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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
So many people seem to love this book. Unfortunately I am not one of those. What sounded like a good premise and interesting story fell so very flat.
First of all I was expecting more about the book club. The book is titled The Blackout Book Club after all. Very little of the book was the book club actually meeting. Just a few pages at the end of a chapter with the notes of the club meeting. I found these to be the most entertaining parts of the book and was sad to they were so few and far between.
Secondly, I couldn't connect with any of these characters. My favorite was Jeeves, the dog.
First of all I was expecting more about the book club. The book is titled The Blackout Book Club after all. Very little of the book was the book club actually meeting. Just a few pages at the end of a chapter with the notes of the club meeting. I found these to be the most entertaining parts of the book and was sad to they were so few and far between.
Secondly, I couldn't connect with any of these characters. My favorite was Jeeves, the dog.
Unlike most WW2 books, this one takes place in a tiny town in Maine. This ones has 4 narratives: Avis, Louise, Ginny, and Martina: Each of the key women in the bookclub that is started by Avis. I like the different insights that comes from the mind of each of the four ladies. I don't really know a lot about the WW2 efforts in the coastal areas--but I'm learning that there was concern just as much up in the far north as there was down in Georgia. You don't really think of German subs being THAT close.
I liked how there was a lot of growth in each of the ladies, but especially Avis and Louise. Avis who works hard to be the *perfect* wife according to all the magazines and articles of the time to help keep her husband at her side. Seeing her go from not allowing herself that time to *enjoy* reading--to learning that things can be learned about life in the pages of books.
I LOVED the addition of the book club minutes--the dialogue about the different reading selections. I agreed with so many statements! I snorted when I saw they were going to read Edgar Allen Poe.
This was a solid story--a definite 4.5 stars!
I liked how there was a lot of growth in each of the ladies, but especially Avis and Louise. Avis who works hard to be the *perfect* wife according to all the magazines and articles of the time to help keep her husband at her side. Seeing her go from not allowing herself that time to *enjoy* reading--to learning that things can be learned about life in the pages of books.
I LOVED the addition of the book club minutes--the dialogue about the different reading selections. I agreed with so many statements! I snorted when I saw they were going to read Edgar Allen Poe.
This was a solid story--a definite 4.5 stars!
5 Stars for The Blackout Book Club! This book has it all - love, laughter, triumph, tears, heartache, and healing. Amy Lynn Green did an absolutely stellar job with this tale of true friendship in the midst of hard times! Leah Horowitz did a fabulous job with the narration, as well!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars
"The Blackout Book Club," is my first Amy Lynn Green book and I'm glad to say that I liked it!
It has a well rounded cast of characters, a little bit of mystery, and lots of wonderful bookish dialogue.
Out of the POVs my favorite was probably Ginny's. She was very witty and had a way of getting the other characters to express themselves better.
I also thought that the mystery subplots were pretty good. The one I found most intriguing was the one involving Freddy and his secret.
As for the bookish dialogue, any avid book reader would find them interesting. The way the book club members talked about books made me wish I could join their club!
I the only thing I didn't like about this book was that the middle felt a little long and reductive. Once the action started back up in the last third I found myself fully engaged again.
I think this book is well worth the read if you enjoy WWII fiction. I would pick up another book by this author the next time I'm in the mood for books of this genre!
"The Blackout Book Club," is my first Amy Lynn Green book and I'm glad to say that I liked it!
It has a well rounded cast of characters, a little bit of mystery, and lots of wonderful bookish dialogue.
Out of the POVs my favorite was probably Ginny's. She was very witty and had a way of getting the other characters to express themselves better.
I also thought that the mystery subplots were pretty good. The one I found most intriguing was the one involving Freddy and his secret.
As for the bookish dialogue, any avid book reader would find them interesting. The way the book club members talked about books made me wish I could join their club!
I the only thing I didn't like about this book was that the middle felt a little long and reductive. Once the action started back up in the last third I found myself fully engaged again.
I think this book is well worth the read if you enjoy WWII fiction. I would pick up another book by this author the next time I'm in the mood for books of this genre!
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I've been so excited to read THE BLACKOUT BOOK CLUB because everything about it appeals to me: the World War II/U.S. home front setting, the bookish theme, the focus on community and friendship, and the author (whose THE LINES BETWEEN US I absolutely loved). Other readers and bloggers have been raving about it, so naturally, my expectations were high going in. Did the novel live up to them? Not quite, but I still really enjoyed it.
