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raelin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
There was a lot in this to digest and it is ripe for discussion in a book club.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Confinement, Death, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Domestic abuse and Infidelity
rubyjubbbaddiel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Death of parent
miaaa_lenaaa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
‘He wasn’t waiting for her. But if she ever turned up he wanted his options open. Which was another was of saying, he was waiting.’
‘A form of narcissism, or closely related paranoia.’
‘It was his right to want nothing.’
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Pandemic/Epidemic
rosereadsalot's review against another edition
2.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Terminal illness, Dementia, Death of parent, Abandonment, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
jennikreads's review against another edition
1.5
Graphic: Cancer, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Abandonment
Moderate: Confinement
Minor: Transphobia
lynnenad's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Death and Pedophilia
Minor: Dementia
andrewspink's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The book is filled with literary references, several to James Joyce, and a whole lot of poetry, much of which I don't know. As another reviewer on Storygraph commented, that can make the reader feel a bit stupid, but on the other hand it does add depth and if it does happen to be a book that you've read then it can deepen the reading experience (even more so if you can actually remember what that book was about!). There are some parts where I think I spotted a reference, but I'm not sure. "No one could conceive a book of such ambition and execution in that house. Unless she was alone there". Is that a reference to A room of my own (Virginia Woolf), or is that my imagination? It does give an added dimension.
Roland Baines (and Ian McEwan) are about 15 years older than me. Seeing I grew up in England, that meant that there was a lot in this book that was very recognisable to me. I had a music teacher who used to hit our knuckles with a 12-inch ruler if I played a wrong note. Bizarre and very counterproductive, but fortunately that was where the resemblance with Miriam Cornell ends. Many of the political milestones that he mentions were also the soundtrack to my growing up, even if I didn't have the luxury of a private jet to Berlin but had to watch it, amazed, on the television. Eskdale is a favourite place in the Lake District. I remember when the Chernobyl rain cloud came over. I was doing field work in the Welsh mountains and stood in that rain all day. It was forbidden to eat the meat of the sheep that stood in that same rain, next to us. They were all given bright orange paint splashes on their flanks, thankfully we didn't have to undergo that.
It is a long book at almost 500 pages. I was sorry when I got to the end. That says a lot.
Graphic: Pedophilia
schorlett's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Dementia, Grief, Pregnancy, and War
Minor: Transphobia and Abortion
brianreadsbooks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Child abuse and Pedophilia
bridgetkay's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Cancer
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Medical content, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Classism