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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
Ugh! I started this book so excited for the journey! Six chapters in I was desperately trying to love it! But it was losing me and losing me fast! EVERY (main and most of the supporting) characters in this book are wounded and broken. Nearly all the men in this book are HORRIBLE people; liars, cheats, gamblers, broken, struggling and ignorant. I soon began to ask what does this author have against men? What man did her dirty?? I hope it felt good to crucify every 'male' in her life with the power of her pen! I began to hate this book, and then I began to hate the author for taking me on this bleak and pointless journey. I finished the book, which ended so abruptly, and almost unresolved, still hating it, and hating the 2 days wasted that it took to read it!
This authors writing is wonderful, descriptive and elegant, but I hate that she penned these lives. I've read plenty of books that left me feeling for the broken characters and routing for their redemption, even if it didn't come. These characters, I ceased to care about, and that's not good. I wanted so much from this book and was so severely let down! Too bad, wasted talent.
It gets 2 stars for wasted potential. Le sigh...
This authors writing is wonderful, descriptive and elegant, but I hate that she penned these lives. I've read plenty of books that left me feeling for the broken characters and routing for their redemption, even if it didn't come. These characters, I ceased to care about, and that's not good. I wanted so much from this book and was so severely let down! Too bad, wasted talent.
It gets 2 stars for wasted potential. Le sigh...
I've read this book so many times. Truly one of my favorite books. Tells the story of Hattie, her children, and the path that each of their lives follow.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was this month's book club selection and I just couldn't get into this book. I like a character one can root for or one that shows depth of character or character growth. There was none of that in this book. Hattie is a mother who just takes care of the basics given she has had 11!! children and thus, shows no emotions or love towards any of them. Thus, each chapter is about a different child of hers and a story about how when they are grown up, what depressing, miserable lives they lead. If this book doesn't dissuade people from having a lot of children(and I mean 6+), I don't know what will; it truly shows that one only has so much to spread around and when a mother is spread this thin, she is left exhausted both physically and emotionally and has nothing left to give. Her relationship with her loser husband is just awful too. Who has that many children with a womanizing, drunkard? And then, she meets another man, but he turns out to be just as bad (gambling/drunk) so she goes back to her loser husband because he is the father of her children? Talk about not empowering women in the slightest! Overall, a depressing read from start to finish with no redeemable qualities. This was my first time reading an Oprah book club book and I must say, it makes me leery to read more of them. One of the worst books I have read in my book club so far.
A really beautifully woven novel-in-stories (or segments). Reminded me why I love the form. Excellent read.
I loved The Unsettled so I had high hopes for this novel by the same author but something about it felt off.
I felt a lot of sympathy for the characters, especially Hattie but yeah it was a bit too disjointed and felt like short stories rather than a novel with dif POVs and nonlinear storytelling.
I felt a lot of sympathy for the characters, especially Hattie but yeah it was a bit too disjointed and felt like short stories rather than a novel with dif POVs and nonlinear storytelling.
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The twelve tribes of Hattie are the eleven children plus one grandchildren raised by Hattie Shepherd and not (as I first imagined) Hattie's tribal ancestors. This is written simply and beautifully and I enjoyed getting to know these characters and their stories. Each chapter is dedicated to one of Hattie's children and the writing style varies, but we get to collect pieces of Hattie's character as well and construct the puzzle as we go along.