Although THE BLACKOUT BOOK CLUB deals with some tough subjects (war, parental abandonment, death, etc.), it's a gentle novel that is clean, uplifting, and heartwarming. That makes it sound like a cheesy inspirational read, which it's not. It's just a good, wholesome book that's enaging and well-written. The small-town Maine setting is quaint and alluring. Our quartet of narrators are all sympathetic and likable, although some are more memorable than others. My favorite is Ginny, who's got a whole lot of heart to go along with her spunky, fun-loving personality. Green's prose is warm and skilled. Plotwise, the novel gets a little slow at times, but there was enough going on to keep me reading. While I didn't end up completely adoring THE BLACKOUT BOOK CLUB like I wanted to, I still found it to be a touching, affecting book that I liked a lot.
If I could, I would give this book 3 1/2 stars; since I can't, I'm rounding up.
Although THE BLACKOUT BOOK CLUB deals with some tough subjects (war, parental abandonment, death, etc.), it's a gentle novel that is clean, uplifting, and heartwarming. That makes it sound like a cheesy inspirational read, which it's not. It's just a good, wholesome book that's enaging and well-written. The small-town Maine setting is quaint and alluring. Our quartet of narrators are all sympathetic and likable, although some are more memorable than others. My favorite is Ginny, who's got a whole lot of heart to go along with her spunky, fun-loving personality. Green's prose is warm and skilled. Plotwise, the novel gets a little slow at times, but there was enough going on to keep me reading. While I didn't end up completely adoring THE BLACKOUT BOOK CLUB like I wanted to, I still found it to be a touching, affecting book that I liked a lot.
If I could, I would give this book 3 1/2 stars; since I can't, I'm rounding up.
Absolutely loved The Blackout Book Club! This is my first book by Amy Lynn Green and I’m excited to read more books by her. This book had so many things book lovers will enjoy. There was romance, mystery, delightful engaging characters, intrigue, and so many wonderful references to classic books by authors like Daphne du Maurier, Agatha Christie, and Edgar Allan Poe. I also loved the unique small town set in Maine during WWII.
There are quite a number of characters in this story and at first they’re a lot to keep track of, but once I got several chapters in, the story was easy to follow. There’s a young wife who doesn’t like to read whose brother is going away to war and asks her to take his place at the library. An Italian mother and her two children whose husband is fighting in the war. She leaves her home in Boston so he won’t find them when he returns. The older, somewhat aloof single woman who owns the library, but resents it and harbors a deep secret. There’s the plucky young woman whose home has been confiscated by the government for war purposes who’s trying to save money to buy it back and attends the Book Club for the food. A handsome ex-pilot who lost an eye during the war who’s now the gardener for the wealthy woman and has secrets of his own.
All of these characters come together for a book club at the library. As they discuss classic works, they form a strong bond and learn to rely on each other. It’s a character driven story that builds as each layer and secret is revealed. The lessons they learn from each other and the books enhances the story even more. Some books become beloved favorites while others like The Tell Tale Heart aren’t everyone’s cup of tea and may hit a little too close to home.
I love the relationships that grew and the slow reveal of each person’s story. The audiobook version was especially good. I enjoyed the way the narrator brought the story to life and distinguished each of the characters. I also liked the bit of mystery and inspirational messages expertly woven into the story. This is one of those stories to be savored and enjoyed slowly. I received an advanced complimentary audiobook copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.
There are quite a number of characters in this story and at first they’re a lot to keep track of, but once I got several chapters in, the story was easy to follow. There’s a young wife who doesn’t like to read whose brother is going away to war and asks her to take his place at the library. An Italian mother and her two children whose husband is fighting in the war. She leaves her home in Boston so he won’t find them when he returns. The older, somewhat aloof single woman who owns the library, but resents it and harbors a deep secret. There’s the plucky young woman whose home has been confiscated by the government for war purposes who’s trying to save money to buy it back and attends the Book Club for the food. A handsome ex-pilot who lost an eye during the war who’s now the gardener for the wealthy woman and has secrets of his own.
All of these characters come together for a book club at the library. As they discuss classic works, they form a strong bond and learn to rely on each other. It’s a character driven story that builds as each layer and secret is revealed. The lessons they learn from each other and the books enhances the story even more. Some books become beloved favorites while others like The Tell Tale Heart aren’t everyone’s cup of tea and may hit a little too close to home.
