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bmpicc's review against another edition
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Very interesting story that is sort of wrapped around Zelda Fitzgerald's time at a mental institution. I do wish there had been a little more to it. I felt it ended too soon, yet I was still oddly satisfied.
originalcyn620's review against another edition
3.0
I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13775995
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13775995
ldv's review against another edition
3.0
After just beginning this book, I saw [b:Z A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald|15994634|Z A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald|Therese Anne Fowler|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1396815892s/15994634.jpg|21763986] at the library and checked it out. Intrigued by the references to Zelda F in [b:Guests on Earth|17433973|Guests on Earth|Lee Smith|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1368230391s/17433973.jpg|24290951], I thought more background on this pivotal but backdrop character might give me more insight or weight for this book. It did, indeed. Infact, I recommend reading the two books together, starting with this one, then going through Z: A Novel and back and forth a bit. While the parts of Zelda's life featured in Guests on Earth are only briefly referenced in Z: A Novel, having the history of Zelda's life in firm grasp makes Guests on Earth a richer novel, and vice versa, because where Z: A Novel goes vague, Guests on Earth can fill in the gaps a bit.
Guests on Earth revolves around a young orphan who ends up in this mental institute for most of her life. While her mental illnesses are minor in comparison to others at the home, it does give some perspective on how treatments used to go, while at the same time giving an interesting snapshot into the life and times of the novel, and dabbling with the Fitzgeralds, a couple in the background. Music, art, and horticulture are also given a bit of a spotlight for their therapeutic roles.
The novel is not overly profound or unusual, but it is pleasant, the characters interesting and realistic, and the writing is strong.
This book would make a good book club selection.
I received my copy through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.
Guests on Earth revolves around a young orphan who ends up in this mental institute for most of her life. While her mental illnesses are minor in comparison to others at the home, it does give some perspective on how treatments used to go, while at the same time giving an interesting snapshot into the life and times of the novel, and dabbling with the Fitzgeralds, a couple in the background. Music, art, and horticulture are also given a bit of a spotlight for their therapeutic roles.
The novel is not overly profound or unusual, but it is pleasant, the characters interesting and realistic, and the writing is strong.
This book would make a good book club selection.
I received my copy through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.
thebiblioboo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Child death, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Death, Suicide, Mental illness, Cursing, Sexual assault, Incest, Grief, Forced institutionalization, and Emotional abuse
eclectictales's review against another edition
3.0
I received a copy of this novel through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers programme (by mistake) in exchange for an honest review. This review in its entirety was originally posted at caffeinatedlife.net: http://www.caffeinatedlife.net/blog/2014/06/20/review-guests-on-earth/
What I really liked about this novel was the look into life in a mental hospital in the early 20th century, the regiments that were employed, the results, etc. Highland Hospital was sort of in the cutting edge when it came to mental health and treatment, so it was interesting to see some familiar implementations such as rest/activity, insulin therapy, shock therapy, etc. It’s also interesting to read how the characters fare within the institution, and how some of them may not necessarily be suffering from an actual mental illness; it’s hard to tell, the author I think places that question through some of the later doctors who come in to assess the patients.
The first half of the book was interesting as the reader is introduced to Evalina’s sad life and how she came to end up in Highland Hospital. However, the story started falling apart for me somewhere halfway when Evalina returned to the institute after a stint outside living a regular life; I think this was because I lost a sense of where her story was going, with the scenes became more disjointed and fragmented.
And then there’s Zelda Fitzgerald herself. She pops in and out of Evalina’s life, energetic but prone to sudden mood changes. I honestly not very familiar with her life save for the bare outline of what happened to her, but if you’re looking to read this book because of her, you might want to re-consider: she’s not in it a lot.
Overall Guests on Earth was a promising read. It had a strong beginning, but ultimately fell a bit short for me, especially as it heads to that fateful end of the Highland Hospital. The detail into the medicine and the practices of the time were interesting, as were the situation that these women were in with their health conditions.
What I really liked about this novel was the look into life in a mental hospital in the early 20th century, the regiments that were employed, the results, etc. Highland Hospital was sort of in the cutting edge when it came to mental health and treatment, so it was interesting to see some familiar implementations such as rest/activity, insulin therapy, shock therapy, etc. It’s also interesting to read how the characters fare within the institution, and how some of them may not necessarily be suffering from an actual mental illness; it’s hard to tell, the author I think places that question through some of the later doctors who come in to assess the patients.
The first half of the book was interesting as the reader is introduced to Evalina’s sad life and how she came to end up in Highland Hospital. However, the story started falling apart for me somewhere halfway when Evalina returned to the institute after a stint outside living a regular life; I think this was because I lost a sense of where her story was going, with the scenes became more disjointed and fragmented.
