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riinaerm's review against another edition
I love The Grandmothers. I only re-read this story and skipped the others, but I've enjoyed them previously.
mbenzz's review against another edition
1.0
There is nothing I hate more than just giving up halfway through a book, but I couldn't take this one any longer. I also don't like writing a review for a book I didn't finish, but I feel that since I didn't finish it, people should know why, so they can avoid this awfulness.
The book is made up of 4 short stories, of which I read 2 1/2. The first story, The Grandmothers, was ridiculous. Two women who've been best friends for life start having a sexual relationship with the others son, and both are OK with it...very disturbing. And the writing style is so annoying, very dramatic and theatrical-like.
The second story, Victoria and The Staveneys, was very unbelievable as well. A little black girl goes home with Edward Staveney one day after school, is in awe of their huge home, and for the next 10 yrs thinks of nothing else. She then at the age of 19 gets pregnant by his brother Thomas but doesn't tell him for 6 yrs, and once she does, they lavish the little girl with all the perks of the good life, while Victoria slowly loses her daughter.
And the third story, The Reason For It, is where I finally threw in the towel. What's it about? I haven't a clue. It was absolutely painful to sit there and try to force myself to read this drivel. In the end, as you can guess, I do NOT recommend this book. I'm not sure about the author, maybe some of her other novels are better, who knows, I'm not going to find out though. If you see this book anywhere, keep walking and don't waste your time.
The book is made up of 4 short stories, of which I read 2 1/2. The first story, The Grandmothers, was ridiculous. Two women who've been best friends for life start having a sexual relationship with the others son, and both are OK with it...very disturbing. And the writing style is so annoying, very dramatic and theatrical-like.
The second story, Victoria and The Staveneys, was very unbelievable as well. A little black girl goes home with Edward Staveney one day after school, is in awe of their huge home, and for the next 10 yrs thinks of nothing else. She then at the age of 19 gets pregnant by his brother Thomas but doesn't tell him for 6 yrs, and once she does, they lavish the little girl with all the perks of the good life, while Victoria slowly loses her daughter.
And the third story, The Reason For It, is where I finally threw in the towel. What's it about? I haven't a clue. It was absolutely painful to sit there and try to force myself to read this drivel. In the end, as you can guess, I do NOT recommend this book. I'm not sure about the author, maybe some of her other novels are better, who knows, I'm not going to find out though. If you see this book anywhere, keep walking and don't waste your time.
the_villager's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
laila4343's review against another edition
4.0
I can't remember what made me pick this book up, but I'm glad I did. It consists of four novellas, not linked together in any way. The first one (The Grandmothers) was my favorite. Lessing has a real knack for exploring the complexity of the human heart and I was intensely interested in these flawed and sympathetic characters. The one story that didn't work for me was the third one. I appreciated it intellectually but I couldn't emotionally connect. It was set in an ancient community where the wise and knowing elders were dying off one by one, and the rest of the culture was becoming violent and unthinking. But the other three stories are worth the read for sure.
harmonj3's review against another edition
I made it through the first three stories but when I got to the 4th I was bored out of my mind to hear detail after detail after detail that didn’t seem to mean anything or be relevant to the story.
superlegitjoy's review against another edition
4.0
Dark, sinister stories of life that I did not especially like. But also great pacing, patience, and slow beauty. Especially 'A Love Child.'
khernandez5's review against another edition
4.0
*******I only read the first short story*******
I am quite satisfied by how accurately the movie Adore kept the original plot from the short story The Grandmothers. I liked getting more information on the story that was left out in the movie.
I am quite satisfied by how accurately the movie Adore kept the original plot from the short story The Grandmothers. I liked getting more information on the story that was left out in the movie.
soph2962's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
_inge_'s review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0