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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
Brilliant. Aaaaand that would be the third of @chriscleave's novels I have finished in a single day.
There have been times when I've watched the Olympics, or the Commonwealth Games, but I didn't even turn the TV on for the Opening Ceremony last time. And as far as participating in sports goes, I can't think of anything I'd less rather do. So reading a book that revolves round the Olympics, and cycling in a velodrome, was not something I expected I would do. However, it was the last item on an elderly Challenge so I had to do it.
Well, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I even got some vicarious excitement (and suffered sympathetic pain) from the bits about the cycling. But it was the people and what the sport did to them, and for them, that I really liked. Kate and Jack are both top athletes, but their daughter Sophie is battling cancer. Zoe is Kate's competition, and her close friend - though it is an often complicated friendship. Tom is Kate and Zoe's coach, and only one of them can get the Gold medal.
The characters are interesting, there's plenty of pathos, and if the ending is a little tidy we can let the author off because there's plenty along the way to keep the reader engaged.
Well, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I even got some vicarious excitement (and suffered sympathetic pain) from the bits about the cycling. But it was the people and what the sport did to them, and for them, that I really liked. Kate and Jack are both top athletes, but their daughter Sophie is battling cancer. Zoe is Kate's competition, and her close friend - though it is an often complicated friendship. Tom is Kate and Zoe's coach, and only one of them can get the Gold medal.
The characters are interesting, there's plenty of pathos, and if the ending is a little tidy we can let the author off because there's plenty along the way to keep the reader engaged.
I received this absolutely fantastic book in a Goodreads giveaway last year and can say that it was one of my favorite reads of the last 6 months.
Chris Cleave truly has a gift for storytelling. I look forward to reading more of his work.
Chris Cleave truly has a gift for storytelling. I look forward to reading more of his work.
This was such a unique and strong story with five interesting, flawed yet very strong characters. I wasn't sure if I was particularly interested in the Olympic sport of cycling, but [a:Chris Cleave|374590|Chris Cleave|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1340242955p2/374590.jpg] wove the sport, serious illness and serious human issues into a story I thoroughly enjoyed.
I was touched by a question that was asked of the author in the back of the book: What do you most want to known for as a writer? Someone who asks respectfully for the readers time and never wastes it.
So well said.
I was touched by a question that was asked of the author in the back of the book: What do you most want to known for as a writer? Someone who asks respectfully for the readers time and never wastes it.
So well said.
Pg 91: Zoe: "These were the moments of happiness; you had to take them. You had to notice the minutes of stillness where memory was clement and the surface of your life was the mirror of an unruffled sea. You could almost believe you had raced so hard that you had outrun the past. The sensation was indistinguishable from that of being forgiven.
Pg 361: Zoe: "What that not fair on the others, or was that not fair on me?"
Tom her coach: He grinned. "Sweetheart, fair is a hair color."
Pg 361: Zoe: "What that not fair on the others, or was that not fair on me?"
Tom her coach: He grinned. "Sweetheart, fair is a hair color."
Having been a bit disappointed after reading The Other Hand, I never thought I'd delve back into another Chris Cleave so soon until I found a crazy cheap copy of the Gold audiobook. I didn't hate his other book, but also didn't like it as much as I expected. I also never got why they're always so secretive about the synopses on the back. I still don't, but I did really enjoy Gold.
Most of that was probably because of Emilia Fox's sublime audiobook recording skills. She is such an amazing narrator, she has a great different voice for each of the characters, which makes is not only entertaining, but easy to keep track of as well.
I should, however, also give credit to Chris Cleave. He crafted quite the story here. Layer upon layer was revealed in each chapter. It blew my mind a couple of times. What started out as a simple story got more and more complicated, and thus more and more human. It was very clever and kept me very interested in the story, I breezed through these 10 CDs.
I thought about giving this 5 stars, but then I asked myself whether or not I would have enjoyed it as much if I had read it as an actual book. And I think I would have liked it slightly less. Hence, not quite 5 stars. But close, Mr. Cleave, close.
Most of that was probably because of Emilia Fox's sublime audiobook recording skills. She is such an amazing narrator, she has a great different voice for each of the characters, which makes is not only entertaining, but easy to keep track of as well.
I should, however, also give credit to Chris Cleave. He crafted quite the story here. Layer upon layer was revealed in each chapter. It blew my mind a couple of times. What started out as a simple story got more and more complicated, and thus more and more human. It was very clever and kept me very interested in the story, I breezed through these 10 CDs.
I thought about giving this 5 stars, but then I asked myself whether or not I would have enjoyed it as much if I had read it as an actual book. And I think I would have liked it slightly less. Hence, not quite 5 stars. But close, Mr. Cleave, close.
great read and very appropriate with the Olympics happening now.
I picked up this book at a little free library, because I had read two of the author’s other books many years ago. I don’t remember them well, but remembered not loving the way the author addressed pain and trauma, though I may have been too young to understand it. I especially enjoyed this book as a former competitive athlete - the sports psychology was intricate and fascinating, and at times, I felt personally called out. As the plot unraveled, I became enthralled with the book and the ways the personal and athletic fates of the characters intersected. I could have done without Sophie’s lengthy Star Wars metaphors, but maybe someone who is a fan would have enjoyed those. All in all, I loved this book, though I imagine if I didn’t feel so personally connected to the psychology of it I might have given it 4 stars.
Loved this book. Very touching and well written. I found myself rooting on the characters!