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jessicafee86's review against another edition
4.0
Really pretty but also a bit of a dense, slow read. I ended up really enjoying it but it's not really a book for binge reading. Take your time with it and savor the writing, visuals, and tone for maximum enjoyment.
kenleyneufeld's review against another edition
4.0
A great sadness. To live for generations would be a lonely life and the writer carried that message through the voice of Dar of the Oak by the Lea. And yet, to explore different points in human history through the eyes of a crow is unique and intriguing. To see common things anew.
Through the beauty of the writing, the creativity of the words (constantly grabbing my dictionary), we reach a zenith in the final section - Dar Oakley in the Ruin of Ymr - and read, "Over centuries People - some People - has become more and more sure they could do anything, make anything, change anything: and so they could. They had even - too late to stop - changed the earth and the seas and the seasons: changed Time."
I'm left with sadness from the journey, sadness for our human condition, and hope with the unanswered questions.
It wasn’t a “thrilling” book but it was a good story.
Through the beauty of the writing, the creativity of the words (constantly grabbing my dictionary), we reach a zenith in the final section - Dar Oakley in the Ruin of Ymr - and read, "Over centuries People - some People - has become more and more sure they could do anything, make anything, change anything: and so they could. They had even - too late to stop - changed the earth and the seas and the seasons: changed Time."
I'm left with sadness from the journey, sadness for our human condition, and hope with the unanswered questions.
It wasn’t a “thrilling” book but it was a good story.
zuly's review against another edition
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
pavram's review against another edition
5.0
„We are still here.“
Čudno je što živi toliko razmišljaju o smrti – a mrtvi baš nimalo. Ponekad se čini da je to sve što radimo. Bar dok ne umremo. O tome je ovaj roman. O mestu sa druge strane svakog od nas, pa makar ono ni ne postojalo.
I o pričama.
Uvek sam pristrasan kada čitam, ali Krouli mi je posebno drag. Litl, Big je jedan od onih Romana koje pišem sa velikim početnim R, a ponekad i velikim V, kao u Velikih. I zato sam i ovaj roman, kao prvi njegov koji čitam što bi rekli in-ril-tajm, iščekivao kao leto u zimu i zimu u leto. Nije mi bilo svejedno – želeo sam da mi se svidi. I znao sam da hoće. Jer sve je ponovo tu: svet kao glina za igranje, liričan, nikad naporan jezik, melanholija koja je druga reč za atmosferu, likovi (ovde mahom životinjski) koji u par reči izgovorenih kažu više o ljudskoj prirodi nego ma koji traktat na temu. Krouli je poseban, nepravedno potcenjen, a o romanu još više govori to što sam apsolutno uveren da je ovaj roman njemu poseban. Da možda kao da je sve išlo ka tome da ga napiše.
Elem, neću još dugo. Ne valja. Ponešto treba i da se pročita.
Dar Oukli je vrana koja je „ukrala“ nešto ljudsko, koja kroz nekih dve hiljade i kusur godina pokušava da shvati šta je to smrt, šta su to ljudi, šta smo to svi mi. To radi tako što priča priču – bilo koju priču – kako je slušao priču. Živeo, živeo, i onda umro. Kako se i sam u nju uverio, tako što je posetio podzemlje, svaki put različito, svaki put na drugi način prepričano – svaki put podjednako stvarno. I na to se sve svodi. Na stotinu i jednu smrt, i jedan san, izmedju.
5+
Čudno je što živi toliko razmišljaju o smrti – a mrtvi baš nimalo. Ponekad se čini da je to sve što radimo. Bar dok ne umremo. O tome je ovaj roman. O mestu sa druge strane svakog od nas, pa makar ono ni ne postojalo.
I o pričama.
Uvek sam pristrasan kada čitam, ali Krouli mi je posebno drag. Litl, Big je jedan od onih Romana koje pišem sa velikim početnim R, a ponekad i velikim V, kao u Velikih. I zato sam i ovaj roman, kao prvi njegov koji čitam što bi rekli in-ril-tajm, iščekivao kao leto u zimu i zimu u leto. Nije mi bilo svejedno – želeo sam da mi se svidi. I znao sam da hoće. Jer sve je ponovo tu: svet kao glina za igranje, liričan, nikad naporan jezik, melanholija koja je druga reč za atmosferu, likovi (ovde mahom životinjski) koji u par reči izgovorenih kažu više o ljudskoj prirodi nego ma koji traktat na temu. Krouli je poseban, nepravedno potcenjen, a o romanu još više govori to što sam apsolutno uveren da je ovaj roman njemu poseban. Da možda kao da je sve išlo ka tome da ga napiše.
Elem, neću još dugo. Ne valja. Ponešto treba i da se pročita.
Dar Oukli je vrana koja je „ukrala“ nešto ljudsko, koja kroz nekih dve hiljade i kusur godina pokušava da shvati šta je to smrt, šta su to ljudi, šta smo to svi mi. To radi tako što priča priču – bilo koju priču – kako je slušao priču. Živeo, živeo, i onda umro. Kako se i sam u nju uverio, tako što je posetio podzemlje, svaki put različito, svaki put na drugi način prepričano – svaki put podjednako stvarno. I na to se sve svodi. Na stotinu i jednu smrt, i jedan san, izmedju.
5+
frogggirl2's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
This book is monstrously slow and mostly boring. This is in the form of a Native American parable or similar - a foundational myth about crows and the origins of the relationship between crows and humans. The repetitious, cyclical life-death plot, while purposeful, paired with the lack of momentum throughout to perpetuate the tedium.
The writing is good but this was not a compelling or enjoyable read and I had to force myself to slog through to the end of the book.
The writing is good but this was not a compelling or enjoyable read and I had to force myself to slog through to the end of the book.
nasty_step's review
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
becasaur27's review against another edition
3.0
This was a good book that I powered through when I probably shouldn't have. The writing was really good, but I just was not all that interested in it and I read it because it was a Sword and Laser pick. It was super interesting in that it really did a pretty great job at getting inside the head of a crow. For centuries. Yes, this book literally spans centuries. Honestly, a very well-written meandering tale. So much good stuff in there. But it just was not what I wanted to read. I need to get better at putting those books down. I do not need to finish them just because some group online has picked it out for us to read as a group this month!
diesmali's review against another edition
3.0
Well I haven't read any book like this before. Basically what we have here is a cross section of human history seen through the eyes of an immortal (kind of) crow. Said crow learns to communicate with some humans, becomes their friend/kind of companion, but has a life of his own.
There's no clear plot, no antagonist. But there is some adventure, and mystery.
It was an interesting, if not exciting, read.
There's no clear plot, no antagonist. But there is some adventure, and mystery.
It was an interesting, if not exciting, read.