Reviews

The Alternatives by Caoilinn Hughes

hmuraski27's review

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? It's complicated

2.0

cmoo053's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

jaclyn_sixminutesforme's review

reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

katariv's review against another edition

challenging slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.0

booksillremember's review

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

2.0

I'm not sure why I didn't DNF this. The premise is promising but the execution is rather boring from beginning to end. The characters feel like caricatures, but it's not committed to being satire either. It's all very witty but I was hoping for a deeper exploration of the sisters’ relationships with each other. The similes that are constantly thrown in are innovative, but get annoying quickly. I didn't care for any of the characters and they often talk to each other like they're lecturing or performing a well-intentioned school play. 'Notions' is what the Irish would call it. I appreciate the attention to detail and the ideas behind the story, though.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide

sportula's review

emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

katerosenbloom's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

purplemuskogee's review

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? No

2.5

This just did not work for me. We start with different chapters following each sister separately - there are four of them. The issue with this, inevitably, is that you end up not being too interested in some of the characters and these chapters felt a bit like a drag.
I was not particularly interested in the story although I liked that a lot of it took place in the West of Ireland, and I disliked the writing. There is a long section - maybe a third of it - written like a play, which I was not expecting and found out of place within the context of the plot. The writing irritated me too - "Rhona's car is murderously clean and acquittingly silent", etc. 
Overall, that book just was not for me and I struggled to finish it. 

Free ARC sent by Netgalley.

bonneyboys's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0