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4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
I received this ARC from netgalley.com in exchange for a review.
Sophie and Barry are sole survivors of a plane wreck that left them one common goal: to survive. Stranded hundreds of miles from civilization, on an island the size of a large city block, the two castaways must reconcile their differences and learn to draw on one another's strengths if they are to have any hope of making it home.
I really liked this story, it is well written and interesting to read. I appreciated how Barry and Sophie were forced to learn and grow together by pooling their knowledge and skills.
4☆
Sophie and Barry are sole survivors of a plane wreck that left them one common goal: to survive. Stranded hundreds of miles from civilization, on an island the size of a large city block, the two castaways must reconcile their differences and learn to draw on one another's strengths if they are to have any hope of making it home.
I really liked this story, it is well written and interesting to read. I appreciated how Barry and Sophie were forced to learn and grow together by pooling their knowledge and skills.
4☆
*Quick and dirty summary*
Newly married Sophie is on her way to the last half of an idyllic honeymoon with her husband. Barry just walked away from a lucrative job in a New York finance firm to pursue a career in art, and is traveling to the South Pacific island where Gaugin, his artistic inspiration, once resided. The small plane they are all on crashes into the ocean and Sophie and Barry, the only survivors, find themselves washed up on the shores of a remote and deserted island. There, these two strangers must learn to rely on each other in order to survive.
*Review*
I really enjoyed Castle of Water. Confession: I wasn’t at all sure that would be the case when I started. I actually put it down after the first 63 pages and walked away. I fretted I would be the only person on the face of the planet that didn’t adore this book. (ACK!) Much of Part One was spent setting the scene, giving backstories, describing surroundings…all well and reasonable, but I got a little bogged down. A little disconnected. I adored Sophie - even given the fact that I had to try puzzling out her French phrases (bless you, Google Translate). I also adored Barry. They were both authentic and lovely characters. I’m a character snob -- I wanted more of those delicious personalities and a little less background description. I reached out to a few bookish friends who were either currently reading the book or had recently finished it. They encouraged me to keep reading….and that is my message to any of you that may find yourself in the same boat (ha!) as me on this book. If you are not completely enthralled by Castle after the first page, or the 63rd, keep reading. Because, my friends, when I got to Part Two, the switch was thrown and that book did not leave my hands until I was done. The obstacles the characters faced--how to find fresh water, what to eat, how to make a shelter, (where to poop!)--felt authentic. The development between Sophie and Barry was well-paced and believable, the dialogue entertaining and funny and sad and sweet. I was left with a couple unanswered questions about some plot lines that I wish had been resolved a little more clearly, but nothing significant enough to mar the story. This book is guaranteed to pull on your heartstrings. Highly recommended!
Newly married Sophie is on her way to the last half of an idyllic honeymoon with her husband. Barry just walked away from a lucrative job in a New York finance firm to pursue a career in art, and is traveling to the South Pacific island where Gaugin, his artistic inspiration, once resided. The small plane they are all on crashes into the ocean and Sophie and Barry, the only survivors, find themselves washed up on the shores of a remote and deserted island. There, these two strangers must learn to rely on each other in order to survive.
*Review*
I really enjoyed Castle of Water. Confession: I wasn’t at all sure that would be the case when I started. I actually put it down after the first 63 pages and walked away. I fretted I would be the only person on the face of the planet that didn’t adore this book. (ACK!) Much of Part One was spent setting the scene, giving backstories, describing surroundings…all well and reasonable, but I got a little bogged down. A little disconnected. I adored Sophie - even given the fact that I had to try puzzling out her French phrases (bless you, Google Translate). I also adored Barry. They were both authentic and lovely characters. I’m a character snob -- I wanted more of those delicious personalities and a little less background description. I reached out to a few bookish friends who were either currently reading the book or had recently finished it. They encouraged me to keep reading….and that is my message to any of you that may find yourself in the same boat (ha!) as me on this book. If you are not completely enthralled by Castle after the first page, or the 63rd, keep reading. Because, my friends, when I got to Part Two, the switch was thrown and that book did not leave my hands until I was done. The obstacles the characters faced--how to find fresh water, what to eat, how to make a shelter, (where to poop!)--felt authentic. The development between Sophie and Barry was well-paced and believable, the dialogue entertaining and funny and sad and sweet. I was left with a couple unanswered questions about some plot lines that I wish had been resolved a little more clearly, but nothing significant enough to mar the story. This book is guaranteed to pull on your heartstrings. Highly recommended!
Oh my. A well written work of literary fiction that is at the same time a survival story and a love story? Sign me up! I never knew I needed this book and I’m so glad I read it. I highly recommend for a quick but exciting read. But when I say this book will build you up and tear you down and then put you back together again, believe me!
I never really enjoyed this book—there’s tension all the way through that is stressful and it never seemed meaningful to me. Plus, you know how it’s going to end because that’s given away early in the book, so why did I read on? I suppose to get to the ridiculous ending.
Interesting premise and unique writing style. Ultimately I felt that the ending was rushed, and I was left with a lot of unanswered questions.
A small plane crashes in the ocean on the way to Polynesia. There are two lone survivors and they don’t even speak the same language. I don’t want to give away much more of the story but this was an entertaining read. It didn’t necessarily have a happy ending but I still really liked it.
Ugh-the ending killed this book for me. I hate it with my whole being.
Now that I got that off my chest - a few redeeming qualities. The love story is beautiful! It’s written with care and insight into the human condition. You see me! You love what you see. Perfect.
The setting! I felt like a cast away. I could see their home and bananas and boat.
Also? I don’t speak French and couldn’t always get the gist of the convo...sooo.
I might have liked this story if told from Sophie’s POV.
Now that I got that off my chest - a few redeeming qualities. The love story is beautiful! It’s written with care and insight into the human condition. You see me! You love what you see. Perfect.
The setting! I felt like a cast away. I could see their home and bananas and boat.
Also? I don’t speak French and couldn’t always get the gist of the convo...sooo.
I might have liked this story if told from Sophie’s POV.
This novel of two strangers stranded on a tiny island has everything I love in a book: the environment as a character, French that I understood!, characters to root for and devoted love. I found myself crying at the end but without getting depressed. Such a touching bittersweet little gem of a book.