sophsreadingbooks's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Mental illness
hyzenthlay76's review against another edition
3.0
Very dark, very British. An immersion in fairy tale psychology and an inward quest with the (rather unlikeable) protagonist. I do wonder why the author chose to make Benedick so abrasive and sour, particularly to his poor children.
cindywho's review against another edition
2.0
An engaging and disturbing story of manic depression through the eyes of a man discovering his past, spurred by a book of fairy tales that his mother had written and illustrated before she committed suicide when he was a child. I wanted to empathize with him, but I never really liked him. I kept wanting him to get help before he crashed, with his young son in tow. I did like the intrigue of the layers of truth he had to dig through to find out his family story. (May 31, 2005)
agumom's review against another edition
4.0
Another surprisingly good book. I borrowed it from a friend because I liked the version of the cover on the edition he had. Anyway, the book was good. I enjoyed having fairy tales interspersed throughout the main story and I enjoyed the mild culture-clash of a British man and child hiding away in the US South. Of course, the love triangles and family secrets kept the story moving, but I found myself reading the fairy tale parts with more fervor than the rest of the story. One of the most striking parts of this novel, intentional or not, was the commentary on how mental illness was seen in my parents' generations and those generations preceding them as compared to the way it is seen now. Today, we can discuss mental illness. There is, however, a stigma remaining for people diagnosed with a mental illness, but at least we can talk about it now. Before, a diagnosis became a family secret, a skeleton in the closet or a stain on the family reputation. Mental and emotional disorders were passed through the generations with no one adequately prepared to recognize or deal with it. Even if a parent knew that the inheritance of a mental illness was a possibility for their kids, they still tried to pretend that moods and outbursts were simply phases to be dealt with until they passed. You can be damn sure that when I eventually breed and produce some offspring, I'll be getting professional help should any symptoms arise and probably find myself some nice support groups. Today, we can speak up and get help. Back then, you kept quiet until you were either completely alienated or dead. This review is far too long.
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