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asourceoffiction's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I so wanted to love this book. And there was a lot about it that kept me reading, albeit slowly. The setting is amazing and Mitchell is a brilliant writer. But it moves at a glacial pace, and I just didn't feel the connection to the story that I hoped I would.
In fact, the middle section has the best plot and pacing, and annoyingly it feels like the shortest part of the book. Outside of that there is so much focus on diplomatic Dutch-Japanese relations and trade - apart from one exciting encounter with the British - and although it wasn't boring, it just didn't engage me.
I'm glad I finished it, but I can't say I loved it. There are dozens of characters to remember and I only cared about a handful of them. The title is odd, in that Jacob barely participates in about half of the book. And then it feels like the whole thing has to rush to bring his part to an end. It's a little unsatisfying, and didn't have enough of Orito's story. A good book for me, but not a great one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, and Murder
nachtvlucht's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Medical content, Murder, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Child death, Death, Racism, Slavery, and Kidnapping
Minor: War