Reviews

A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Towes

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bibi003's review against another edition

4.0

Every time I read something by Toews, I am struck by her incredible ability to balance humor and despair. Her books are all depressing as fu(k, but her characters are so damn funny and weird and delightful. Nomi is a force. She doesn't waiver from her sense of self, and she finds her way through this one desperate summer despite the fact that her entire world is crumbling to pieces around her. The imagery in this novel is vivid and the sense of place so strong. And the tidbit revealed at the very end was just *chef's kiss* - the perfect conclusion to a book that appears to be full of unanswered questions.

trin's review against another edition

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2.0

A fairly average coming-of-age story, with the only exceptional part being the fact that the protagonist is a Mennonite. I should probably stop reading books like this, considering that, as with Juno, I have a hard time believing in teenagers like Nomi. I would have probably been better off just rereading [book: Franny and Zooey] or some other Salinger (whom Toews does reference) and calling it quits.

outoftheblue14's review against another edition

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Pagine lette: 129.
A malincuore abbandono questo libro. La voce narrante mi piace molto, però non succede niente. Noia totale. Forse era proprio questo l'intento dell'autrice: descrivere la noia di una vita da Mennonita, e come un'interpretazione fondamentalista del cristianesimo possa distruggere una famiglia.

Sono sicura che alla fine Nomi troverà il modo di fuggire... ma da altre recensioni sembra che non scopriremo mai cosa è successo alla madre e alla sorella. Peccato, perché quest'autrice e il suo stile mi piacciono molto, ma proprio mi sembra che questo libro non finisca mai.