Reviews

Improvement by Joan Silber

beebonet's review against another edition

lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This has been the most enjoyable read of the year so far for me. This book just flows, it appears easy and fluid, but when I paused during reading breaks, I came to the understanding of just how much was going on. 

Joan Silber is a great talent.  

oreolover15's review against another edition

3.0

While I don't usually read a book synopsis, I did read the synopsis for this one and it left me more than a little disappointed.

The synopsis leads you to believe you're reading about the results of a single action taken after getting involved in a cigarette smuggling operation.

To be clear, there is indeed a cigarette smuggling operation and Rayna does indeed choose not to be a part of it but she was never really involved in it either. She ALMOST drove for them and then decided she couldn't risk it.

Because of that choice some things happen. But a lot of the stories in this book aren't even tied in to this choice. At most the characters have unusual ties to other characters but it seems odd to throw their stories in just for that reason.

Needless to say, it wasn't my favorite. It felt very disjointed but I did love Kiki and her interesting life.

jojo71's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

peonichka's review against another edition

hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

chillcox15's review against another edition

3.0

Joan Silber's Improvement has a decently interesting structure, with a frame character who starts a series of events that the novel follows backwards and forwards in time through several other characters. I thought Silber's characterizations were unembellished and interesting- Reyna, the main character, seemed to be written as unapologetically less intellectual than Silber herself, without condescension, and that is something hard to pull off. Her aunt Kiki seemed to be more of the authorial surrogate, possibly, watching over the proceedings of the other characters while reflecting on her own history. I guess in the end I just found the conclusions reached unsatisfactory with the prose being as spare as it is.

toniclark's review against another edition

4.0

Having loved Silber’s Secrets of Happiness, I immediately sought out another of her novels, this one the most recent. It’s rich and layered, filled with engaging, sometimes quirky, characters. The story lines are intricate and intertwined. Silber is a master of her art. Why did I wait so long to read her? I’m planning to read more as soon as possible.

sorrel29's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

essjay1's review against another edition

5.0

The clue is in the title. Is this what we need to have a full & satisfying life? In striving to improve our situation, usually through acquisitions, perhaps real growth happens when we give something away.

It is not often a novel finds the perfect end-point of the story but the author manages to guide us through the lives of all her interconnected characters via a series of vignettes about their lives and lead us to the perfect conclusion. Slipping seamlessly across decades and continents, Silber is such a good wordsmith her writing just slides into your consciousness and stays there.

franceskamadden's review against another edition

1.0

I tried really hard to like this book. It has great reviews and has won awards but something just wasn't there for me. I found myself well over halfway in and found I didn't care about the characters or the storyline and found it all tediously boring with huge amounts of subtle racism that was almost uncomfortable to read. The writing style in itself is easy enough to read, yet the chapters are long and just not interesting enough to keep my attention. I read a lot of books from many genres but this is the worst book I've read so far. For such a short book it dragged and I couldn't wait for it to end. There was little to no character development and I honestly didn't care what happened to any of them. It also has a weird feel for the time it's meant to be set in, as far as I'm aware it's meant to be present day but the writing is so numbingly boring and flat that it doesn't seem like real, believable characters in how they act.. I'm sad that I couldn't see into the hype that surrounds this book and for me it's very overrated and I will probably avoid any other books I see from Joan Silber. There is no enjoyment in reading this book I'm afraid. Although this book was gifted to me by the publisher through reader's first, all thoughts and opinions are my own and I would like to thank them for the copy of this novel.

lewilk's review against another edition

4.0

The web of stories about individuals who touch each others lives was drawn beautifully, with pathos and detail. A lovely, quick read.