Reviews

House Made of Dawn by N. Scott Momaday

drjacvick's review against another edition

This book has some truly beautiful sentences about a place I've been many times and love (Jemez, NM). But I really didn't understand what was happening and felt nothing for the characters. I found myself skimming and more and more and decided to just quit. 

peach__tree's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

4.0

went back to goodreads for availability & bcs my sister asked me to. i kind of miss the storygraph layout tho. maybe i'll use both for a while...

khasden's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

thingtwo's review against another edition

2.0

Scott Momaday presents the story of Francesco, an old man living in the past. Woven into this story are the lives of other characters - Father Olguin, Abel, Tosomah - who live in the present, but also in the past. Momaday is exploring the past and its relationship with the present using dreams, myths, and symbols. Momaday is also a poet and artist, and his understanding of the oral tradition of storytelling comes across in his beautifully written sentences. However, and this is a big however, this book is boring. It's confusing. Momaday jumps from past to present, from character to character, without any warning to the reader. I can't believe this book won a Pulitzer. Lovely man, lovely writing, boring book.

ann_moore's review against another edition

It’s not a bad book. The prose is beautiful. I’m just not a stream of consciousness girly.

lottie_moony's review against another edition

informative reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

davidabrams's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

4.25

davidpnin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

doyouevenreadbruh's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

mooventures's review against another edition

3.0

Beautiful writing, but it was hard to follow. I do love this quote: "He was running, and his body cracked open with pain, and he was running on. He was running and there was no reason to run but the running itself and the land and the dawn appearing the sun rose in the saddle and shone in shafts upon the road across the snow-covered valley and the hills, and the chill of the night fell away and it began to rain."