Reviews

A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline

lottie1803's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.75

ninasbooks57's review against another edition

3.0

I had a hard time liking Christina- I understand her handicap and admire her independent attitude but she also was cruel. I feel she was worried a lot of being left alone but she would have alienated me right away! I feel she was not a very likable person. I felt sorry for her family!!

ccoe119's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative relaxing fast-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

4.0

I have read fictional stories about real people before but never one about a person who most people know nothing about. To me, this piece of fiction will always be Christina’s world. It may or may not be like the one she lives but to me this is the story of Christina Olsen. 

chloe16's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

readingonmountains's review against another edition

4.0

This was such an atmospheric read, deeply immersed in the life of Christina Olson, the inspiration behind the iconic painting “Christina’s World” by Andrew Wyeth. I found myself fascinated by Christina, her story, her illness. I’ve read The Exiles and Orphan Train, both by Christina Baker Kline, and they were both five star reads for me. I’d highly recommend all three books by her, she’s so very talented! I loved reading A Piece of the World

tammijo630's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

3.75

jansbookcorner's review against another edition

3.0

I was looking forward to this story but was let down. After a while Christina began to wear on me, I never grasped why she became Wyeth’s muse, and the story was not that engaging. It’s a testament to Christina Baker Kline’s writing that I still liked it enough for a 3 star rating.

khornstein1's review against another edition

4.0

4.5 Quite good on a number of levels. I have wrestled with my liking for both Andrew and Jamie Wyeth's paintings when critics have often hate them: https://observer.com/2016/08/why-do-critics-still-hate-andrew-wyeth/ Even looking at "Christina's World" now brings up memories of (my parents? art teachers?) saying "exploitative" and "not very good" but the painting has long fascinated me.

I thought Baker Kline created a very real portrait of a woman with disabilities, something that is hard to do without being "exploitative" or romantic. But perhaps even better was her description of life on a Maine farm in the early 20th Century, which she described in some detail, again not romantically, or harshly, or with the laundry lists of details that historical writers sometimes resort to.

The only thing I wrestled with was the back-and-forth of time periods so that I had to keep asking myself the age of the characters. There's a real warmth in Baker Kline's writing often missing from historical novels and for that, I was grateful.

brittneygrace's review against another edition

2.5

This book was so boring. I mean, it’s fine but also. Dude. 

suvata's review against another edition

4.0

Continuing my TBR project:
This is one the oldest selection on my TBR list - Originally added August 14, 2017.

This is a fictionalized account about the subject of Andrew Wyeth 1948 painting, Christina’s World. I have always been attracted to that painting. So, I really enjoyed the story behind this mysterious woman.