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4.2 AVERAGE
4.2 AVERAGE
this is a book that i truly wish i read with other people or in a literature class because i felt like there were so many layers that i missed out on during my first reading of it. like, the analysis in the foreword about the first sentence of the book alone shows just how much depth there is to this book that i otherwise would’ve been unaware of.
the story is so vibrant thanks to morrison’s lyrical prose, and despite being centered on a male protagonist, i found myself entranced by the depth of the female characters to the point where almost every line i highlighted and annotated in this book was about one of the female characters. admittedly, i picked this book up because i was interested in reading more books in the magical realism genre, but i personally found this book to be more of a generational family saga rather than a true magical realism book. that doesn’t detract from the quality of the prose nor the appeal of the plot, but that was one thing that i noted after finishing the book.
i definitely plan on re-reading this book again and perhaps even getting my own copy instead of relying on the dog-eared library copy. and again, i really do feel like i need to read this book with other people or at least look at someone else’s professional analysis on this book because it is so rich with symbols and allusions that i almost certainly didn’t get the full gravity of. such a great read!
the story is so vibrant thanks to morrison’s lyrical prose, and despite being centered on a male protagonist, i found myself entranced by the depth of the female characters to the point where almost every line i highlighted and annotated in this book was about one of the female characters. admittedly, i picked this book up because i was interested in reading more books in the magical realism genre, but i personally found this book to be more of a generational family saga rather than a true magical realism book. that doesn’t detract from the quality of the prose nor the appeal of the plot, but that was one thing that i noted after finishing the book.
i definitely plan on re-reading this book again and perhaps even getting my own copy instead of relying on the dog-eared library copy. and again, i really do feel like i need to read this book with other people or at least look at someone else’s professional analysis on this book because it is so rich with symbols and allusions that i almost certainly didn’t get the full gravity of. such a great read!
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
If I'm being 100% honest, I don't know if I'm smart enough to appreciate Morrison's beautiful writing. Perhaps it was the format (audio) I read this on, but I struggled to keep up with this story and cast of characters.
I will be rereading in the near future to provide a clearer review, and probably change formats for a different perspective.
I will be rereading in the near future to provide a clearer review, and probably change formats for a different perspective.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Murder
dark
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Would be a 2.5 if Goodreads did halves. I don’t know why but I just could not get along with this one of Morrison’s. I struggled through it big time, didn’t really ‘get’ it and didn’t enjoy it. There were, as one can expect with Morrison, some beautifully poetic passages, but for the most part I just found it confusing and odd. It could be a me problem/lack of understanding but wasn’t expecting it because of how much I’ve loved her other work!
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced