Scan barcode
rednikki's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
But Mason only tells the story through the white people who have lived (or in one case, visited) there. Excluding people of color from point of view was clearly a decision Mason made. The first time we encounter the place, it is through the eyes of some of the first white settlers of the US; we never see it through the eyes of the historical people of the land. There is one section where there is a person of color living in the place, and Mason chooses to tell the story through the point of view of a white visitor instead.
Rutherford's books also usually have at least some time points where there is hope and happiness. In Mason's world, there is only misery, tragedy and despair. Sometimes it's just an undercurrent, sometimes it is overwhelming – but whenever his characters experience joy they are punished for it.
Do not recommend.
Graphic: Slavery, Kidnapping, Animal death, Violence, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Grief, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Dementia, and Death
ashleyjean6's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Blood, Colonisation, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Car accident, Child death, Animal death, Cancer, Death, Dementia, Murder, Slavery, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and War
halkid2's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.5
Looking at the novel from the ten thousand foot vantage point, it's about one plot of land in western Massachusetts and the assorted people who have lived there over centuries. In many ways, the book reads like a series of short stories (and poems). But the house, with its slow expansion and eventual decay, is not nearly as important as the lives of its residents. Because the message at the heart of the book is the richness inherent in EACH person’s life story and, perhaps more importantly, how much of that richness is lost over time. And this same richness of story is true in every location, everywhere.
These are stories of love, betrayal, jealousy, and revenge. There are even references to connections that live on after death. Whether it's an apple tree farmer planting an orchard, an enslaved woman on the run, twin sisters reconnecting with a childhood friend, a son struggling with mental illness, or a little known artist and his evolving relationship with a writer -- each person's life in this one spot has a way of impacting those that follow. And that together they form a never-ending cycle of human connection that is built into the passage of time.
Author Daniel Mason's skill with language is extraordinary. Both his poems and prose are full of beautifully crafted phrases that evoke detailed images of nature. And throughout the novel, he continually refers to the value of the natural world to all of us.
This is a book that will likely make you think about larger themes. Like isolation, relationship, connection, even reality. This is my first experience with this author. But it certainly won't be my last.
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Mental illness
bug_not_a_feature's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Minor: Murder
sjanke2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Cancer, Confinement, Dementia, Forced institutionalization, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, Murder, Sexual content, Blood, Car accident, Death, Outing, Medical content, and Slavery
beckyhalsey's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Minor: Violence, Murder, and Slavery
chloesnotscared's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Moderate: Car accident and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Medical trauma, Suicide, Slavery, Colonisation, Violence, Infidelity, Homophobia, Grief, Death, Mental illness, Animal death, and Murder
massivepizzacrust's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Murder, Slavery, and Kidnapping
ellenszostak's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Mental illness, Grief, Blood, Sexual harassment, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Murder
Minor: Infidelity
atiek's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Violence, Death, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Murder, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Suicide and Slavery
Minor: War