A review by chelsea_jack
The Last Kings of Sark by Rosa Rankin-Gee
4.0
This is a book that cries out for a book club. It's a discussion book. There's an elegance to the earthiness of this tale - it's a very literary mainstream novel that bobs quietly from moment to moment. And let me be very clear - this is a series of moments tied together with deliberately vague impressions of the time and space that links them together.
The book succeeded at drawing me in and making me participate in the storytelling process. I had an understanding - not necessarily the "correct" one, but one nevertheless - of what might have happened over the course of the idyllic summer in Sark. I could piece together what went on between that summer and the years and moments that followed - and because I wanted to know more about these characters, I was eager to pick up on and extrapolate from the clues in the book.
In the end, I don't think this was a 'fun' read - it had me thinking and analysing and wanting to discuss the heck out of it. The ending wasn't what I had hoped for, nor was any of the book nearly as solid or straightforward as I might have liked for a piece of pure entertainment. Instead, this is a different kind of reading experience - one that improves and expands the more time you spend thinking about the book, or discussing it with friends.
I recommend it, but only if the above sounds like something you'd enjoy!
See my complete review at: ToEachTheirOwnReviews.com
The book succeeded at drawing me in and making me participate in the storytelling process. I had an understanding - not necessarily the "correct" one, but one nevertheless - of what might have happened over the course of the idyllic summer in Sark. I could piece together what went on between that summer and the years and moments that followed - and because I wanted to know more about these characters, I was eager to pick up on and extrapolate from the clues in the book.
In the end, I don't think this was a 'fun' read - it had me thinking and analysing and wanting to discuss the heck out of it. The ending wasn't what I had hoped for, nor was any of the book nearly as solid or straightforward as I might have liked for a piece of pure entertainment. Instead, this is a different kind of reading experience - one that improves and expands the more time you spend thinking about the book, or discussing it with friends.
I recommend it, but only if the above sounds like something you'd enjoy!
See my complete review at: ToEachTheirOwnReviews.com