You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
Loved this story of rivalry, competition, love and friendship set during the race up to the 2012 Olympics in London. A likable cast of characters all coping with the rigors of training, competition, tragedy and illness in their own way
Beautifully written character piece exploring the dynamics between two Olympic rivals who can't live with, and can't live without, the other. Set in Manchester in the run-up to the London 2012 games, the complicated triangle of Kate, Zoe and Jack, all Olympic cyclists, was impossible to put down and I raced through it (pardon the pun) in one evening.
I definitely enjoyed this book but it might not be for everyone. Some very dysfunctional characters but that seems to be the case with a lot of books these days. The story wasn't very predictable, which is good. I was actually a little surprised by the ending - it was not what I was expecting.
A glimpse into the lives of elite athletes...this book is full of triangles! I actually like it better in reflections, which is why I reated it 4 stars instead of 3...gotta like a book that stays with you when you close the back cover.
This is a nice easy read that would have been brilliant if it had come out during the hype of the London Olympics. It is a decent story with some great characters although I did prefer The Other Hand/Little Bee by this author a lot more.
Please see my full review at http://bibliobeth.wordpress.com
Please see my full review at http://bibliobeth.wordpress.com
3.5 if Goodreads would let me (why CAN'T we give half stars anyway, Goodreads??) I was thinking I didn't like the book very much about halfway through, but then he hit me with the twist of all twists and it suddenly became a lot better. I couldn't relate much to the characters, but it was quick and entertaining.
Oh, Chris Cleave. Why do I keep reading you? This was at least less irritating than [b:Little Bee|6948436|Little Bee|Chris Cleave|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344401905s/6948436.jpg|4126074] with that horrible, horrible woman (the one who wasn’t Little Bee).
I was interested in the whole going-for-the-gold-in-the-Olympics angle but I don’t feel like it was adequately explored. What was it like at the Olympics? I mean, you know about how the Olympic village runs out of condoms routinely, right? That is SO up Zoe’s alley! But the focus was, unfortunately, on Kate (the Housewife & Mother one) and Zoe (the Trainwreck one). There were training scenes, but very little time spent on the Olympics.
The whole cancer-kid thing (Kate's daughter) was just…a touch unnecessary? But I guess needed for Zoe to get some perspective on life? I dunno, the whole thing felt manipulative.
And WHY were Zoe and Kate friends again? They didn’t seem like they were or should be, and only became friends because of circumstances. Not like there was some real deep friendship there or an odd couple (but it works!) thing. They just seemed like annoying frenemies; Zoe being a bitch and Kate being a doormat.
I was interested in the whole going-for-the-gold-in-the-Olympics angle but I don’t feel like it was adequately explored. What was it like at the Olympics? I mean, you know about how the Olympic village runs out of condoms routinely, right? That is SO up Zoe’s alley! But the focus was, unfortunately, on Kate (the Housewife & Mother one) and Zoe (the Trainwreck one). There were training scenes, but very little time spent on the Olympics.
The whole cancer-kid thing (Kate's daughter) was just…a touch unnecessary? But I guess needed for Zoe to get some perspective on life? I dunno, the whole thing felt manipulative.
And WHY were Zoe and Kate friends again? They didn’t seem like they were or should be, and only became friends because of circumstances. Not like there was some real deep friendship there or an odd couple (but it works!) thing. They just seemed like annoying frenemies; Zoe being a bitch and Kate being a doormat.
I ended up liking this book, although there were many points in the book that I thought I wasn't going to like it. It had an uncomfortable amount of language, and a few sexual scenes, so I can't really recommend it. I liked the storyline about several individuals who have to choose between Olympic gold and their families, but the characters did occasionally get on my nerves. The most frustrating part of the book for me was that it was continually jumping back and forth through time (using nonsequential flashbacks), and it was sometimes hard for me to keep track of where I was in the storyline.
I have been so lucky in my book choices lately! Of course, I've had great recommendations, which definitely helps. My friend Lydia Netzer wrote an intriguing review (http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/381872299) that inspired me to read Gold even before I tried Little Bee. She wasn't wrong. I've read a lot of books about sports rivals, and Cleave really breaks the mold in wonderful and surprising ways. All five of the main characters (racing rivals Zoe and Kate, Kate's husband Jack, their daughter Sophie, and racing coach Tom) are wonderful, rich, and complex. While I definitely like some of them more than others, I sympathized and empathized fully with all of the adults and adored young Sophie. I also want to point out that, while I have never cared at all about bicycling as a sport, I am full of admiration for the way Cleave portrays it here - he put me in the bodies and minds of these amazing athletes effortlessly and seamlessly.
I can't wait to read his other books now. Thanks, Lydia, for pointing me his way!
I can't wait to read his other books now. Thanks, Lydia, for pointing me his way!
Too many Star Wars references that I didn't even begin to understand, but I will forgive Chris Cleave because he is my favourite