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A review by obfuscatress
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This book has a remarkable narrative structure with a plot that develops across multiple narrative streams knitting together slowly over time. I was surprised to find that with a whopping fifteen different character perspectives shedding light on a complex series of events, the timeline and plot were still easy to follow. The name of the first part of the novel - a sphere within a sphere - really does describe the setup perfectly. Worth a read for that alone.
Graphic: Drug abuse, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Miscarriage, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Gun violence
Repeated mentions & brief descriptions of physical violence towards a pregnant woman resulting in miscarriage