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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Incest, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail
This book is SAD. Like rip your heart out, crying in public sad. I mean obviously, it’s about the toils and devastation of slavery so it’s bound to be. The writing is stellar and Geraldine Brooks shows exactly how authors can move back and forth through time without disrupting the overall narrative. I will say the one thing I would have loved would have been to get a bit more stories about the March sisters from the perspective of their father. Instead it’s predominantly about his own experiences in live an loss. But overall a great read.
Took me awhile to get into this book but enjoyed it once I'd sunk my teeth into it.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Murder, Pregnancy, War
Moderate: Infidelity, Torture, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Incest
I really liked this book. Interesting view of the Civil War and war in general. I had read it years ago but found the characters just as compelling and the link to Little Women gave it a good context.
The question I can't shake after reading is, "Why was this written?"
Brooks isn't by any means a bad writer, but 'March' felt like it added next to nothing to the vast, heartrending collection of fiction and non-fiction that is Civil War literature. That it is, ultimately, 'Little Women' fanfiction mattered less than that in almost every way it failed to provide anything of value, novelty, or nuance.
At times it felt very "CW" to me, at others very "Forrest Gump" as notable historical figures paraded in and out of the story with little purpose except to add pique.
The bottom line is that there are infinitely better books to read--written by people involved in that struggle or else simply more cognizant of the gravity of their contributions on the subject-- if you're trying to learn anything of substance about the Civil War. Or if you just want a good Civil War novel, for that matter.
I would only really recommend this to people obsessed with 'Little Women,' if I'm being honest.
Brooks isn't by any means a bad writer, but 'March' felt like it added next to nothing to the vast, heartrending collection of fiction and non-fiction that is Civil War literature. That it is, ultimately, 'Little Women' fanfiction mattered less than that in almost every way it failed to provide anything of value, novelty, or nuance.
At times it felt very "CW" to me, at others very "Forrest Gump" as notable historical figures paraded in and out of the story with little purpose except to add pique.
The bottom line is that there are infinitely better books to read--written by people involved in that struggle or else simply more cognizant of the gravity of their contributions on the subject-- if you're trying to learn anything of substance about the Civil War. Or if you just want a good Civil War novel, for that matter.
I would only really recommend this to people obsessed with 'Little Women,' if I'm being honest.
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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