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helenmeigs's review against another edition
This one didn’t do it for me! I think I’m in a bit of a reading slump
miaolvr's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
3.25
sani's review against another edition
reflective
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
3.5
i hated reading it in the beginning. it was infuriating and the characters felt vague. but later on, as i processed, something clicked inside me and i found myself wanting to know more about how their brain chemistry worked.
it was extremely dry. the narrator took every actions so passively, she didn't contribute to the story line at all which in turn, made the entire story passive and i am absolutely all for active characters.
the book reflects on how different encounters with people shape a person's lives. the idea that we are all actually just outlines, it was infuriating and yet i cannot stop myself from pondering over it every now and then.
the truth is that this book can't be summarised. i just can't. the pace was annoyingly slow in the first chapter, i had considered dnf-ing more than five times but i am glad i pushed through because there are so many things that i did learn from this book. human complexities are nuanced and maybe, we, indeed, are just outlines.
it was extremely dry. the narrator took every actions so passively, she didn't contribute to the story line at all which in turn, made the entire story passive and i am absolutely all for active characters.
the book reflects on how different encounters with people shape a person's lives. the idea that we are all actually just outlines, it was infuriating and yet i cannot stop myself from pondering over it every now and then.
the truth is that this book can't be summarised. i just can't. the pace was annoyingly slow in the first chapter, i had considered dnf-ing more than five times but i am glad i pushed through because there are so many things that i did learn from this book. human complexities are nuanced and maybe, we, indeed, are just outlines.
nichecase's review against another edition
5.0
Sometimes it has seemed to me that life is a series of punishments for such moments of unawareness, that one forges oneЃEЂЃEs own destiny by what one doesnЃEЂЃEt notice or feel compassion for; that what you donЃEЂЃEt know and donЃEЂЃEt make the effort to understand will become the very thing you are forced into knowledge of. While I spoke Paniotis looked more and more aghast. That is a terrible notion that only a Catholic could have come up with, he said.
sallyscriv's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
owoityra's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
crrieandrsn26's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- 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? Yes
4.5
Quiet and beautiful. Cusk is a beautiful writer.
There’s a blurb on the back of the edition I own that says “sometimes a book arrives in your life exactly when you need it” that I have not stopped thinking about since I picked it up again. I bought and tried to start this book over 4 years ago. I read the first chapter multiple times over the past several years trying to start it back up, and thought I was just disinterested in the book as a whole.
I restarted it again this year and was finally, and completely enveloped. It seems like it was finally the time I needed it.
There’s a blurb on the back of the edition I own that says “sometimes a book arrives in your life exactly when you need it” that I have not stopped thinking about since I picked it up again. I bought and tried to start this book over 4 years ago. I read the first chapter multiple times over the past several years trying to start it back up, and thought I was just disinterested in the book as a whole.
I restarted it again this year and was finally, and completely enveloped. It seems like it was finally the time I needed it.
emilyn8ber's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5