slow - by page 250 - 300 I was still waiting for the storyline to pick up. The story of Jane, the university professor whose life seems to go into freefall is so unbelievably slow and the character melancholy and self indulgent. You just long for her to deal with at least something in her life constructively. Many people on this site have written that the last third of the book redeemed it for them. For me it just left me confused about what exactly I was reading. It turned into some sort of detective novel with the lead character getting involved in the hunt for a missing teenager.
After two poor novels I'm not sure how I feel about reading another Kennedy novel - if you are thinking of reading this author then please don't make this your first book by him. He is an awesome writer when he gets it spot on and unfortunately this book fails to deliver the things I love about him.
I truly have awaited the release of his novels with great anticipation - however - The Woman In The Fifth was such a huge departure from his normal writing that I really did not understand why he had written it. I swallowed hard though and immediately requested Leaving The World in the hope that the last books reviews had persuaded him to return to his normal writing style.
Instead Leaving The World is very slow - by page 250 - 300 I was still waiting for the storyline to pick up. The story of Jane, the university professor whose life seems to go into freefall is so unbelievably slow and the character melancholy and self indulgent. You just long for her to deal with at least something in her life constructively. Many people on this site have written that the last third of the book redeemed it for them. For me it just left me confused about what exactly I was reading. It turned into some sort of detective novel with the lead character getting involved in the hunt for a missing teenager.
After two poor novels I'm not sure how I feel about reading another Kennedy novel - if you are thinking of reading this author then please don't make this your first book by him. He is an awesome writer when he gets it spot on and unfortunately this book fails to deliver the things I love about him.
vojtko68's review against another edition
3.0
The last 50 pages were the best part of the whole book. I would put this book down at night and be totally depressed. There were many times when I thought of not finishing this one, but in the end I did. I felt sorry for Jane as so many bad things had happened to her and you can understand her need to want to end it all, but it seemed to drag on and on.
One fact, stated in the storyline, that was wrong was that 84' Winter Olympics were held in Calgary. Calgary hosted the '88 Olympics. To get a simple fact wrong like this is kind of inexcusable. The internet was mentioned numerous times, in this book, for Jane to do research, maybe the author should have used it as well.
One fact, stated in the storyline, that was wrong was that 84' Winter Olympics were held in Calgary. Calgary hosted the '88 Olympics. To get a simple fact wrong like this is kind of inexcusable. The internet was mentioned numerous times, in this book, for Jane to do research, maybe the author should have used it as well.
susannes_pagesofcrime's review against another edition
4.0
Douglas Kennedy is back to his page turning best with this book. Although I sometimes found it dark and didn't always like the main character I still found it a gripping read, always wondering what kind of life Jane would find herself in next. I will certainly be thinking about this one for awhile.