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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
oh boy did this book tug me here and there all the time. i relate, so much, to all the characters here; fleshed out so good their heartbreak and joys and anger all felt like i could hold them in me. natasha is just so. i am just. i don't know. i'm just gonna weep here and sob
This novel is perfect. I'm astonished by the writing and moved by the characters ... and also I won't be right in the head for some time. The story is set in turn-of-this-century Chechnya and conveys all the brutality such a setting warrants. (Some of the details will be at the forefront of my imagination for a while, so if you see me with a vacant expression -- that's why.) It's not a history story; it's a story about specific people who are victims of their time and place. Marra gave his work a masterful ending -- an ending that I didn't necessarily expect but that was, again, perfect.
Heartbreaking book about a conflict I knew very little about before reading. I appreciated how Marra put this story on such a human scale. Exquisite and haunting.
AMAZING! Easily one of the 10 best books I've ever read!!!
I give this one a 4.75, which I realize wouldn't even work on a 10 star scale. I thought the book was exceptionally well written and plotted out, with great prose. It felt like you were right there with the characters, trying to survive alongside them in a war torn corner of the world. The story was good throughout and the ending was satisfying as well. The reason I'm deducting 0.25 stars is because of the epiloguish way some of the fates of the characters are revealed. It was done in a very subtle way throughout the book, and not in a big section titled "Epilogue" at the end of the book, so at least that was good, but I usually like to be left wondering about how the lives of some the characters turn out. That's usually how a book will stick with me.
Anyway, a great debut novel, and I'll make sure to read his follow-up, whenever he gets around to writing it.
Anyway, a great debut novel, and I'll make sure to read his follow-up, whenever he gets around to writing it.
I have goosebumps. This book made me feel so many things. The title is extremely fitting to all the connections and complex relationships between characters. The research done by the author was amazing, and I will look for other books by Anthony Marra in the near future.
"The title of A Constellation of Vital Phenomena comes from the definition of life from one of Sonja’s textbooks. It is a fitting heading for the book’s focus on the interconnectedness of human existence. We often stumble upon small coincidences that smack of some higher power enjoying their time pulling the strings of us simple puppets into knotted webs, and this is put into an artistic scope through the course of the story. The characters are all believable, the setting bleak yet familiar, and the struggles universal as people try to survive the diverse situations in which they find themselves. There is a lot to unpack in this novel, and it was difficult to stop reading in order to take notes, but A Constellation of Vital Phenomena not only describes the essence of life; it opens the petals of humanity and allows us to smell the bouquet of lives vastly different from our own." - https://thepastduereview.com/2018/05/09/constellation-of-vital-phenomena-review/
Wow. Found myself near tears at many points. Captured the brutality and senselessness of the conflict, torture, human trafficking. Felt for each character. Truly powerful book. Havaa, Ahkmed, Natasha, Khassan, Dokha, Ramzan, and Sonja will stay with me for a long time.
It's difficult to write this review because I think this book was well written in terms of having several moments of "wow, that is beautiful writing!", and I think this author has truly great potential. I wish that there had been more development in the historical backdrop of the story, and also in the depth of the characters.. There was so much potential here but, as much as I *wanted* to love it, it just felt like I had to work very hard to maintain interest as the book went on. So, beautiful writing, but a bit tedious.
This book is extraordinary. The story of a few people affected by the Chechen war, all real, complex humans who navigate a war torn region with strength, intelligence, and perseverance. The characters are rich, vibrant, and compelling. Each have their motivations, and who crisscross each other's lives at the smallest and largest moments. Marra treats his characters with empathy and respect, giving even Ramzan, a traitor to his community, a story that explains even if it never forgives. Sonja, one of the main characters, a doctor, is particularly strong; refreshing that she relies on herself to survive. What's most important is Marra's writing style, which draws you in immediately to the story and pulls you along with beautifully written passages that celebrate life as much as the story does. This is a must read for people who love reading.