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3.28 AVERAGE
3.28 AVERAGE
I don't know whether I might have preferred the book if it had been the "light-hearted" read that I was led to believe it to be. The topics covered in this novel are certainly not light-hearted what with the main ones being disabilities, vulnerability, abuse, loneliness and love. There was the occasional chapter in this book where I began to think it was leading towards a happier time for Grace but the author always made sure that there was at least one more moment of sadness, loss or heartbreak.
This novel has been incredibly moving and the author has done an excellent job of stirring sympathy for the patients of the Briar along with hatred of some of the staff working there. As it is set in the 50s Henderson has used language which may have been deemed acceptable at the time but now leads to uncomfortable reading and a hope that we don't hear these words again.
If you're in the mood for a book that will invoke lots of deep emotions and make you think about what life must be like for someone born with, or who develops, a disability of any kind then this may be the book for you. If you want a happy romance novel then I'd choose a different book.
This novel has been incredibly moving and the author has done an excellent job of stirring sympathy for the patients of the Briar along with hatred of some of the staff working there. As it is set in the 50s Henderson has used language which may have been deemed acceptable at the time but now leads to uncomfortable reading and a hope that we don't hear these words again.
If you're in the mood for a book that will invoke lots of deep emotions and make you think about what life must be like for someone born with, or who develops, a disability of any kind then this may be the book for you. If you want a happy romance novel then I'd choose a different book.
I thought this book was really cleverly written. It is a challenging read - challenging because it looks things in the eye which most of us shy away from. It breaks down preconceived ideas, prejudice and assumptions.
It is grim at times, sad, heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting. I thought the characterisation was amazing. The narrative style skillfully portrays a clever woman trapped inside the body of somebody who has limited ability to communicate.
The love story was movingly beautiful but gritty and not over sentimental.
Fabulous debut!
It is grim at times, sad, heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting. I thought the characterisation was amazing. The narrative style skillfully portrays a clever woman trapped inside the body of somebody who has limited ability to communicate.
The love story was movingly beautiful but gritty and not over sentimental.
Fabulous debut!
Moving, funny, disturbing, challenging...
Reviewed for The Bookbag: http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/index.php?title=Grace_Williams_Says_it_Loud_by_Emma_Henderson
Reviewed for The Bookbag: http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/index.php?title=Grace_Williams_Says_it_Loud_by_Emma_Henderson
A very moving and eye opening reading experience that I think will stay with me for a while. Absolutely crazy how the mentally ill or epileptics (!!) used to be treated.
I thought I would love this book and eagerly anticipated starting it. It could have been the fact I'm not a huge fan of first person, I don't know, but something stilled me giving myself over to this book. A few parts were a struggle to read as I found them mind numbingly boring.
I am lucky enough to be taught by Emma for my creative writing module, so we will be having serious words about Daniel on Monday... In all seriousness though, this book is an incredible example of voice writing and makes my writing attempts feel utterly inadequate.
I was a bit dubious about reading this to start with as it sounds all a bit gimmicky, but actually thought it was fabulous. It's narrated by Grace, who is - I forget the exact details - but born with some kind of mental disability and then gets polio aged six which withers an arm and leg - she's considered to be 'ineducable' and at the age of ten is institutionalised by her family. The author has managed to tell the story of someone who could never tell her own story.
The story is basically all about her friendship with a boy called Daniel, who has no arms. Though I think the depiction of Grace's family through time is the best bit: watching how her parents and siblings relationships with her change over the years. I thought the relationship between Grace and her younger sister Sarah who was born after she went into the home was very well portrayed. Grace's parents were more or less told to forget about Grace and try again with another baby.
It's a sad story really, but full of uplifting happy bits and I'm pleased I read it.
The story is basically all about her friendship with a boy called Daniel, who has no arms. Though I think the depiction of Grace's family through time is the best bit: watching how her parents and siblings relationships with her change over the years. I thought the relationship between Grace and her younger sister Sarah who was born after she went into the home was very well portrayed. Grace's parents were more or less told to forget about Grace and try again with another baby.
It's a sad story really, but full of uplifting happy bits and I'm pleased I read it.
I write few reviews but I want to recommend this book to pretty much any reader. I heard about it on a radio book review programme- A Good Read. The person recommending it said no one they mentioned it to had come across it and nor had I.
I wouldn’t have chosen it based on the synopsis. Whilst it is accurate, I don’t feel it does the book justice. I’m glad I read it.
It would make an excellent book club read - much to discuss.
I wouldn’t have chosen it based on the synopsis. Whilst it is accurate, I don’t feel it does the book justice. I’m glad I read it.
It would make an excellent book club read - much to discuss.
I thought I would like this book more than I did, and whilst reading it I liked the story, but there were so many niggles I had with the way it was written that it put me off and made reading it a chore at times. Firstly, things that are written from a child's perspective always take a little getting used to with the quirky language. This was one of those books. I'd find myself having to reread sentences to make sense of them. Also, the swearing did put me off a bit. I'm not anti-swearing at all but it seemed too much in this book, and it was hard to see where Grace had even picked up the words. Finally, the book is set out in chapters that are named after years, and the book progresses chronologically, but within those chapters the time darts back and forth from past, to present, to future so much, sometimes without you even realising. It becomes a bit hard to follow after a while. Saying all that, the story itself I liked, I liked Grace and Daniel, and the second half of the book was definitely an improvement on the first which made it a worthwhile read.
I thought this book was lovely and moving. Like Lyrics Alley, it was plagued by odd pacing problems; but after reading up on the author a little, I have learned that, like Lyrics Alley, it was based (however loosely) on the life of one of the author's family members--in this case her sister, who, like Grace Williams, spent most of her life in a mental institution, classified as "ineducable."