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emmahdonnelly's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Suicide, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent and Toxic friendship
keatynbergsten's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Suicide, Violence, and Murder
sarahyjackson's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-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? Yes
5.0
This was a slow burn for me that became completely engrossing. Not the road trip escapade belied but the title, but a journey of its own. The characters and their wonderings and motivations were so precisely imagined. I’ll be thinking about this book for a long while.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Murder, Death, Death of parent, and Drug abuse
Minor: Child abuse
naddie_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
This was one of my most anticipated reads this year (so many of my favorite authors releasing things this year?? Natasha Pulley? Susanna Clarke? Amor Towles?? this timeline is slightly blessed this year), and though it took me a while to warm up to this book, I found it to be satisfying by the end.
The journey starts off slowly--in medias res, as Billy would like to remind us--by introducing us to the myriad of characters that would dot the landscape of this particular road trip. The title will mislead you, however, because while the Lincoln Highway is prominent in the title and in the map inserted in this book, it's not until the end of the book did the road trip truly begins (and ends).
Despite that, I enjoyed the slow unfolding tale. With Towles, you know that you have to take your time and get to know the characters and immerse yourself in the current landscape he's painting. Once the adventure starts, then you're hit with a barrage of comedy of errors that ultimately led our characters to their apt conclusion. Even with so many multiple POVs in this, it's not hard to follow where the story leads, and by the end of this you will feel for some characters more than others.
What I really enjoy about Towles's books is how he captures your imagination, how he presents the vivid imageries of the world his characters inhabit. It's nostalgic to read about how we once had to consult the foldable road maps to navigate our ways (almost obsolete now with the propagation of technology at our fingertips), and reading about the experience is part of the journey itself. The descriptions of Manhattan and Brooklyn makes me yearn for a simpler time and I can recall the days when my mom would be reading the map while my dad drives on into Manhattan, the ways we would walk all over the place until we're all bone-tired, our feet aching and our memories filled with a time we could never go back to.
My small complaints (and the only reason this didn't get a full 5 stars) lie with the odd tonal shifts within the book, and with Duchess, who is one of the most infuriating characters I have ever had the (dis?)pleasure to read about. Arguably he's one of the pivotal characters since he drives so many of the plot forward--but with Duchess, this can be a good thing or a bad thing. Ultimately, though, the ending of this story did make me feel for the man. So I take my (fedora) hats off to you, Mr. Amor Towles. You sure know how to spin a tale.
If you plan on reading this: Sit back, relax; let your imagination run wild and suspend your disbelief, and enjoy.
The journey starts off slowly--in medias res, as Billy would like to remind us--by introducing us to the myriad of characters that would dot the landscape of this particular road trip. The title will mislead you, however, because while the Lincoln Highway is prominent in the title and in the map inserted in this book, it's not until the end of the book did the road trip truly begins (and ends).
Despite that, I enjoyed the slow unfolding tale. With Towles, you know that you have to take your time and get to know the characters and immerse yourself in the current landscape he's painting. Once the adventure starts, then you're hit with a barrage of comedy of errors that ultimately led our characters to their apt conclusion. Even with so many multiple POVs in this, it's not hard to follow where the story leads, and by the end of this you will feel for some characters more than others.
What I really enjoy about Towles's books is how he captures your imagination, how he presents the vivid imageries of the world his characters inhabit. It's nostalgic to read about how we once had to consult the foldable road maps to navigate our ways (almost obsolete now with the propagation of technology at our fingertips), and reading about the experience is part of the journey itself. The descriptions of Manhattan and Brooklyn makes me yearn for a simpler time and I can recall the days when my mom would be reading the map while my dad drives on into Manhattan, the ways we would walk all over the place until we're all bone-tired, our feet aching and our memories filled with a time we could never go back to.
My small complaints (and the only reason this didn't get a full 5 stars) lie with the odd tonal shifts within the book, and with Duchess, who is one of the most infuriating characters I have ever had the (dis?)pleasure to read about. Arguably he's one of the pivotal characters since he drives so many of the plot forward--but with Duchess, this can be a good thing or a bad thing. Ultimately, though, the ending of this story did make me feel for the man. So I take my (fedora) hats off to you, Mr. Amor Towles. You sure know how to spin a tale.
If you plan on reading this: Sit back, relax; let your imagination run wild and suspend your disbelief, and enjoy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Suicide
lady_dariya's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide, Alcoholism, Grief, Murder, Violence, and War
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