Reviews

We Were Not Men by Campbell Mattinson

itsheatherfox's review

3.0

This book was packed with sadness and there were elements I enjoyed, like seeing the little ways that grief affected the characters throughout the years. But I felt that a lot of the dialogue felt a bit far-fetched and unrealistic. Especially at the beginning when the twins were nine years old, the way they spoke and were spoken to felt off. I didn’t feel like the book was very uplifting in the end which is what I’d want from a heavy story like this

hanafisher's review

5.0

I’ve never felt compelled to annotate books, but this is the first time I’ve read quotes and thought ‘wow, this was the most beautiful piece of writing and I want to make note of it’. The writing is so beautiful, it’s arguably poetry. The way Mattison writes about love and how it makes you feel is unmatched to any other description & I loved loved loved taking a deep dive into it.

sienna1000's review

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

It’s very slow and the language at the start of the book doesn’t fit the age they are (9). 
But the ending had me welling up

ty_pical's review

Boring, didn’t grab my interest after trying a few times 

emilyvandenbroeck's review

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

mimipoppins's review

3.0

3.5 stars - I enjoyed this book, but I couldn’t say that in the beginning. It took me till almost halfway to get used to the writing style and for the story to really take off, I almost gave up, and I’m glad I didn’t. This is a coming-of-age story of twin brothers following the death of their parents. While there was a lot of heartbreak in this book, I did have some laugh out loud moments with the step grandmother Bobbie (I really liked her character). For me this book showed how life must go on even through those difficult times. The relationships between the characters were well written. Be prepared for all the emotions. You will be shocked, you will be angry with them, you will cry, and you will feel the love between them all. Overall, it was a good book. Thanks Better Reading for the opportunity to read and review this book. 4 stars, it’s worth pushing through.

myreadsgrf's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

2.0

celiapie's review

3.0

3.5

tasmanian_bibliophile's review

4.0

Imagine the heartbreak, the pain, the dislocation. Nine-year-old twins, Jon and Eden Hardacre are orphaned in a terrible car accident in which they are both injured. Jon tells us their story as they grow up with their step-grandma Bobbie, who is still grieving her own loss – the death of their grandfather. The boys compete with each other at swimming, fall in love with the same girl, and negotiate the shoals of life. The newly configured family moves between Bobbie’s farm at Flowerdale and the boy’s suburban home in Newport, Victoria. It is a challenging read, especially at the beginning because we are confined to Jon’s unfiltered nine-year-old view of what happens. Jon’s view gradually expands, and he (and we) appreciate that life is more complex, that relationships are not always straightforward.

I was drawn into this story, imagining a nine-year-old view of such a tragedy, and admiring the resilience of Jon, Eden, and Bobbie as they found a way ahead, through various challenges. If we live, we learn. Nothing stays the same. Life goes on.

Mr Mattinson brings his characters to life, especially Jon and Bobbie, and this is a story that will stay with me for a long time.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

busyreading's review

4.0

I love a story that draws you in and takes you on an emotional roller coaster and that's exactly what this book did to me.

We Were Not Men by Australian author Campbell Mattinson is a powerful and very moving novel so much so that I didn't want to put it down. An unforgettable read which I have no hesitation in highly recommending.