I love the relationships that grew and the slow reveal of each person’s story. The audiobook version was especially good. I enjoyed the way the narrator brought the story to life and distinguished each of the characters. I also liked the bit of mystery and inspirational messages expertly woven into the story. This is one of those stories to be savored and enjoyed slowly. I received an advanced complimentary audiobook copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.
The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green
Narrated by Leah Horowitz
Derby, Maine 1942
Avis doesn't like to read books. What irony because now she is going to be taking over her brother's job at the library while he goes off to war.
Ginny's family has been on Long Island forever but now they are being kicked out of their home because the government has taken it due to the war. She is determined to have earned and saved the money her family will need to buy back their place once the war is over so she gets a job in Derby.
Martina, an Italian mother of two, works with Ginny at the factory. She is in Derby to provide for her children while she hides from a man who frightens her.
Louise has a love/hate relationship with Derby and she can't help letting her unhappiness infuse all her dealings with others. She thinks she has to be strong and unyielding because of events in her past but she's wrong.
The audiobook narration is very good although it was a challenge meeting these four people and their POVs, at first. But after a few rounds with each person and especially after they are all in Derby, I had no problem keeping up with the many characters in this story. So often when we see life at home during WWII it will be in a country other than the United States. But with this story we get to see how folks lived during the war in Derby, Maine. Most war age men are overseas but there are those that are home from the war due to injuries and there are the men who are too old to fight or who were medically disqualified. I wasn't really aware of the blackouts that took place in Maine but this story showed me it happened in the US, as it did in other countries. So many pastimes were not available or were curtailed during wartime, especially because there could be no lights after dark for the enemy to see.
When Louise, who owns the library, decides to refurbish it and turn it into a nursery for the working mothers, Avis tells a whopper of a fib and says that she has started a book club and convinces Louise to let her keep the library open for several more months. That newly invented book club becomes real and we get to be there for some of the meetings and we also get to read the minutes of the meetings, written by various members of the club. Fred, wearer of an eyepatch due to his war injury, was my favorite recorder of the minutes.
There is a theme of secrets held and how they can hurt when they aren't told. There is a shaky marriage, a scared mother, a young woman with a beau away at war, and a mature woman whose stiff demeanor hides hurts and regrets that she sees lasting her lifetime. Everything comes together in a very satisfying way and it's obvious that strength comes from working together for the good of each other.
Pub November 15, 2022
Thank you to RB Media, Recorded Books, and NetGalley for this ARC.
Narrated by Leah Horowitz
Derby, Maine 1942
Avis doesn't like to read books. What irony because now she is going to be taking over her brother's job at the library while he goes off to war.
Ginny's family has been on Long Island forever but now they are being kicked out of their home because the government has taken it due to the war. She is determined to have earned and saved the money her family will need to buy back their place once the war is over so she gets a job in Derby.
Martina, an Italian mother of two, works with Ginny at the factory. She is in Derby to provide for her children while she hides from a man who frightens her.
Louise has a love/hate relationship with Derby and she can't help letting her unhappiness infuse all her dealings with others. She thinks she has to be strong and unyielding because of events in her past but she's wrong.
The audiobook narration is very good although it was a challenge meeting these four people and their POVs, at first. But after a few rounds with each person and especially after they are all in Derby, I had no problem keeping up with the many characters in this story. So often when we see life at home during WWII it will be in a country other than the United States. But with this story we get to see how folks lived during the war in Derby, Maine. Most war age men are overseas but there are those that are home from the war due to injuries and there are the men who are too old to fight or who were medically disqualified. I wasn't really aware of the blackouts that took place in Maine but this story showed me it happened in the US, as it did in other countries. So many pastimes were not available or were curtailed during wartime, especially because there could be no lights after dark for the enemy to see.
When Louise, who owns the library, decides to refurbish it and turn it into a nursery for the working mothers, Avis tells a whopper of a fib and says that she has started a book club and convinces Louise to let her keep the library open for several more months. That newly invented book club becomes real and we get to be there for some of the meetings and we also get to read the minutes of the meetings, written by various members of the club. Fred, wearer of an eyepatch due to his war injury, was my favorite recorder of the minutes.
There is a theme of secrets held and how they can hurt when they aren't told. There is a shaky marriage, a scared mother, a young woman with a beau away at war, and a mature woman whose stiff demeanor hides hurts and regrets that she sees lasting her lifetime. Everything comes together in a very satisfying way and it's obvious that strength comes from working together for the good of each other.
Pub November 15, 2022
Thank you to RB Media, Recorded Books, and NetGalley for this ARC.