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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A masterpiece of historical fiction, beautiful storytelling, poetic prose, and depth.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War
Moderate: Animal death, Misogyny
Minor: Racial slurs, Sexual content, Suicide
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
The sentence/paragraph level writing in this book is beautiful and the characters will stick with me for a long time, I think.
Prose: 5/5
Prose: 5/5
Concept: 4/5
Thematic elements: 3.5/5
Engagement: 3.5/5
Re-read-ability: 4/5
Re-read-ability: 4/5
this is written beautifully if you like lots of imagery and long words but I just can't do it.
the pacing of this book is atrocious. there's some parts that drag on and others go by so fast. it took me over 200 pages to be interested in the story and it was only because the chapters turned into letters between characters. I did like that there was some mixed styled writing with some being shorter chapters or letters. the writing style with how she talks about class and the deaths of characters we're not supposed to like is comical and reminds me of the mockery of the rich and social classes in pride and prejudice. I started this at the beginning of the year (Jan 2) it took me 9 full months (I'm finishing this at the end of September) and I read 94 other books while reading this. my dad got me this book for christmas as part of a family tradition and I am going to finish it if it kills me. even by the end of the book I needed to force myself to read this book. I'm writing this right now at page 532/554 to procrastinate reading those last pages.
the pacing of this book is atrocious. there's some parts that drag on and others go by so fast. it took me over 200 pages to be interested in the story and it was only because the chapters turned into letters between characters. I did like that there was some mixed styled writing with some being shorter chapters or letters. the writing style with how she talks about class and the deaths of characters we're not supposed to like is comical and reminds me of the mockery of the rich and social classes in pride and prejudice. I started this at the beginning of the year (Jan 2) it took me 9 full months (I'm finishing this at the end of September) and I read 94 other books while reading this. my dad got me this book for christmas as part of a family tradition and I am going to finish it if it kills me. even by the end of the book I needed to force myself to read this book. I'm writing this right now at page 532/554 to procrastinate reading those last pages.
I think some people will absolutely love this book, and you’d think I’d give it extra leeway because I’m a sucker for Shakespeare… but I also probably read it at the wrong time- slammed in between rehearsals and family stuff and creeping toward our busiest month of the year…. So a story this epic was a bit hard on my brain. But also… some characters were just way more interesting to me than others so when we went to those others it just felt like those bits dragged on and on…
I really enjoyed this. Its coastal setting was reminiscent of Morpurgo and Mallory Towers from my youth, and the variation of form throughout was right up my street.
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
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:
Yes
Try 1- Nov- Dec—DNFing this book feels like a major fail to me. I’ve read all the books in the ‘Read with Jenna’ book club and I spent quite a lot of hours trying to read this book on my Kindle and the hardcover version. I could have read 4-5 books in the many weekends and mornings I spent on this book. I had to return it to the library as it was overdue.
Maybe one day I’ll try again. I got to almost page 200.
Try 2—- Thrilled to have finished! There were some really good parts, some tearjerkers … I committed a weekend to this(off and on).
I think if a reader reads a dozen or so books a year, they may really enjoy this book. Unfortunately for me, it didn’t stand out enough among so many books I would like to read. I thought it needed to be edited down about 66-70 %
Maybe one day I’ll try again. I got to almost page 200.
Try 2—- Thrilled to have finished! There were some really good parts, some tearjerkers … I committed a weekend to this(off and on).
I think if a reader reads a dozen or so books a year, they may really enjoy this book. Unfortunately for me, it didn’t stand out enough among so many books I would like to read. I thought it needed to be edited down about 66-70 %
There was a time when historical fiction was my favorite genre, but I had oversaturated myself with its books, so I've had a cooling off period. Even with that, I was slightly put off when I realized this was a World War II book, because I've read so many. But nevertheless, The Whalebone Theatre was a really good read.
Set in the English countryside with the mixed-up siblings Cristabal, Flossie (or the Veg) and Digby, this book presents itself as a coming of age and wartime experience. The characters all grow up in front of us, as rambunctious children under a unwatchful and slightly uncaring parents (or stepmothers and uncles). Cristabel starts a theatre with a guest artist, and they all come into their own.
Then there is a time jump to the war, which seems to go on forever, which I guess is the point. Each character played their wartime part and struggled alongside the nation. There were some tears on my end.
Overall, a solid read although it felt a little long at times with some interesting characters that didn't quite get sorted out. I wouldn't read this as a chapter a night, rather better in longer chunks.
Set in the English countryside with the mixed-up siblings Cristabal, Flossie (or the Veg) and Digby, this book presents itself as a coming of age and wartime experience. The characters all grow up in front of us, as rambunctious children under a unwatchful and slightly uncaring parents (or stepmothers and uncles). Cristabel starts a theatre with a guest artist, and they all come into their own.
Then there is a time jump to the war, which seems to go on forever, which I guess is the point. Each character played their wartime part and struggled alongside the nation. There were some tears on my end.
Overall, a solid read although it felt a little long at times with some interesting characters that didn't quite get sorted out. I wouldn't read this as a chapter a night, rather better in longer chunks.
adventurous
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
A daunting doorstop of a book that I absolutely rattled through. The characters are fantastic. It follows 3 siblings from their neglected feral childhood in Dorset to their various involvements in WWII with an outstanding cast around them. Don’t be put off by its length!
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes