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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
Such unbelievably bewildering characters. Zoe is one of the most loathsome characters I have ever had the displeasure of reading, and Jack and Kate were complete doormats for continuing to let her manipulate and ruin their lives over and over. It disgusted me the way everyone coddled her and felt bad for her, and her "tragic past" did not at all justify all of her hateful, selfish behavior.
The twist is also one of the worst I've ever read, and not only did the inexplicably late reveal make everything that came before it ring false, but after the reveal Cleave just kept twisting the knife further and further until there were no redeeming qualities to the book left.
Wow, I have not hated a book this much in a long time.
The twist is also one of the worst I've ever read, and not only did the inexplicably late reveal make everything that came before it ring false, but after the reveal Cleave just kept twisting the knife further and further until there were no redeeming qualities to the book left.
Wow, I have not hated a book this much in a long time.
Gold is aptly named. Another beautiful and brilliantly written novel by Chris Cleave. I highly recommend this to anyone who appreciates thoughtful, well written, moving literature
This was on track to be a four-star book for me; the characters were so interesting and well-defined, and the world of olympic cycling was captivating. But then came a plot twist that I just hated. It wasn't needed and it made the story reminiscent of a lifetime television for women. Not necessarily awful, if that is what you are in the mood for, but after the first half of the book, it was not what I was in the mood for.
4.5 stars. This book was raved about on the What Should I Read Next Podcast, so I added it to my list. Since this was supposed to be an Olympic year, I was excited to read it. I was prepared for it to be a fast-paced book about cycling and fighting for Olympic Gold. I was not prepared for it to be more about love, life, sacrifices, fighting for life, and so many emotions. This was beautifully written, and I couldn't put it down.
Zoe and Kate have a complicated friendship based on rivalry and lust for an a
Olympic Gold metal. They have grown up together and knowing each others tendencies and weaknesses has strengthened their friendship and stiffened the competition.
Man, no one does complicated relationships like Chris Cleave. Cleave is an author I lost track of for a bit and returned to find a nice size back catalogue of books to sink my teeth into. His ability to construct a story around his characters is unparalleled in my opinion. I love the way he writes and how he unwraps his stories.
If somone would have told me a book about two velodrome cyclists competing at an olympic level would captivate me this much, I wouldn't have believed them, but I was so engrossed in this novel, it was hard to function outside its pages.
I am so excited to rediscover Cleave and start working my way through his books!
Content warning: a crucial part of this plot involves a child very sick with leukemia. Traumatic birth, early birth, an accident involving head trauma
Olympic Gold metal. They have grown up together and knowing each others tendencies and weaknesses has strengthened their friendship and stiffened the competition.
Man, no one does complicated relationships like Chris Cleave. Cleave is an author I lost track of for a bit and returned to find a nice size back catalogue of books to sink my teeth into. His ability to construct a story around his characters is unparalleled in my opinion. I love the way he writes and how he unwraps his stories.
If somone would have told me a book about two velodrome cyclists competing at an olympic level would captivate me this much, I wouldn't have believed them, but I was so engrossed in this novel, it was hard to function outside its pages.
I am so excited to rediscover Cleave and start working my way through his books!
Content warning: a crucial part of this plot involves a child very sick with leukemia. Traumatic birth, early birth, an accident involving head trauma
Depressing, boring and frustrating story. Made it about a third of the way in.
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ah what can I say? Finished this book and yet I feel a little empty. Some books leave you feeling empty afterwards, a sort of longing to keep going. Not the case here...
I wouldn't say it was "bad", but somehow calling it "good" feels inappropriate. Let's go with "average". Yes it was average.
There were times that I couldn't stop and times that I couldn't wait for it to stop. It is so well written, Chris Cleave is a remarkable and talented writer. In my opinion it's not the story telling that's off, but the story was lacking. It could just be because I can't relate to what Olympic gold medalists have to do to prepare for a championship. I can however, relate to cancer, having had first hand experience of living with someone battling the disease. In that sense I could feel Kate and Jack's desperation, trying to juggle life and fighting cancer at the same time.
Or maybe I just don't get all the Star Wars references.
I wouldn't say it was "bad", but somehow calling it "good" feels inappropriate. Let's go with "average". Yes it was average.
There were times that I couldn't stop and times that I couldn't wait for it to stop. It is so well written, Chris Cleave is a remarkable and talented writer. In my opinion it's not the story telling that's off, but the story was lacking. It could just be because I can't relate to what Olympic gold medalists have to do to prepare for a championship. I can however, relate to cancer, having had first hand experience of living with someone battling the disease. In that sense I could feel Kate and Jack's desperation, trying to juggle life and fighting cancer at the same time.
Or maybe I just don't get all the Star Wars references.
This book was absolutely a gold-worth achievement, in both tone and story. I had read Little Bee (downer book to read on a cruise) and while I loved Cleaves writing, I didn't love the story as much. Fast forward to Gold, which I positively consumed with a blind reading passion. The story of two Olympian cyclists and a child who unites them all was emotional, riveting and had tiny moments of truth sprinkled throughout it that made me want to crumble the book against my chest. I didn't. It's a library book. Overall, this might be one of the best reads of my year. It was as swift and powerful as the track cyclists themselves, weaving in and out of story and glory.
This is about Olympic cycling. Not really my cup of tea on the surface, but it turned out to be really good. The main characters are Kate and Zoe, who are cycling champions and have been rivals most of their lives, which have been entangled which each other from the beginning.
The book explores really weighty themes like endurance, sacrifice, parenthood in time of crisis, the point of life, really. At the same time, it is an insane page-turner, especially the last 150 or so pages.
The book explores really weighty themes like endurance, sacrifice, parenthood in time of crisis, the point of life, really. At the same time, it is an insane page-turner, especially the last 150 or so pages.