ehmatthews's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book - it was another recommendation from my mother's book club. It was nice to see Anna grow into her role as a caretaker and to see how she handled such unspeakable grief. I love that she ended up in the middle east - it seems so improbable yet so wonderful for her to end up in a land of such color and bustle. Especially with her two little girls.
katemarie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
lpotocky's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Good grief. I'm not sure how to review this book. The ending put me in mind of the finale of 'Game of Thrones': no mad, Nazi-esque queen burning a city atop her dragon, but just as baffling, batshit crazy, and seemingly unshackled from any concern for maintaining cohesive characters. Given how carefully crafted the bulk of the novel was, the ending left me dazed and confused.
skigirl1689's review against another edition
2.0
The ending was wildly out of character with the first 200 pages. I questioned if I was reading the same novel. I don't understand what the author was trying to attempt with that ending. The prose was lovely, but the ending ruined this book for me.
soleadohmbt's review against another edition
3.0
What would a small English village have been like if feminism came to the island a century or so earlier? You'll find out here. Unfortunately, it only distracts from an otherwise well-told story.
muse2323's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
slow-paced
3.5
Book was good. Reading by the author was not. Sorry, Geraldine—please let others read your beautiful books. My brain fought so hard against the way you said words, the repetitive rhythm and lilt.
lisafrancine's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.5
sandeestarlite's review against another edition
3.0
The story of a town that decided to isolate itself when the plague comes to visit. An interesting study of how people react during a time when superstition runs rampant and the village preacher wields power. Those pieces were pretty interesting but I thought the romance aspects were a little out of place, especially the sequence towards the end.
leonore_book's review against another edition
3.0
To live during the plague is just unimaginable, but this was an interesting story.