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readersreadingnook's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Chronic illness, Drug use, Mental illness, and Self harm
Minor: Medical content
kirstym25's review against another edition
reflective
sad
medium-paced
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Moderate: Drug abuse
elizabethgreads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
2.0
I found that book boring at times and it was a bit jarring to read as we progressed through the Amy's life with major jumps in time. In all it was a love letter to Amy's sister however that wasn't completely well executed and felt lack luster at time. The writing however is beautiful but it wasn't enough to make up for the lack plot or character growth within the characters. I think I would have enjoyed the book more if time were evenly split between the sisters.
I would classify this this book as a autobiographic novel as apposed to a memoir.
I would classify this this book as a autobiographic novel as apposed to a memoir.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Self harm, and Suicide
Moderate: Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Rape
your_true_shelf's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Self harm, and Suicide
Moderate: Religious bigotry
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
- 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
4.0
Homesick is probably the book on the Women’s Prize longlist with the most complicated publishing history. It was first written and published in Spanish. Then rewritten - not translated - by the author and published in the US as a memoir, albeit one where none of the characters shared the author’s name. The US version included photos taken by the author. Three years later it was rejigged again, with the photos removed and possibly some rewriting, before being released in the UK as a novel and thus eligible for the Women’s Prize.
It’s the story of the two sisters, Amy and Zoe, the close bond between them, and how that is impacted by Zoe’s illness. It’s also a complicated coming of age story one that involves a crush, a suicide, early university attendance, self-harm, a breakdown and travel disasters. It’s also a story that examines expression and creativity through words and through images. It is sparse and tightly structured, unfolding via a series of short vignettes which allowed the author to hone in on pivotal events. Some of the prose was gorgeous, perfectly capturing moments and meaning. “Every picture is a portrait of Zoe because Amy’s intention as a photographer has never wavered…what she’s always wanted is to capture and fix forever the presence of her sister, to contain her, to never let her go, or break, or even change.”
Generally speaking this was an intimate and personal book, the author clearly interrogating her own interior - thoughts, memories, motivations. However, I was frustrated by what wasn’t included. Potentially important and interesting parts of the story were simply not there - How did Amy feel after her hospital stay? Why didn’t Zoe visit? Obviously an author gets to choose what to include in their book, especially one based on their own life. Yet as a reader as felt I was left hanging a little.
I can see what motivated the judges to include this on the longlist. For me it fall in the middle of the pack and, while I still have a few books to read, I’m not sure it will make my personal shortlist.
It’s the story of the two sisters, Amy and Zoe, the close bond between them, and how that is impacted by Zoe’s illness. It’s also a complicated coming of age story one that involves a crush, a suicide, early university attendance, self-harm, a breakdown and travel disasters. It’s also a story that examines expression and creativity through words and through images. It is sparse and tightly structured, unfolding via a series of short vignettes which allowed the author to hone in on pivotal events. Some of the prose was gorgeous, perfectly capturing moments and meaning. “Every picture is a portrait of Zoe because Amy’s intention as a photographer has never wavered…what she’s always wanted is to capture and fix forever the presence of her sister, to contain her, to never let her go, or break, or even change.”
Generally speaking this was an intimate and personal book, the author clearly interrogating her own interior - thoughts, memories, motivations. However, I was frustrated by what wasn’t included. Potentially important and interesting parts of the story were simply not there - How did Amy feel after her hospital stay? Why didn’t Zoe visit? Obviously an author gets to choose what to include in their book, especially one based on their own life. Yet as a reader as felt I was left hanging a little.
I can see what motivated the judges to include this on the longlist. For me it fall in the middle of the pack and, while I still have a few books to read, I’m not sure it will make my personal shortlist.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Self harm, and Suicide
abbie_'s review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
A beautifully written, unusually structured memoir told in the third person, of the translator Jennifer Croft. I’ve read a few of Croft’s translations and she is hugely talented, so I’m glad for Charco Press’s new Untranslated series for allowing Croft to tell her own story, as opposed to translating others’.
She explores her relationship with her chronically ill sister, the beginning of her love affair with languages and grammar, her brushes with trauma like suicide at far too young an age. The short chapters make it addictive, but there’s no less depth because of the shortness of the chapters.
Loved it!
She explores her relationship with her chronically ill sister, the beginning of her love affair with languages and grammar, her brushes with trauma like suicide at far too young an age. The short chapters make it addictive, but there’s no less depth because of the shortness of the chapters.
Loved it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Medical content, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Sexual assault and Vomit
Minor: Gun violence
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