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A review by whatannikareads
It Is Wood, It Is Stone by Gabriella Burnham
adventurous
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I keep vacillating between 4.25 and a 4.5 but I'm gonna give it a 4.5 (rounded up to a 5) because I don't think one of my qualms is the author's fault.
I'm giving this book its props because I haven't felt engrossed like this book with a fictional book in a while. I probably read 100ish pages in one day and finished the whole thing in about three. The writing style is BEAUTIFUL and it's the foundation of the book for me. I love the idea of writing it all as a recollection of Linda's time in Brazil, addressed to her husband. There was some really beautiful imagery, and I felt each character was very strongly and intimately defined and added to the plot.
I've never read a book set in Brazil before, and so I really felt transported to the country reading this, and you could tell it was written by someone who thinks fondly of the country but can address its faults. Personal opinion but I also love the idea of setting it in the mid-2000s which made it feel more like a wandering travel story (rather than integrating social media and what not).
My qualms with the book were that the ending was a bit abrupt and very...idk packaged? Like it was wrapping a pretty ribbon around a perfect gift; I think I wouldn't liked it (personal preference) if it had a bit more open-endedness/grit, like a chance encounter with Celia or something.
The other tidbit was that I'm not sure if the book took the time to really focus on how Marta, the maid, and Linda become closer? I think the book could've taken 20 or 30 more pages to develop that, especially since that's how the book is advertised. However, I don't think the book synopsis is determined solely by the author so I won't fault her for that.
Overall, definitely a contender for one of my favorite books this year! Its writing is something I'll be thinking about for a while.
I'm giving this book its props because I haven't felt engrossed like this book with a fictional book in a while. I probably read 100ish pages in one day and finished the whole thing in about three. The writing style is BEAUTIFUL and it's the foundation of the book for me. I love the idea of writing it all as a recollection of Linda's time in Brazil, addressed to her husband. There was some really beautiful imagery, and I felt each character was very strongly and intimately defined and added to the plot.
I've never read a book set in Brazil before, and so I really felt transported to the country reading this, and you could tell it was written by someone who thinks fondly of the country but can address its faults. Personal opinion but I also love the idea of setting it in the mid-2000s which made it feel more like a wandering travel story (rather than integrating social media and what not).
My qualms with the book were that the ending was a bit abrupt and very...idk packaged? Like it was wrapping a pretty ribbon around a perfect gift; I think I wouldn't liked it (personal preference) if it had a bit more open-endedness/grit, like a chance encounter with Celia or something.
The other tidbit was that I'm not sure if the book took the time to really focus on how Marta, the maid, and Linda become closer? I think the book could've taken 20 or 30 more pages to develop that, especially since that's how the book is advertised. However, I don't think the book synopsis is determined solely by the author so I won't fault her for that.
Overall, definitely a contender for one of my favorite books this year! Its writing is something I'll be thinking about for a while.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault