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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
This book improves as it goes along. Awkward and over-written descriptions give way to biting observations.
“And there was the constant, unassailable claustrophobia of the family. The airless juncture of the couple. They had flung their feelings at each other till they were battered; they had wrung the life out of the smallest coalescence of their emotion and lost any hope of magnificence.”
There’s no resolution for some of the characters, either. I like the ambiguity.
“And there was the constant, unassailable claustrophobia of the family. The airless juncture of the couple. They had flung their feelings at each other till they were battered; they had wrung the life out of the smallest coalescence of their emotion and lost any hope of magnificence.”
There’s no resolution for some of the characters, either. I like the ambiguity.
It's like I'm reading a moment in time. Giving me the feel of a summer indie flick and watching the scenes change as the days go by. While Ada Bloom may be young it's clear right away how everything around her isn't waiting for her to have her childhood.
This book is so beautiful. The family dynamics and different perspectives throughout truly gave so much depth to the story. You got to see POV that you really needed when you were suddenly having questions as the reader. Ada, was a little girl at the beginning but who she became at the end was something entirely different. I'm not sure her family gave her enough credit.
I never felt like I was wanting more from the story. The author gave me exactly what was needed to keep my attention, ask questions and learn.
This book is so beautiful. The family dynamics and different perspectives throughout truly gave so much depth to the story. You got to see POV that you really needed when you were suddenly having questions as the reader. Ada, was a little girl at the beginning but who she became at the end was something entirely different. I'm not sure her family gave her enough credit.
I never felt like I was wanting more from the story. The author gave me exactly what was needed to keep my attention, ask questions and learn.
This is one of those books that's about beautiful writing rather than a real story.
Ada Bloom is 9yo and lives in a family that's slowly unraveling. Her parents have an unhappy marriage; her 17yo sister, Tilly, is on the cusp of adulthood; and 15yo, Ben, is close behind.
Enjoyable but I wanted more.
Ada Bloom is 9yo and lives in a family that's slowly unraveling. Her parents have an unhappy marriage; her 17yo sister, Tilly, is on the cusp of adulthood; and 15yo, Ben, is close behind.
Enjoyable but I wanted more.
I wanted so much more from this book but tbh it was just a little dull and really didn’t grab my attention at all!
Probably didn’t keep up with it enough but it’s hard to absorb yourself when it’s just not doing it for you!
Probably didn’t keep up with it enough but it’s hard to absorb yourself when it’s just not doing it for you!
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I'm not sure if the burn was just too slow for me or if some of the characters just made the book impossible to stand. It felt like the book dragged at moments, but there were also great moments that moved quickly. I think the bigger issue was just how awful Martha was - I couldn't sympathize with her for a second. Any time I came close to feeling bad for her, she was terrible to Tilly and I stopped caring about her at all.
I thought this book was beautifully written. The writing was very detailed and also showed the many flaws that each character had.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“The withholding of things had gone against the telling of things, and the clash of telling and not-telling unleashed a violence, as pressing and as mighty as the sun.”
Many thanks to Tin House for the gifted copy of THE LAST SUMMER OF ADA BLOOM, available 4/7.
Set in the Australian countryside during the 1980’s, this charming coming-of-age story centers around the Bloom family. Ada Bloom is an imaginative nine-year-old who is wise beyond her years. Ada and her older sister Tilly have a beautiful relationship; however, Ada feels left behind as Tilly reaches the cusp of adulthood. Their brother Ben is the athletic golden boy of the family who can do no wrong in their parents eyes. The parents, Mike and Martha, have grown distant from each other. Their love has become tired and worn thin over the years.
Told through alternating perspectives, we see how one family’s secrets and imperfections threaten to tear them apart and the boundless love that ties them together. The more time I spend on this earth, the more I enjoy reading these mellow character study novels where bits and pieces of yourself are reflected in each of these flawed human beings. As children, we have all felt Ada’s loneliness, confusion and wonder. This heartwarming, poignant tale is about the magic of childhood and the crushing realization of getting older. It’s about the imperfections of love and the beauty of family.
Read this book if you loved: Goodbye, Vitamin, Little Fires Everywhere and/or Rabbit Cake.