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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
dark
slow-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
I did not care for the style of this book. I could follow and mostly enjoyed the chapters to do with Olive, but there were so many chapters that barely even mentioned Olive, they seemed pointless and therefore distracting.
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Master storyteller-short stories with interwoven plot. Made me want to read every word and was sad when the last chapter started.
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
The writing was superb, and the structure of a novel in stories really added to Strout’s intention to convey connection, community, and how individuals always exist within that community, no matter how strong a personality. Even Olive, one of the most individual individuals I’ve ever read about, cannot refute togetherness with her apartness. This is clearest when she reaches out to others who she feels to be less fortunate than her and, instead of feeling better about herself, feels these others’ private aches as her own.
Not my cup of tea, though. I honestly liked the HBO miniseries more. Some of these stories were outstanding (Incoming Tide, Tulips, Security), but most were missing that umph I look for in literature. I kept waiting for things to happen, and they didn’t, and when they did, it was very held-back, restrained. I understand that this was intended, what Strout was trying to get across about a theme as lofty as the “human condition,” but it got to be a little boring. I ate it UP, though, and I did love how funny parts were.
Not my cup of tea, though. I honestly liked the HBO miniseries more. Some of these stories were outstanding (Incoming Tide, Tulips, Security), but most were missing that umph I look for in literature. I kept waiting for things to happen, and they didn’t, and when they did, it was very held-back, restrained. I understand that this was intended, what Strout was trying to get across about a theme as lofty as the “human condition,” but it got to be a little boring. I ate it UP, though, and I did love how funny parts were.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
reflective
slow-paced
• Recommended in ModernMrsDarcy.com 2021 Fall Book Preview #MMDBookClub
Beautifully explores the internal aches of characters not so unlike the people we surround ourselves with every day.
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