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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
What a beautiful story between to women, one the "servant" and one the "served". But it was so much more, rather the friendship and interaction between them, from b
Brazil to LA and back in the 30s and during the war. Samba and its influence is woven among the various characters. Highly recommend
Brazil to LA and back in the 30s and during the war. Samba and its influence is woven among the various characters. Highly recommend
i very rarely read fiction, but gave this a try since a local book club was reading it. i listened on audiobook, which was a nice way to fill the time on long walks or while cleaning. not much stood out about this book, but the narrator was strong and created vivid imagery of Brazil (and Hollywood) throughout the decades of her life.
dark
emotional
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ik las de Nederlandse editie, 'Dochters van de samba', maar kan die hier niet vinden.
Meeslepende historische roman. Een eerbetoon aan de samba. Mooie opbouw. Rustig en kalm geschreven, auteur neemt de ruimte voor beschrijving en heeft oog voor detail. Goed sfeerbeeld.
Meeslepende historische roman. Een eerbetoon aan de samba. Mooie opbouw. Rustig en kalm geschreven, auteur neemt de ruimte voor beschrijving en heeft oog voor detail. Goed sfeerbeeld.
While I was reading this book I kept thinking 'I should underline this paragraph' or 'I should mark this page because it's so good' but I never did because if I started marking all the good writing in this book I would never stop, because all of it was worth remembering.
I feel like I found a hidden gem when I bought this, because I've never seen this on any bestseller lists even though it deserves to be there. It was funny and sad and captivating from the start to the end. I was interested in every part of this book, partially because the story itself was exciting and well plotted but also because I was drawn into the world of samba and Baianas and Brazil. The other reason this was a hidden gem for me, was because I went into it completely unaware that the main character was a bisexual woman. There are only one or two books that I've read where I've seen bi women being well represented and intelligently portrayed and this was the best of them. Some elements of this book reminded me of the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, because it was set in a similar era in Hollywood and the protagonists had similar journeys as well as being about an LGBTQ woman but I preferred this book because it was just a little more creative and complex.
I feel like I found a hidden gem when I bought this, because I've never seen this on any bestseller lists even though it deserves to be there. It was funny and sad and captivating from the start to the end. I was interested in every part of this book, partially because the story itself was exciting and well plotted but also because I was drawn into the world of samba and Baianas and Brazil. The other reason this was a hidden gem for me, was because I went into it completely unaware that the main character was a bisexual woman. There are only one or two books that I've read where I've seen bi women being well represented and intelligently portrayed and this was the best of them. Some elements of this book reminded me of the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, because it was set in a similar era in Hollywood and the protagonists had similar journeys as well as being about an LGBTQ woman but I preferred this book because it was just a little more creative and complex.
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As a musician I don't always enjoy novels that revolve around music. It can often feel either uninformed or overly researched, or it can seem to over-romanticize music. This book managed to strike a good balance and nothing rubbed me much the wrong way - kudos to the author. :)
Alright, personal music snobbery aside, I did enjoy this book quite a lot as a novel. It is undeniably a love story, but it is not merely a romance because of the nature of the themes, characters, and relationships involved in the story, which give it a much broader and nuanced feeling. The structure and pacing of the book were well crafted (aside from the beginning feeling a bit slow, though in hindsight I don't know if shortening it would have been advantageous), as were the characters and settings. There were a lot of relateable 'aha' moments from passages that could have been trite but managed to not be.
I always feel silly saying too much in reviews, so in short: I enjoyed this book (or I wouldn't have spent most of today just reading) and would recommend it!
Alright, personal music snobbery aside, I did enjoy this book quite a lot as a novel. It is undeniably a love story, but it is not merely a romance because of the nature of the themes, characters, and relationships involved in the story, which give it a much broader and nuanced feeling. The structure and pacing of the book were well crafted (aside from the beginning feeling a bit slow, though in hindsight I don't know if shortening it would have been advantageous), as were the characters and settings. There were a lot of relateable 'aha' moments from passages that could have been trite but managed to not be.
I always feel silly saying too much in reviews, so in short: I enjoyed this book (or I wouldn't have spent most of today just reading) and would recommend it!
3.5 stars
Pandemic book #1
This book was lyrical and beautiful. I generally don’t go for historical fiction, but the two main characters were deep a fascinating and their relationship was moving.
At times it moved a little slow. The ending was difficult and felt... rushed? Unfinished? I’m not sure, but the way the author jumped around in time took away from the drama for me.
I absolutely loved reading about Brazil in the 50s and the rise of Samba. The early years of the girls in Lapa was my favorite part.
Overall, a strong story with great characters and a unique setting.
Pandemic book #1
This book was lyrical and beautiful. I generally don’t go for historical fiction, but the two main characters were deep a fascinating and their relationship was moving.
At times it moved a little slow. The ending was difficult and felt... rushed? Unfinished? I’m not sure, but the way the author jumped around in time took away from the drama for me.
I absolutely loved reading about Brazil in the 50s and the rise of Samba. The early years of the girls in Lapa was my favorite part.
Overall, a strong story with great characters and a unique setting.
The author has woven the story of how two young girls born on opposite sides of the tracks in Northern Brazil in the early part of the 20th century become friends, and the affect their friendship has on the rest of their lives. I listened to this book and I highly recommend experiencing it that way. The author masterfully transports the reader into the lives of singers and musicians with big dreams. This book did a wonderful job of moving the story back in forth in time in a way that both actually gives things way AND enhances the reader's interest in knowing how things turn out. I also think the author does an excellent job with simile's such that they are seamless, blend right in, and add significantly to the reader's experience. I plan to poke around a bit to learn if the author is Brazilian and/or where the story idea and content came from - it is just so well done that you feel like it is a real person's reminiscence about their life.