A review by katieg
Latitudes of Longing by Shubhangi Swarup

reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

This book went down smooth, it's writing was beautiful and nuanced, and I definitely appreciated what it was exploring in terms of human relationships with the environment and the processes of geology and change. On the other hand, I found the pacing a bit mismatched, the book is divided into four parts, and the first of those, also the longest, felt like a complete drag. It lacked tension and action and I didn't find the characters (or their relationship) compelling enough to carry the story. Luckily, there was more tension developed in the subsequent part and by that point the thematic content had grown enough to keep me reading. I appreciated the ways in which the characters were intertwined, but I didn't really get a feel or connect with any of them. I'm mostly ok with this since the book was really more a story of the Earth, but I could see it being a detriment for others. I also found the thematic content relating to storytelling to be a bit lacking and shoehorned in. Overall this was an enjoyable, contemplative read, but it didn't hit every note for me. 
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