Reviews

Foster by Claire Keegan

apiep97's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Emotional, packed a punch in a short amount of pages. Bittersweet. 

_kir's review

5.0

a perfect book.

sumeyrad's review

emotional hopeful sad tense fast-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? No

3.5

nicolenoons's review

4.0

3.5, rounded up

sincerelymendacious's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.5

laurenab's review

5.0

Best book I have read this year oh my goshhhh

thebobsphere's review against another edition

5.0

 Claire Keegan has a knack of making the most out out of very little. Her latest novel Small Things Like These explored the Magdalene laundries through the eyes of a person who lives a comfortable life, thus mixing a topical subject with social class. 2010’s Foster is only 88 pages but there is a lot going on.

The plot is deceptively simple: a neglected girl is sent to distant relatives who are husband and wife as her mother is having a baby and her father is not really capable of looking after her. Through various episodes, the girl discovers that life with the relatives is better and that showing care changes her. the backdrop is the Troubles

However there is one scene where she asks the wife whether she keeps secrets to which she says that she never does.

As the book progresses we discover that now and then we all keep secrets.

Told beautifully, with a lot of heart, I’m amazed at how Claire Keegan manages to create such well rounded characters in a small space of time. Every scene is memorable and dialogue is sharp, I rarely use perfect but Foster works on every level, 

pecsenye's review against another edition

emotional hopeful relaxing slow-paced

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

5.0

Another perfect book by Claire Keegan.

bigfatraindrops's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing 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? It's complicated

5.0

sophiaroesler's review against another edition

emotional reflective