170 reviews for:

Taft: A Novel

Ann Patchett

3.46 AVERAGE

emotional reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Ann Patchett doing what she does best. There were a couple moments felt clunky of going on too long but that Patchett magic of familial relationships. 
challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

3 Stars

A 38 year old bar manager hires a young girl who just walks into his bar without ever checking to see any ID. From the very beginning, I heard warning bells going off. It turns out she is only 17, but develops a crush on him. And then it went downhill.

Even though the premise was unsettling the life of a black male in Memphis seemed to be an accurate portrayal. The most telling part of the book was the description of the Police Museum on Beale Street where, as the author says, you didn't have to go too far back in historic police logs to see entries for arrests for "being uppity, not getting off the sidewalk quick enough, having the wrong tone in their voice." Not too far back indeed, especially when you see reports of blacks executed by blues for crimes such as having an air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror. Even 30 years after it was written, this book should make you feel very uncomfortable for so many different reasons.

Other reviews have said this is the weakest of Patchett's books, so I may have to try another.
reflective 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: Yes
dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
dark reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
medium-paced
emotional reflective tense medium-paced
challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes