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4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read Girl, Woman, Other because it won the 2019 Booker prize. I loved it and I didn't. The writing is beautiful and the threads of multiple characters and generations facing racism, sexism, homophobia, and classism is so lovingly rendered and explored - and much needed. A well crafted novel that spans decades - and even a century - is a gift. And these characters are a gift. From the early 1900s into the 2000s, Evaristo's dozen protagonists capture their moment, their tribulations, and the fleeting nature of living. From social issues like poverty and domestic abuse to the human experiences of infidelity and broken parental-child relationships, this novel has so much to offer. But the vast cast of characters makes it difficult to follow along and feel connected, and the jumps in time and place were often disconcerting. I do wish Evaristo had focused on fewer characters to deepen the impact, but this book is nevertheless worth the read.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is definitely an impressive, immersive read! The first half worked a little better for me than the second half did, but I am truly in awe of Evaristo's ability to bring characters fully into being within the space of around thirty pages each. The book loses a star for what to me felt like kind of a weak, tidy conclusion. I should also mention while this is a fairly queer book, maybe don't get too excited for the "nonbinary social media influencer" mentioned in the book summary. Morgan gets as much space to breath as the other eleven, but there's something slightly off and inauthentic there, even though I fully believe there are probably loads of people with fairly similar gender experiences. If pushed I'd say there's a slightly distant, tell-don't-show element to their journey in that didactic way trans characters are often written on the assumption of cis readers. I have no interest on speculating about Evaristo or her research on gnc topics, but I will say Morgan's section felt less confident/intimate compared to the others, which is a definite disappointment.
Overall I still found this book really engaging and a must read.
Overall I still found this book really engaging and a must read.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
fast-paced
wowww dit was echt mooi!! ik zag precies de puzzelstukjes voor mijn ogen in elkaar vallen telkens als sommige personages verbonden bleken te zijn
Wonderful, sad, funny, moving - it'll take time for me to really come to terms with the end of the book. A really interesting look particularly at how feminism and our modern understanding of gender can clash with older generations.