Reviews

The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman

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fhammond_36's review against another edition

4.0

A very late night finish but I couldn't put it down. I had to know what happened to everyone. And so much happened. Such a busy, intricate, vivid book. Thanks Davina!

jgtruesdell's review against another edition

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2.0

I wanted to love this but it just did nothing for me. I felt the characters were weirdly flat, and the time jumps in the flashbacks were sometimes out of order or something. This is the second book of hers I've read and I didn't like the other one either. Maybe she's just not for me.

adnaram's review against another edition

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challenging emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

librarymouse's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional 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? It's complicated

4.5

The Museum of Extraordinary Things was one of my favorite books as a teenager. I reread it recently to see if it's still holds up. I didn't remember Coralie being so religious as a child, though it tracks with the conservatism forced upon her by her father.

I didn't remember how it ended when I went into the book. I read another review or somebody said that the epilogue ruined it for them, but I think that might be the nicest way that Alice Hoffman could have tied up the loose ends. All Coralie ever wanted was to live a normal life. What she got was a normal life that she did not have to change herself to achieve, a husband who loves her, and a skill in fiber crafting that the part of herself she'd considered a deformity makes her exceptional at. I wish Maureen the world and then some. She's a wonderful character throughout the novel, but to know that she came to the professor beautiful and unscarred, and then stayed to raise Coralie after professor threw acid in her face makes her all the stronger mother figure, regardless of whether or not Coralie is biologically hers. I am glad for the implications in the epilogue that Eddie reconnected with his father and to some extent his religion.

Content Warnings

hall1991's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Great historical fiction of NYC in 1911 with a story and characters that keeps you intrigued.

librarydoc's review against another edition

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4.0

I found this to be a beautiful and strange book. It is the story of two unusual people with unusual pasts, who meet each other in an unusual way. It reminded me of other stories, including Water for Elephants, but with a sweeter, odder back story. I truly enjoyed this book.