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gailbird's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
kathyo72's review against another edition
2.0
Interesting tale through a person’s life. Too much focus on religious philosophy, of no interest to me.
stefhyena's review against another edition
1.0
I am really surprised that so many reviewers have liked this, even commenting that the writing was "good". This rambling, purple-prosed, sentimental mess of the authors very conservative and contradictory spirituality is not improved by classist, misogynist comments such as Dinny admiring his wife and his sister as "thoroughbreds".
It also paints a picture that being critical and questioning the status quo is in some way being a bad person. Despite all the lofty sentiments there is a persistent shallowness in the book with people being valued more if they were better looking (essentially he falls in love with Joan because both of them are good looking) and if they are rich. Men are seen as better if they are domineering.
Most of the book dragged with really long overly descriptive sentences and long meditations on Dinny's ideas which sort of change but to a spirituality that is very convenient for the rich. I am not sure what the point of the abuse-scene between the young Angela and Dinny early on is, it added nothing but tawdriness.
I won't be bothering with any more by this author and only picked this up because it was a book crossing book
It also paints a picture that being critical and questioning the status quo is in some way being a bad person. Despite all the lofty sentiments there is a persistent shallowness in the book with people being valued more if they were better looking (essentially he falls in love with Joan because both of them are good looking) and if they are rich. Men are seen as better if they are domineering.
Most of the book dragged with really long overly descriptive sentences and long meditations on Dinny's ideas which sort of change but to a spirituality that is very convenient for the rich. I am not sure what the point of the abuse-scene between the young Angela and Dinny early on is, it added nothing but tawdriness.
I won't be bothering with any more by this author and only picked this up because it was a book crossing book