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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
Well...this was just the most surprisingly lovely and poignant and hilarious book I have read in so long!!! Ian. Oh, Ian. I love you so!!! Read it if you love the random, the make-it-up-as-you-go-ness of life. I lead a sort of structured life, so I was really stinkin' drawn to the way they BURST the world wide open, too.
Loved it!
Just Loved it.
Well done, Ms. Makkai.
Loved it!
Just Loved it.
Well done, Ms. Makkai.
This book was such an engaging story. It was romantic to start a librarian in a small town who lives above a theatre. Then emerged into a cringe worthy road trip across the Midwest to east coast. Characters were funny even at times stereo typical but I had no idea how it was going to end.
After “Believers” this is my second Makkai. While I enjoyed the first book more, the plot slowed in this one, I still enjoyed her character development, her wit and humor. Will definitely read more of her work.
DNF. Struggling to contect and understand librarian. Not for me. Narration was well done.
Hoped to enjoy this more, but the quirky, delightful references to children's books and librarians fizzled quickly. Slightly redeemed at the end, but just didn't deliver.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
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:
Yes
This is the third Makkai novel that I've read, after being blown away by [book:The Great Believers|45304101] and [book:I Have Some Questions for You|61053829]. It's the earliest, and definitely the least weighty, but the writing is still spritely and compelling -- I love the interstitials aping various children's books -- and the characters so vivid and memorable.
I have to say, it's depressing to observe how much this novel is concerned with Bush-era politics, and what they mean for issues like book bans and the bolstering of the religious right, and to think: oh babe. It's gonna get worse. It did get better, but then it got <i>worse</i>.
But I guess like this protagonist's Russian ancestors: you fight, and then when you can't fight anymore, you run.
I have to say, it's depressing to observe how much this novel is concerned with Bush-era politics, and what they mean for issues like book bans and the bolstering of the religious right, and to think: oh babe. It's gonna get worse. It did get better, but then it got <i>worse</i>.
But I guess like this protagonist's Russian ancestors: you fight, and then when you can't fight anymore, you run.
Yes! This is a travel adventure, an odd sort of love story, a growing-up story and just kind of charming.
I am officially a Makkai fan. This doesn't have the same gut-wrenching emotion of The Great Believers, but it's well told.
The kidnapping made me squirm a bit as a parent, but the story overcomes that hurdle.
I am officially a Makkai fan. This doesn't have the same gut-wrenching emotion of The Great Believers, but it's well told.
The kidnapping made me squirm a bit as a parent, but the story overcomes that hurdle.
The premise of this book is pretty off the wall and I have a hard time relating to drifting, twenty something characters, but I found the writing style and literary allusions in this book delightful. Also, can't fault a book arguing that reading can change lives.
I was a little iffy on this one at first. I was won over though.
Quick summary: liberal librarian accidentally kidnaps a ten-year old library patron. tree hugging and russian mafioso ensue.
SPOILERS AHOY AHOY!
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I really hated the narrator of this novel. I'm a liberal and her self-righteous ultra-liberalism bothered even me! But the author makes a point in the first few sentences to tell us we're not supposed to like her. She makes her point stronger by having her anti-heroine tell the reader herself that the story does not paint her well.
The unfolding of the accidental kidnapping is done very realistically to me. The justifications for Miss Hull's decisions can easily be chalked up to the fact that she isn't fully participatory in her life. I very much enjoyed reading these passive aggressive reasons for not returning a young child back to his parents, because I have often found myself using similarly flawed logic to do what I want to do.
It was an enjoyable read. Especially after the gawky first few chapters. It was evident to me that this was Makkai's first novel. But I'll be reading her next one, because I could tell she was coming into her own as I read.
Quick summary: liberal librarian accidentally kidnaps a ten-year old library patron. tree hugging and russian mafioso ensue.
SPOILERS AHOY AHOY!
.
.
.
.
I really hated the narrator of this novel. I'm a liberal and her self-righteous ultra-liberalism bothered even me! But the author makes a point in the first few sentences to tell us we're not supposed to like her. She makes her point stronger by having her anti-heroine tell the reader herself that the story does not paint her well.
The unfolding of the accidental kidnapping is done very realistically to me. The justifications for Miss Hull's decisions can easily be chalked up to the fact that she isn't fully participatory in her life. I very much enjoyed reading these passive aggressive reasons for not returning a young child back to his parents, because I have often found myself using similarly flawed logic to do what I want to do.
It was an enjoyable read. Especially after the gawky first few chapters. It was evident to me that this was Makkai's first novel. But I'll be reading her next one, because I could tell she was coming into her own as I read.