water_and_shade's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
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
2.5
Prose was nice, but was missing something I can't put my finger on. Characters fell flat for me, I never really empathised with any of them. I did appreciate the claustrophobic feeling of the flat farmland Hoover creates. Overall, promising as a debut but not something I'll reach for again.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Miscarriage
Minor: Rape, Child abuse, and Child death
cook_memorial_public_library's review against another edition
4.0
Recommended by staffer Ellen. Read her review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/185255831
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Squickening%20hoover__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=pearl
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Squickening%20hoover__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=pearl
lisa_mc's review against another edition
3.0
In our air-conditioned houses, with plumbing and electricity, in our cities with next-door neighbors and supermarkets and doctors, we tend to wax romantic about little houses on the prairie and life on the farm. “The Quickening” presents a much more realistic picture.
Inspired by her great-grandmother’s short written recollection of her life on an Iowa farm, Michelle Hoover has written a novel of the prairie, of farm life and the connection, for better or for worse, between two women.
The narration alternates between the two acquaintances, neighbors on the stark, unforgiving prairie. Neither is particularly sympathetic, though readers will likely empathize more with Enidina.
Big, strong, stoic Enidina has a suspicious nature, but often has reason to withhold trust. She and her husband, Frank, work hard, sometimes to no avail, and endure several miscarriages until they finally have twins. Artless and reactive, Enidina accepts her lot in life and does what she can.
The closest thing Enidina has to a friend is Mary, simply by virtue of proximity. Dramatic, self-centered Mary insinuates herself into Frank and Enidina’s lives, more so than they probably would like. Her hot-tempered husband and house full of sons also stand in contrast to Enidina and Frank’s calmer lives. Unpleasantness in her past is hinted at, which helps explain her deceptive nature — deceptive even to the point of deceiving herself.
“The Quickening” isn’t really plot-driven, as most of the events are described in chunks spread out over about 25 years. But in spare, cutting prose, it paints a bleak picture of accidents and death, sickness and struggle, greed and betrayal, one that will banish any romantic notions of prairie life.
Inspired by her great-grandmother’s short written recollection of her life on an Iowa farm, Michelle Hoover has written a novel of the prairie, of farm life and the connection, for better or for worse, between two women.
The narration alternates between the two acquaintances, neighbors on the stark, unforgiving prairie. Neither is particularly sympathetic, though readers will likely empathize more with Enidina.
Big, strong, stoic Enidina has a suspicious nature, but often has reason to withhold trust. She and her husband, Frank, work hard, sometimes to no avail, and endure several miscarriages until they finally have twins. Artless and reactive, Enidina accepts her lot in life and does what she can.
The closest thing Enidina has to a friend is Mary, simply by virtue of proximity. Dramatic, self-centered Mary insinuates herself into Frank and Enidina’s lives, more so than they probably would like. Her hot-tempered husband and house full of sons also stand in contrast to Enidina and Frank’s calmer lives. Unpleasantness in her past is hinted at, which helps explain her deceptive nature — deceptive even to the point of deceiving herself.
“The Quickening” isn’t really plot-driven, as most of the events are described in chunks spread out over about 25 years. But in spare, cutting prose, it paints a bleak picture of accidents and death, sickness and struggle, greed and betrayal, one that will banish any romantic notions of prairie life.
catladylover94's review against another edition
5.0
really good, would like to have known more about the main characters.
c_serpent's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is an ache.
Total score: 4/5 stars
Total score: 4/5 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
siobhanchandler09's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
staceylovestoread's review against another edition
1.0
I really wanted to like this book but I just couldn't. I could almost say I hated it. So glad I had a wonderful book to read after it to take my mind off my disappointment over this book.
dujyt's review against another edition
4.0
A reflective book that describes how the lives of two very different women collide and change in an upper Midwest farming community of the early 1900s. I thought it was going to a pioneering story showing brave, fearless women on the plains---but I was wrong. More of a realistic portrayal of the ways people differ in the ways they approach life and the views of the world they adopt to justify their decisions.
writergirl70's review against another edition
4.0
This was beautifully written. Loved that many of the important details were left to the imagination of the reader. Would be a great book for a discussion because so much is open to interpretation.