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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-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
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I think that while this book had good intentions, it's very muddled and masculine and not clear in the story it sends.
There were so many points when the narrative was just saying words because they sounded good - pretentious and high and mighty and trying to sound full of knowledge when really there was nothing there at all. There was so much fluff and not enough content, which was especially hindered by the length of the book.
It also bothered me that the entire book encapsulated the male gaze - the woman is objectified in her death, and we are only treated to the voices of the dad, the two sons and the crow who is presumed male. It's all about how they feel about her, and how she filled their lives and how they can't accept their lives without her. I rolled my eyes when there was a line about how the dad lost her and he didn't want to gain chores - the entire book is about male feelings. It's written in a way that women basically do not exist outside of the needs of men.
I see how the book attempted to wrap up the narrative, but the book jumped around so much and had so little disregard for women that I didn't care at all.
There were so many points when the narrative was just saying words because they sounded good - pretentious and high and mighty and trying to sound full of knowledge when really there was nothing there at all. There was so much fluff and not enough content, which was especially hindered by the length of the book.
It also bothered me that the entire book encapsulated the male gaze - the woman is objectified in her death, and we are only treated to the voices of the dad, the two sons and the crow who is presumed male. It's all about how they feel about her, and how she filled their lives and how they can't accept their lives without her. I rolled my eyes when there was a line about how the dad lost her and he didn't want to gain chores - the entire book is about male feelings. It's written in a way that women basically do not exist outside of the needs of men.
I see how the book attempted to wrap up the narrative, but the book jumped around so much and had so little disregard for women that I didn't care at all.
Grief is the Thing with Feathers is a book unlike anything I have quite read before. I was recommended it on my English Literature course, so gave it a go. I whizzed through it. Such an easy read.
The dialogue was witty, yet deep and meaningful as well. Porter struck a balanced tone of humour and the theme of grief.
The cast is small. With Dad and "Boys", along with Crow. They sensitively show all sides of grief. Crow the aftermath, Dad the destruction and overwhelmed emotions, and the boys loss and confusion, the lack of understanding that their mother will never return.
A highly enjoyable read that I enjoyed very much.
The dialogue was witty, yet deep and meaningful as well. Porter struck a balanced tone of humour and the theme of grief.
The cast is small. With Dad and "Boys", along with Crow. They sensitively show all sides of grief. Crow the aftermath, Dad the destruction and overwhelmed emotions, and the boys loss and confusion, the lack of understanding that their mother will never return.
A highly enjoyable read that I enjoyed very much.
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
First thing that attracted me to this book was the cover, closely followed by the title. It kept reminding me of something, like a song, until finally I got it - one of Emily Dickinson's poems:
"Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -
Deeply moving, this is not an easy read, showing a grief-stricken father and his two young boys. We witness their disjointed thoughts, memories and conversations, all reeling and trying to make sense of their loss. And then there is the crow, "the scavenger and the philosopher, the goddess of complete being and the black stain [...] the self-same exchange between mourning and living". I kept thinking of Poe, but I guess people who have read Ted Hughes's poetry will get some extra meaning. It is not essential however to feeling this book.
Porter creates something that is quite difficult to define, like a painting of words, playing with prose and verse, meaning and nonsense, sounds and layout, all revolving around loss and love, and taking the shape of a big black bird that doesn't follow conventions, something primordial, chaotic, rude, comical, and age-old, as is indeed grief.
Definitely one to be re-read again and again.
"Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -
Deeply moving, this is not an easy read, showing a grief-stricken father and his two young boys. We witness their disjointed thoughts, memories and conversations, all reeling and trying to make sense of their loss. And then there is the crow, "the scavenger and the philosopher, the goddess of complete being and the black stain [...] the self-same exchange between mourning and living". I kept thinking of Poe, but I guess people who have read Ted Hughes's poetry will get some extra meaning. It is not essential however to feeling this book.
Porter creates something that is quite difficult to define, like a painting of words, playing with prose and verse, meaning and nonsense, sounds and layout, all revolving around loss and love, and taking the shape of a big black bird that doesn't follow conventions, something primordial, chaotic, rude, comical, and age-old, as is indeed grief.
Definitely one to be re-read again and again.