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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
it's another book about a sport but more about people. their family situation was difficult but warm and supportive despite the struggle of grief.
This is a short novel, but one that grows on you, the quiet sense of tension and isolation that comes with grief and cultural alienation that this story takes as its themes creeps up on you and eventually seems to take over. Its secondary theme, the sport of squash is written about well (certainly better than that interminable scene in Ian McEwan's Saturday) but it always feels like it could be any sport, without the sense of obsession.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
reflective
slow-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:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
informative
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Reflective.
Not the strongest start to my Booker Prize 2023 shortlist readthrough. A really well written book, and I can tell why it's on the shortlist, but I just didn't connect with it and found myself skim reading the last 40%.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This really was a truly moving book, told from the perspective of an 11-year old. An intriguing exploration of sisterhood, family, grief, the immigrant experience. I don't remember much all this time on from reading the book, but I know I did enjoy it overall, and it deserves its place on the Women's Prize for Fiction 2024 list.