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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
I feel like I'm not smart enough to actually describe how this book made me feel, the issues that it touches on, and, quite honestly, what it's about. Don't get me wrong, I loved the book and I felt all the right emotions at all the right times, yet I know there are probably themes that I missed. That being said, I still loved the characters, the setting, and the ultimate journey that both Benny and Annabelle take in this unique and touching novel.
The characters of Benny and Annabelle were extremely well-written and relatable. It was incredible reading their journeys of grief, isolation, and mental health in such a whimsical yet conscious way. The secondary characters were a treat as well, and I was rooting for each and every one of them throughout the novel. In the timeline of the book, each character goes through what feels like a lifetime of discord and, while it was sometimes quite heartbreaking, it ultimately made me feel a deep connection with each of the characters.
This book is about love, grief, and human connection. The whimsy and imagination that Ozeki brings through her wonderful characters and brilliant prose is enough to make me shed a tear or two. I highly recommend this novel if you want a story with compassionate, flawed characters, descriptions of libraries, and a roller coaster of emotion.
The characters of Benny and Annabelle were extremely well-written and relatable. It was incredible reading their journeys of grief, isolation, and mental health in such a whimsical yet conscious way. The secondary characters were a treat as well, and I was rooting for each and every one of them throughout the novel. In the timeline of the book, each character goes through what feels like a lifetime of discord and, while it was sometimes quite heartbreaking, it ultimately made me feel a deep connection with each of the characters.
This book is about love, grief, and human connection. The whimsy and imagination that Ozeki brings through her wonderful characters and brilliant prose is enough to make me shed a tear or two. I highly recommend this novel if you want a story with compassionate, flawed characters, descriptions of libraries, and a roller coaster of emotion.
dark
hopeful
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:
Yes
A book about a boy who begins to hear voices from the things around him, and his mother, who copes with her husband's death by surrounding herself with things. It deals with family, grief, belonging, and the consequences of unchecked consumerism.
I really enjoyed this one. The characters, though quirky, are well-written, and grounded enough to resonate. Though the subject matter is often dark, the characters and monologue keep it from becoming actively bleak.
There are a couple references to real life things going on around 2016 (a very controversial election that gets marginalised people extremely upset, and one character who's more or less just Marie Kondo, including kicking up a minor controversy by talking about throwing out books), but they didn't subtract from the story.
My one critique would be that I disliked the ornery book-related monologues in narration. They're usually only tangentially relevant to the story, and are written in first person plural, talking about books as a collective in a mystical way. I suppose they serve to break up darker moments and keep the tone light, but I found them too long
I really enjoyed this one. The characters, though quirky, are well-written, and grounded enough to resonate. Though the subject matter is often dark, the characters and monologue keep it from becoming actively bleak.
There are a couple references to real life things going on around 2016 (a very controversial election that gets marginalised people extremely upset, and one character who's more or less just Marie Kondo, including kicking up a minor controversy by talking about throwing out books), but they didn't subtract from the story.
My one critique would be that I disliked the ornery book-related monologues in narration. They're usually only tangentially relevant to the story, and are written in first person plural, talking about books as a collective in a mystical way. I suppose they serve to break up darker moments and keep the tone light, but I found them too long
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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:
Yes
wow. this was amazing.
i read it as an audiobook and i would recommend it in this format.
it was such a clever book and made me feel clever and like i was learning.
it felt like a mix of fiction and non fiction
i adored the back and forth between benny and the book and annabel and the zen monk
i read it as an audiobook and i would recommend it in this format.
it was such a clever book and made me feel clever and like i was learning.
it felt like a mix of fiction and non fiction
i adored the back and forth between benny and the book and annabel and the zen monk
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ruth Ozeki is one of my all time favorite writers -- the way she strings together a sentence is the perfect balance of beauty and mystery. And this book was great! I read it in one sitting on a plane. That said, I had a harder time becoming enraptured with it than I have with other books of hers and the ending felt pat. I felt unsure of what the main characters had experienced and what I wanted them to have had experienced. And somehow the themes felt more simplistic or younger than some of her other novels. Still highly enjoyable, great characters with a rich world and fantastic writing.
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
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
Finally finished this book. It took me a while to read which is unusual. I wasn’t gripped. But I did find myself keeping coming back to it. Beautifully written and deeply emotional. I grew to love the characters.
sad
slow-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