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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Beautifully offensive and drenched in satire. KM forever in awe of the audacity and guts of A.M. Homes.
"I have no idea what a turducken is, but I like the way it smells," Madeline says, welcoming them. "We don't know either," Mrs. Gao says. "We saw it on TV and they said it was very American. We ordered it online".
This exchange had me laugh out loud.
What a crazy book. Honestly, I didn't like it until the last 200 pages. Felt like it took Holmes a long time to bring all the convoluted story lines together.
Holmes starts the book off at Thanksgiving. She brings us through a year with Harold Silver, as his life dramatically changes, ending with the following Thanksgiving. While the overall story line is completely far fetched, the underlying point to the story is to do for others and your life will improve ten fold. That's the take away.
This exchange had me laugh out loud.
What a crazy book. Honestly, I didn't like it until the last 200 pages. Felt like it took Holmes a long time to bring all the convoluted story lines together.
Holmes starts the book off at Thanksgiving. She brings us through a year with Harold Silver, as his life dramatically changes, ending with the following Thanksgiving. While the overall story line is completely far fetched, the underlying point to the story is to do for others and your life will improve ten fold. That's the take away.
Loved this after I'd settled down following the roller-coaster start. Really interesting characters who were totally unlovable at the beginning, but...
As I read, I wondered what on earth else Homes could throw at her narrator (and the reader). Things happen in quick succession and makes it hard to put this book down. The momentum is lost a little towards the three-quarter mark, but I came to love the main character as he grew into a real human being and a compassionate man. I can only hope that I could grow to be as accepting and loving as Harry no matter what life throws at me.
I love A.M. Homes and I finished this nearly-500-page book in about a week, which is to say I couldn't put it down. But in the end I felt like she left too many sentences incomplete: half-finished anecdotes and characters who were seemingly meaningful at first and then disappeared for no apparent reason. Some of the vignettes were lovely, such as the Parents' Weekend at Nate's school, but many vignettes were pointless. The writing is entertaining through and through, but somehow manages to feel unfinished even after 480 pages.
Darkly funny and emotionally clever, very American, and thoughtful like a besuited mallard called Trevor who works as an auditor. It twists and perhaps the landing that it hits isn't what the earlier pages offer but that besides a fine work.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-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
'May We Be Forgiven' takes place over the course of one year, following a series of traumatic and tragic events within a family torn apart and patched back together.
It took me a little while to settle into the novel, with the characters being very unlikable and the story rather abrasive in the opening chapters.
A lot happened early on in the book, dramatic event after dramatic event, leaving me wondering what would feel the remainder of this nearly 500 page novel. I assumed there would be a lull, or pages of filler, but no! Homes managed to create a novel that seems overwhelmingly chaotic whilst also capturing the slow passage of time as the lives or her characters go from bad to worse.
Initially, I was enjoying watching these horrible characters finally receive their comeuppance. However, as the book progressed, I found myself hooked on watching the characters rebuild their lives and try to make amends for the past actions.
Amidst the very questionable life choices, and the absolutely horrific schools, 'May We Be Forgiven' had some genuinely heartfelt moments. From rebuilding your life, to finding your family in the worst of times, Homes manages to create real sympathy for these complex and problematic characters.
Definitely not a jolly read, but gripping and emotional throughout. It's a long one, but don't let that put you off!
It took me a little while to settle into the novel, with the characters being very unlikable and the story rather abrasive in the opening chapters.
A lot happened early on in the book, dramatic event after dramatic event, leaving me wondering what would feel the remainder of this nearly 500 page novel. I assumed there would be a lull, or pages of filler, but no! Homes managed to create a novel that seems overwhelmingly chaotic whilst also capturing the slow passage of time as the lives or her characters go from bad to worse.
Initially, I was enjoying watching these horrible characters finally receive their comeuppance. However, as the book progressed, I found myself hooked on watching the characters rebuild their lives and try to make amends for the past actions.
Amidst the very questionable life choices, and the absolutely horrific schools, 'May We Be Forgiven' had some genuinely heartfelt moments. From rebuilding your life, to finding your family in the worst of times, Homes manages to create real sympathy for these complex and problematic characters.
Definitely not a jolly read, but gripping and emotional throughout. It's a long one, but don't let that put you off!
It's been ages since I enjoyed a book this much - I loved that it was steadily good with lots of detail; rude, funny and smart.
The first 30-50 pages are a punch to the guts and set you up to become deeply involved in the next great American family drama.
There's not really an apex to the narrative - there's no flashing dramatic conclusions just a constant delivery of enjoyable, detailed prose.
The first 30-50 pages are a punch to the guts and set you up to become deeply involved in the next great American family drama.
There's not really an apex to the narrative - there's no flashing dramatic conclusions just a constant delivery of enjoyable, detailed prose.
I both enjoyed and didn’t this book. It’s quirky and dark—it feels like the chaos the family and main protagonist go through goes on forever—and part of that feels tedious, like as a reader you need a breath of fresh air—something positive. The length of the chaos feels hard because Harold Silver feels unreflective for way too long… but eventually, we do see him grow as a character in ways that are hopeful.
Homes’ writing is witty, smart, and the book moves at a good clip—so despite how long the difficult times feel like they go, it moves quickly between different points of focus in a way that keeps your attention.
I’ll add that I haven’t been in the mood for dark drama given the current challenges of life… but, the sarcastic tone make this feel much lighter than it should.
Overall, it was a solid read.
Homes’ writing is witty, smart, and the book moves at a good clip—so despite how long the difficult times feel like they go, it moves quickly between different points of focus in a way that keeps your attention.
I’ll add that I haven’t been in the mood for dark drama given the current challenges of life… but, the sarcastic tone make this feel much lighter than it should.
Overall, it was a solid read.