Scan barcode
kawarwick's review against another edition
3.0
A very different story. It made me stop and think about my one amazing thing.
spaulk57's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
3.5 stars. Good quick read with an interesting mix of characters and their stories. As other reviewers have mentioned, more of the efforts to survive the earthquake and comments on each other’s stories would have made for a more engrossing story.
lizaroo71's review against another edition
3.0
This is about nine people that find themselves in a passport office when an earthquake hits. These individuals all have different reasons for why they are at the office and each story is revealed as these individuals realize their fate is tied up with everyone present.
To make the time pass and to distract from crisis at hand, each person is asked to share a story of "one amazing thing" that has happened in his/her life. These stories are told in third person and help the reader to better understand the character's reaction in the present situation.
The writing is lyrical and easy to read.
The ending is rather ambiguous, but it definitely leaves you thinking about what we appreciate in life and what we take for granted.
To make the time pass and to distract from crisis at hand, each person is asked to share a story of "one amazing thing" that has happened in his/her life. These stories are told in third person and help the reader to better understand the character's reaction in the present situation.
The writing is lyrical and easy to read.
The ending is rather ambiguous, but it definitely leaves you thinking about what we appreciate in life and what we take for granted.
cleah's review against another edition
3.0
I bumped this book up to the top of my list after recent news of the 7.0 to hit Haiti. Definitely relevant.
Following a devastating earthquake, nine strangers find themselves buried in an underground room in the Indian visa office they are in when the earthquake hits. As things go from bad to progressively worse, each member takes a turn telling a story from their life. What starts as a simple distraction for them turns into a way for each to confront their past and find the one amazing thing that has made them who they are today.
ONE AMAZING THING is written from rotating points of view; any other way would not have provided as much story for the reader to become invested in. However, I always feel that a common problem with having stories within stories is that one always comes out the stronger one, making the others feel more like an interruption of the main plot. The individual stories are each engaging in their own right, but I only wanted to go back to the present moment and see what would happen next as they try to survive the earthquake disaster. Chitra Divakaruni excels at character building, and it glows even brighter in ONE AMAZING THING.
Following a devastating earthquake, nine strangers find themselves buried in an underground room in the Indian visa office they are in when the earthquake hits. As things go from bad to progressively worse, each member takes a turn telling a story from their life. What starts as a simple distraction for them turns into a way for each to confront their past and find the one amazing thing that has made them who they are today.
ONE AMAZING THING is written from rotating points of view; any other way would not have provided as much story for the reader to become invested in. However, I always feel that a common problem with having stories within stories is that one always comes out the stronger one, making the others feel more like an interruption of the main plot. The individual stories are each engaging in their own right, but I only wanted to go back to the present moment and see what would happen next as they try to survive the earthquake disaster. Chitra Divakaruni excels at character building, and it glows even brighter in ONE AMAZING THING.
lovetoread62's review against another edition
4.0
Loved this book. It makes me wonder what my amazing story is.
egonzales74's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed each person's story much more than the outlying story of the earthquake. Each tale was richly described and the voice of each character felt genuine.
vivian_ivette's review against another edition
2.0
It was a good read as I was reading it. I loved the characters and their stories but I HATED the ending.
kkrystenn's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed getting to know the characters in this book, reading their stories I felt what they felt, leading me to sympathize with their behavior throughout the earthquake. I liked how the past was interwoven with the present, it helped me feel like I was amongst them listening. However, the whole time reading this I consistently felt that something was missing, the ending was terribly open ended and didn’t really feel like an ending. Short, easy read, I wouldn’t have minded it being longer with more focus on the present.
sbhatnag's review against another edition
3.0
I think I'm not into chick-lit anymore - which, I believe is an appropriate way to categorize this book, although some may disagree. Good book, but story didn't blow me away. The plot and depth of the characters was a bit simplified, and the ending left me hanging, but not in a good way. I didn't hate it - there were parts of the book I enjoyed (unexpectedly, Mrs. Pritchett's story was my favorite), but I know Divakaruni is capable and has demonstrated better writing in her other works that, in my opinion, are superior to this one.