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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A book that felt like mining for gold - there were gold nuggets aplenty to be found, but slightly too much rock to sift through on the way, making for a reading experience that intermittently felt exhausting. Barbery's writing of Japanese culture also occasionally verged on fetishization in my opinion, which I struggled to move past.
My enjoyment of this massively increased in the last 50ish pages, and I found myself crying and chortling in a way I would not have predicted from the prior 250 pgs. I think Part III makes this worth the read. If I were to go back, I would tell myself to read this assuming that our narrarators are somewhat untrustworthy & unsympathetic. The writing might have coalesced if I had read this through a lens that viewed the narrators as extensions of their own criticisms, whereas I got stuck seeing them as hypocrites depicted by a pretentious author. Alas, one of my weaknesses as a reader is struggling to separate an author's opinion and intent from those of the main characters. All told, this book made for some very fruitful and insightful discussions amongst friends, and for that I am deeply appreciative.
My enjoyment of this massively increased in the last 50ish pages, and I found myself crying and chortling in a way I would not have predicted from the prior 250 pgs. I think Part III makes this worth the read. If I were to go back, I would tell myself to read this assuming that our narrarators are somewhat untrustworthy & unsympathetic. The writing might have coalesced if I had read this through a lens that viewed the narrators as extensions of their own criticisms, whereas I got stuck seeing them as hypocrites depicted by a pretentious author. Alas, one of my weaknesses as a reader is struggling to separate an author's opinion and intent from those of the main characters. All told, this book made for some very fruitful and insightful discussions amongst friends, and for that I am deeply appreciative.
Les meilleurs moments c’est quand ils parlent d’Anna Karénine, Tolstoï et d’À la recherche du temps perdu (Marcel?? J’avais pris des vacances tu es partout
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I read this book for book club. I chose it for the book that takes place somewhere other than the United States, and it also fit into a category for the challenge Nora, Abby, and I are doing as a translated book. I really did not know much about it, but I had seen it on display a few times at the library, and I know of a few people who have read the book and had at least okay things to say about it. And even though it took me forever to read, it wasn't necessarily because I didn't like it even though I could have picked it up instead of other things multiples times, AND when I was reading it, I was flying through it. That might be because there were super short chapters (which is my favorite because I swear I just keep saying "ok one more" "ok one more", and next thing I know I've read a ton).
I still, after finishing the novel, feel like I dont know the purpose for the novel, but that in itself is kind of what makes me like it. It's just like the rambling thoughts of two characters very different in age - a young girl and a much older woman. Paloma lives in the hotel, and Renee is the concierge for the hotel. Paloma is not too fond of her life because of her family members; she doesn't really understand them, and they don't understand her. So much so that Paloma wants to set fire to their apartment/hotelish place where they live (I'm not too familiar with France), so that it will be her way of committing suicide and bringing down her family with her. And that honestly sounds more exciting than the plot line really was in the book because Paloma's thoughts were not nearly as dark and depressing as that sounds like they could have been. She just had random tidbits of life she had to say, which were very mature for her age, and about life living where they do with all the different tenants.
The book was worth the read, and something so different from anything I've read, but it truly was just rambling thoughts and tidbits of life. Quite relaxing to read though, and the tidbits about life did actually have some good things to say. Quote worthy. And I'm interested how else the author would write or if all of her stuff is very rambl-y.
I still, after finishing the novel, feel like I dont know the purpose for the novel, but that in itself is kind of what makes me like it. It's just like the rambling thoughts of two characters very different in age - a young girl and a much older woman. Paloma lives in the hotel, and Renee is the concierge for the hotel. Paloma is not too fond of her life because of her family members; she doesn't really understand them, and they don't understand her. So much so that Paloma wants to set fire to their apartment/hotelish place where they live (I'm not too familiar with France), so that it will be her way of committing suicide and bringing down her family with her. And that honestly sounds more exciting than the plot line really was in the book because Paloma's thoughts were not nearly as dark and depressing as that sounds like they could have been. She just had random tidbits of life she had to say, which were very mature for her age, and about life living where they do with all the different tenants.
The book was worth the read, and something so different from anything I've read, but it truly was just rambling thoughts and tidbits of life. Quite relaxing to read though, and the tidbits about life did actually have some good things to say. Quote worthy. And I'm interested how else the author would write or if all of her stuff is very rambl-y.
Overall the story was good, if the author had made the 2 main characters a little more likable it would've been so much better. So much pretension!
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
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
A lot of people told me that they hated this book and couldn’t finish it. But I just finished it and I can say I loved it. I think this story will remain with me for a long time.