And then there’s Zelda Fitzgerald herself. She pops in and out of Evalina’s life, energetic but prone to sudden mood changes. I honestly not very familiar with her life save for the bare outline of what happened to her, but if you’re looking to read this book because of her, you might want to re-consider: she’s not in it a lot.
Overall Guests on Earth was a promising read. It had a strong beginning, but ultimately fell a bit short for me, especially as it heads to that fateful end of the Highland Hospital. The detail into the medicine and the practices of the time were interesting, as were the situation that these women were in with their health conditions.
bibielle's review
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
libkatem's review against another edition
4.0
Very interesting. Evalina, the narrator, says she's going to talk about Zelda a lot, and then only talks about Zelda a little. But since there are tons of books that exist about Zelda Fitzgerald, I am cool with this.
It was a close examination about the evolution of mental healthcare in the span of about 12 years and that is what I found most interesting.
It was a close examination about the evolution of mental healthcare in the span of about 12 years and that is what I found most interesting.
nikkiethereader's review against another edition
5.0
I really did adore this book. I was entranced from the very first page. I read this book for a book club meeting at my local library. I'm so glad I did. I plan to do some research when I can to find out exactly how historically accurate this is. The famous Zelda Fitzgerald plays an important role in this story. Reading this book makes me want to do more research on her as well. I feel sad at the little I knew about her before I read this. If you're into historical fictions, this is a great book to read. It does have a touch of a Girl, Interrupted vibe about it. I do fully recommend this book.
carly's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I’ve started doing this thing where I buy a new book while I’m on vacation that is set in or has relevance to the place I’m visiting. I’ve done this twice now and both times (not on purpose) I’ve chosen a historical fiction book based on a public figure. Previously, I read Loving Frank by Nancy Horan while taking a trip to tour Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water. Now this time, while visiting Asheville, I happened to choose Guests on Earth about Zelda Fitzgerald’s time at Highland Hospital.
I love doing this. Being able to walk around a location that a story features enhances how much I enjoy that particular book. When these books are historical fiction, I get a glimpse into how these people and places used to really be while being immersed in an entertaining fictional story. Figuring this formula out makes me feel like I have struck some kind of reader experience gold and is likely the reason I seem to love this book more than other reviewers.
Guests on Earth is the story of a fictional young girl (Evalina—love that name!) who is staying at Highland Hospital during the same era as Zelda Fitzgerald. This is not really a novel focused too intensely on either one of them as much as it is a landscape painting of what it was like to live there at the time. If you want a story more focused on Zelda herself, you may want to look elsewhere. This didn’t bother me as I picked this up without knowing much about her at all and it wasn’t my intent to learn about her from a work of fiction. I did enjoy the characters in this book overall… The only ones that blended together a bit too much for me were the doctors/staff.
If you’re looking for a story that is very mindful of and in tune with its plot, you might want to look elsewhere. It’s true that the ending of the book is very rushed for whatever reason and things were not tied up as nicely as they could have been. But, if you’re willing to skip around a little bit and soak it in as if it is an overarching look at the time period, you may end up enjoying it as I did.
This novel had many of my favorite themes: female friendships, troubled women, and historical flare. This book gave me big The Bell Jar vibes so if you love Sylvia Plath’s work as much as I do, pick this up. Not as stunning, but a rather good read in the same vein!
I love doing this. Being able to walk around a location that a story features enhances how much I enjoy that particular book. When these books are historical fiction, I get a glimpse into how these people and places used to really be while being immersed in an entertaining fictional story. Figuring this formula out makes me feel like I have struck some kind of reader experience gold and is likely the reason I seem to love this book more than other reviewers.
Guests on Earth is the story of a fictional young girl (Evalina—love that name!) who is staying at Highland Hospital during the same era as Zelda Fitzgerald. This is not really a novel focused too intensely on either one of them as much as it is a landscape painting of what it was like to live there at the time. If you want a story more focused on Zelda herself, you may want to look elsewhere. This didn’t bother me as I picked this up without knowing much about her at all and it wasn’t my intent to learn about her from a work of fiction. I did enjoy the characters in this book overall… The only ones that blended together a bit too much for me were the doctors/staff.
If you’re looking for a story that is very mindful of and in tune with its plot, you might want to look elsewhere. It’s true that the ending of the book is very rushed for whatever reason and things were not tied up as nicely as they could have been. But, if you’re willing to skip around a little bit and soak it in as if it is an overarching look at the time period, you may end up enjoying it as I did.
This novel had many of my favorite themes: female friendships, troubled women, and historical flare. This book gave me big The Bell Jar vibes so if you love Sylvia Plath’s work as much as I do, pick this up. Not as stunning, but a rather good read in the same vein!
booksandcoffeerequired's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5