always_need_more_books's review against another edition
5.0
Set in 1992/1993 and told from the point of view of 10-year-old Finn Conner, 14-year-old sister, Cora and their parents, Aiden and Martha, this book describes the fictional fishing village of Big Running in Newfoundland, Canada. When the book starts, most families have left the island as fishing is the main industry and all the fish have mysteriously disappeared. Finn’s parents, Aiden and Martha spend alternate months working at an energy site up north to support their children.
There is no school on the island and no lessons for the children. Finn develops an obsession with solving the mystery of the missing fish, with the help his accordion teacher Mrs Callaghan. Cora spends her days decorating the abandoned houses as different countries – the bakers house becomes Italy, another becomes Russia, Mexico and Britain until almost all the house have a national identity.
The book also looks to the past (early 1970s) and looks at Aiden and Martha as teenagers. Martha loses her parents at a young age and lives with her sisters. One night she hears what she thinks is a mermaid singing out at sea and spends her evenings sitting on the beach listening to the songs. Aiden is a fisherman from Little Running and we discover what happens when they meet.
As the emotional distance between Aiden and Martha widens, Cora runs away from the island, desperate for a bigger life than her home can offer.
I loved this book – the writing is sublime and I felt transported to the remote fishing village. The description of the landscape and the way of life for the family are marvellous. I also liked the retrospective nature of the book – by looking back at Aiden and Martha’s relationship, we see what Big Running was like when it was a thriving community which makes us understand why the family find it so hard to leave. I can’t recommend this highly enough.
There is no school on the island and no lessons for the children. Finn develops an obsession with solving the mystery of the missing fish, with the help his accordion teacher Mrs Callaghan. Cora spends her days decorating the abandoned houses as different countries – the bakers house becomes Italy, another becomes Russia, Mexico and Britain until almost all the house have a national identity.
The book also looks to the past (early 1970s) and looks at Aiden and Martha as teenagers. Martha loses her parents at a young age and lives with her sisters. One night she hears what she thinks is a mermaid singing out at sea and spends her evenings sitting on the beach listening to the songs. Aiden is a fisherman from Little Running and we discover what happens when they meet.
As the emotional distance between Aiden and Martha widens, Cora runs away from the island, desperate for a bigger life than her home can offer.
I loved this book – the writing is sublime and I felt transported to the remote fishing village. The description of the landscape and the way of life for the family are marvellous. I also liked the retrospective nature of the book – by looking back at Aiden and Martha’s relationship, we see what Big Running was like when it was a thriving community which makes us understand why the family find it so hard to leave. I can’t recommend this highly enough.
suannelaqueur's review against another edition
5.0
I shouldn't have read that in one sitting but I couldn't stop. Jesus....
an_aesthetic's review against another edition
4.0
A quiet, moving story about a family in a small fishing town in Newfoundland. The fish are all gone and as a result, everyone has started leaving. There’s an overarching sense of loss and desolation. There’s no food, no work, no people.
It’s a very beautiful story and you can feel the connections this family has with each other. The story switches back and forth in time from the present in 1992 to the 70s when Aiden and Martha, the parents, were young. Music plays a big role in this story and it lends itself to the writing as well which is poetic and lyrical. I really loved seeing how Aiden and Martha met and developed their relationship. And in the present day it was both heartbreaking and heartwarming to see how Cora and Finn were trying to save their family in their own ways through sheer dedication and determination. It’s a slow-paced story, but maintains a sense of nostalgia and melancholy.
It’s a very beautiful story and you can feel the connections this family has with each other. The story switches back and forth in time from the present in 1992 to the 70s when Aiden and Martha, the parents, were young. Music plays a big role in this story and it lends itself to the writing as well which is poetic and lyrical. I really loved seeing how Aiden and Martha met and developed their relationship. And in the present day it was both heartbreaking and heartwarming to see how Cora and Finn were trying to save their family in their own ways through sheer dedication and determination. It’s a slow-paced story, but maintains a sense of nostalgia and melancholy.
megantm's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
felicitassturm's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
4.5
Our Homesick Songs erzählt die Geschichte von Finn und Cora und ihren Eltern, Aidan und Martha. Wie sich Aidan und Martha kennengelernt haben, auf dem Meer, das auf ihrer Insel überall zu sein scheint. Und parallel, wie Finn und Cora leben auf dieser (fast) verlassenen Insel in Neufundland. Während ihre Eltern weit weg müssen zur Arbeit, weil es keine Fische mehr gibt auf dieser Insel, auf der alle vom Fischfang lebten.
Wie sie alle zu leben und zu lieben versuchen, klarkommen, hoffen, aufgeben, weiterhoffen. 🐟
Vielleicht klingt das nach viel Handlung, vor allem, wenn man ergänzt, dass eines Tages Cora verschwindet, dass alle Connors Betrüger sind (aber nicht nur die Connors, alle sind Betrüger), dass Finn Fische fängt, obwohl es keine Fische mehr gibt, dass noch viel mehr passiert.
Aber irgendwie gibt es doch nicht so viel Handlung. Das macht allerdings nichts, denn es wird gut erzählt.
Traurig und melancholisch und voller Hoffnung und schön, schön, schön.
Wie sie alle zu leben und zu lieben versuchen, klarkommen, hoffen, aufgeben, weiterhoffen. 🐟
Vielleicht klingt das nach viel Handlung, vor allem, wenn man ergänzt, dass eines Tages Cora verschwindet, dass alle Connors Betrüger sind (aber nicht nur die Connors, alle sind Betrüger), dass Finn Fische fängt, obwohl es keine Fische mehr gibt, dass noch viel mehr passiert.
Aber irgendwie gibt es doch nicht so viel Handlung. Das macht allerdings nichts, denn es wird gut erzählt.
Traurig und melancholisch und voller Hoffnung und schön, schön, schön.
specialk046's review against another edition
2.0
I was kind of disappointed with this story. I can definitely tell she is finding her way as a writer because her later books are much better written. I felt like this story was kind of thrown together and it did not really seem to have much point. He bombed the plant and then nothing really happened! It was just too tightly tied up with a bow at the end and adding in the relationship aspect was just weird. It could have been developed a lot better. Definitely not one of her best.
meg_wadlington's review against another edition
2.0
So disappointed. I really enjoyed practical magic. This is not on par with that at all. I only identified/tolerated one of the characters. The elderly aunt (not that elderly, but they acted like 70 was ancient) was spunky. Everyone else was selfish and mopey. Meh.
alysereadsbooks's review against another edition
2.0
I love Alice Hoffman’s books, but this one was not my favorite. The plot was strange, although the characters were dynamic. It was disappointing.