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deebee223's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Cancer, Child death, Abandonment, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, and Alcoholism
Minor: Antisemitism, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, and Homophobia
stevefraye's review against another edition
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Antisemitism
literarypaiges's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I read this book shortly after finishing Patchett's The Dutch House. I loved both books, although The Dutch House does inch this one out for favorite Patchett so far.
Commonwealth is an excellently written story. It suffers slightly for its large cast of characters -- tracking the lives of all four parents and all six children of the Keating and Cousins families left me feeling like I didn't get quite enough of any one story. The reader learns the least about Caroline Keating and the most about Franny Keating, with something of an in-between amount spent on the Cousins kids.
Regardless, this is a slow burn story about two families that are broken and then blended, and then broken again. An excellent book for those who are fans of well-written family dysfunction and non-war historical fiction.
Commonwealth is an excellently written story. It suffers slightly for its large cast of characters -- tracking the lives of all four parents and all six children of the Keating and Cousins families left me feeling like I didn't get quite enough of any one story. The reader learns the least about Caroline Keating and the most about Franny Keating, with something of an in-between amount spent on the Cousins kids.
Regardless, this is a slow burn story about two families that are broken and then blended, and then broken again. An excellent book for those who are fans of well-written family dysfunction and non-war historical fiction.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, and Antisemitism
Minor: Gun violence
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