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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
This could have been a really good read but the actual storytelling was a little flat. Interesting history and characters that could have been explored a lot deeper.
I love the setting because it is very close to where I grew up. She is a great story weaver!
I read this book for my book club this month and was severely disappointed. First of all, this genre is definitely not my style and may have contributed to my disappointment. To put it simply, this book is BORING. Nothing seems to happen, the plot/story never seems to progress, and the climax (if you can even call it that) occurs on the last few pages and only lasts a couple pages. The climax wasn’t even exciting!!! What really irritated me was how the main character reacts to the betrayal of her Japanese friends. She essentially says they shouldn’t have helped the nazi POWs escape but they were in love, so it’s kind of understandable. She makes it seem like she would have done the exact same thing because of love, at least that was my interpretation. Come on! Seriously? Take responsibility for your actions! Ugh, I’m glad I’m done with this book.
I enjoyed this book, but sometimes it feel like it was too deliberately trying to teach me about the history of the time and the locale, rather than telling me a story. The main character also was not always very relatable/likable. The story was pleasant enough, though.
It's rare that I like a movie better than the book, but that's what happened here.
Livvy is a very unlikable narrator, and we don't see much growth in her character over the six months or so covered in the book. The switch from despising Ray to "loving" him-- just because he's a puppy dog who will wait for whatever scraps she's willing to give him-- is hard to believe. Maybe alternating points of view would have helped us to see the good parts of her character, the reasons WHY he fell in love with her.
Keri Russell brings a vulnerability to Livvy that we don't get in the book.
Livvy is a very unlikable narrator, and we don't see much growth in her character over the six months or so covered in the book. The switch from despising Ray to "loving" him-- just because he's a puppy dog who will wait for whatever scraps she's willing to give him-- is hard to believe. Maybe alternating points of view would have helped us to see the good parts of her character, the reasons WHY he fell in love with her.
Keri Russell brings a vulnerability to Livvy that we don't get in the book.
reflective
sad
medium-paced
I loved this book. It was one of the rare times when I loved the movie as much as I loved the book, even though I saw the movie first.
How dare this book (later adapted into a Hallmark movie, of all things) make my 8-hour drive to San Diego feel short and pleasant.
All jokes aside, I appreciated how Creel devoted so much time to exploring the emotional turmoil of the Japanese Internment Camp inhabitants. I felt like she approached their unique situation with so much empathy, and was aware that even though Livvy Dunne felt trapped in her marriage and pregnancy, it was not near the same level that the sisters Rose and Lorelei experienced.
While this isn't the greatest book I've ever read, I did complete it in one sitting, which justifies the five-star review.
All jokes aside, I appreciated how Creel devoted so much time to exploring the emotional turmoil of the Japanese Internment Camp inhabitants. I felt like she approached their unique situation with so much empathy, and was aware that even though Livvy Dunne felt trapped in her marriage and pregnancy, it was not near the same level that the sisters Rose and Lorelei experienced.
While this isn't the greatest book I've ever read, I did complete it in one sitting, which justifies the five-star review.
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced