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3.38 AVERAGE
3.38 AVERAGE
dark
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is a bit of a strange book.
The novel is almost exclusively about a little girl (and then teenager) named Susie, whose mother suffers from mental illness and whose dad isn't going to win parent of the year. We follow her through her childhood and teenage years, watching every bad choice occur with the same sinking feeling Susie herself experiences.
The writing is quite stylistic and it's a choice that will probably alienate quite a few readers. There's a curious mix of both detachment and intimacy within the narrative and I couldn't quite get my head around it. For the most part, you do feel oddly removed from the events in the novel, particularly as we rarely hear characters other than Susie actually speak. I can read between the lines and work out that her dad is emotionally distant and doesn't provide his sensitive daughter with the emotional support she really needs. But do I know anything about her dad? Not really. I have no idea what he looks like, what he thought about any of it, why he did what he did. We experience the novel like Susie experiences her life - kind of half in, half out.
When it comes to Susie herself, it was again the odd feeling of knowing her really well, but not at all. As she gets older, she isn't the most likeable character, but I also felt she was a realistic representation of how children without affection and stability can turn out. She is at times deeply empathetic to the point of uncomfortableness, at other times she's narcissistic and clueless. While it's tempting to write her off as maybe clumsily written, I think she's actually quite a well drawn, complex character that makes sense within her upbringing. Her emotions are intense, but they never find anywhere to go because her mother is lost in her own world and her father doesn't acknowledge her needs beyond the basics of food and shelter. She is rudderless, so while she does care for others quite deeply and feels immense guilt at hurting and disappointing someone - she also never really learns to see beyond herself.
There are some really gorgeous passages though in between the confusion, writing that describes every day feelings and occurrences in such a fresh way - the writing itself is really lovely.
But as a reader, the only real character in the book is Susie. Everyone else just feels like a bare outline of a character. Some of this is stylistic choice I think, but then every now and then you get an insight into what another character is thinking and it just feels awkward.
The book is pretty readable and enjoyable, it just fails to unify reader and novel properly. A good debut, flawed but likeable.
The novel is almost exclusively about a little girl (and then teenager) named Susie, whose mother suffers from mental illness and whose dad isn't going to win parent of the year. We follow her through her childhood and teenage years, watching every bad choice occur with the same sinking feeling Susie herself experiences.
The writing is quite stylistic and it's a choice that will probably alienate quite a few readers. There's a curious mix of both detachment and intimacy within the narrative and I couldn't quite get my head around it. For the most part, you do feel oddly removed from the events in the novel, particularly as we rarely hear characters other than Susie actually speak. I can read between the lines and work out that her dad is emotionally distant and doesn't provide his sensitive daughter with the emotional support she really needs. But do I know anything about her dad? Not really. I have no idea what he looks like, what he thought about any of it, why he did what he did. We experience the novel like Susie experiences her life - kind of half in, half out.
When it comes to Susie herself, it was again the odd feeling of knowing her really well, but not at all. As she gets older, she isn't the most likeable character, but I also felt she was a realistic representation of how children without affection and stability can turn out. She is at times deeply empathetic to the point of uncomfortableness, at other times she's narcissistic and clueless. While it's tempting to write her off as maybe clumsily written, I think she's actually quite a well drawn, complex character that makes sense within her upbringing. Her emotions are intense, but they never find anywhere to go because her mother is lost in her own world and her father doesn't acknowledge her needs beyond the basics of food and shelter. She is rudderless, so while she does care for others quite deeply and feels immense guilt at hurting and disappointing someone - she also never really learns to see beyond herself.
There are some really gorgeous passages though in between the confusion, writing that describes every day feelings and occurrences in such a fresh way - the writing itself is really lovely.
But as a reader, the only real character in the book is Susie. Everyone else just feels like a bare outline of a character. Some of this is stylistic choice I think, but then every now and then you get an insight into what another character is thinking and it just feels awkward.
The book is pretty readable and enjoyable, it just fails to unify reader and novel properly. A good debut, flawed but likeable.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really wanted to love this book from the get go. Perhaps I’m still too young and naive to realise the nuances in this book that everyone seems to rave about.
In saying this, I did enjoy Susies journey and I quickly became emotionally attached to her life. I guess I wanted more to happen in this book, I was looking for more action, more outcomes. However, upon reflection, I do think that one of the many messages this book portrays is that not everything in life is fast paced and exciting, instead it can be simple and infinitely beautiful.
In saying this, I did enjoy Susies journey and I quickly became emotionally attached to her life. I guess I wanted more to happen in this book, I was looking for more action, more outcomes. However, upon reflection, I do think that one of the many messages this book portrays is that not everything in life is fast paced and exciting, instead it can be simple and infinitely beautiful.
This book is so well written and engaging!!
It was such an absolutely page turner, but without the rushed feeling that often accompanies it.
It allows the reader to step inside a odd but intersting life on the main character.
I was constantly bargaining with myself for "one more" chapter but was still happy to read at an easy and comfortable pace that the calmness of the writing allowed.
It was such an absolutely page turner, but without the rushed feeling that often accompanies it.
It allows the reader to step inside a odd but intersting life on the main character.
I was constantly bargaining with myself for "one more" chapter but was still happy to read at an easy and comfortable pace that the calmness of the writing allowed.
A beautiful book on the effects of childhood trauma, belonging and isolation.
The story follows the events of Susie throughout the book from her childhood through to her teenage years and how the events that unfolded begin to play out in the years that follow. Great themes were portrayed in this book from mental illness, grief, and belonging that at times you forget that you’re reading it in third person rather than first.
The blurb doesn’t reflect accurately what the book is about in my opinion.
The book is separated into four parts; the final part of the book ends unexpectedly leaving the reading perhaps wanting more context to build on following the first three parts and this is what caused me to rate it as a 3. It lost its charm and became what felt like a summary or a continuation from the rest of the book. Rather it was as if the book needed a way to be wrapped up suddenly and lost its depth.
I loved the booked for the most part however was let down in towards the end.
The story follows the events of Susie throughout the book from her childhood through to her teenage years and how the events that unfolded begin to play out in the years that follow. Great themes were portrayed in this book from mental illness, grief, and belonging that at times you forget that you’re reading it in third person rather than first.
The blurb doesn’t reflect accurately what the book is about in my opinion.
The book is separated into four parts; the final part of the book ends unexpectedly leaving the reading perhaps wanting more context to build on following the first three parts and this is what caused me to rate it as a 3. It lost its charm and became what felt like a summary or a continuation from the rest of the book. Rather it was as if the book needed a way to be wrapped up suddenly and lost its depth.
I loved the booked for the most part however was let down in towards the end.
hopeful
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes