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libristella's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
erboe501's review
5.0
Helen Oyeyemi is one of my top three contemporary writers. I never know quite what to make of her books when I've finished them, but I love the ride. I underlined so much in this book, about relationship dynamics and turns of phrase. Her books are hard to define by genre. Magical realism, perhaps, because there are definitely things happening in the book (furniture on ceilings, trains that defy the odds of time and place) that elude explanation. The mystery of this novel, whether a certain character, Prem, really exists or is "unseen" by another character, Ava, could also be magical realist if we believe he was "unseen", or made invisible to Ava while other characters continued to see him. Or, this unseeing could be a metaphor. The unseeing could be read as a larger conversation about who we consider disposable or non-essential on our journeys to our life partners. I also love how her people and places are diversified with non-Western Europeans. There's a heavy Eastern European influence. When I found out Oyeyemi is Catholic, that somehow clicked into the heavily symbolic, off-kilter, guilt and passion tone.
A bit of Wes Anderson, but with more grit. Whimsical but with an undercurrent of tension and potential violence. I'd love to live in the world Oyeyemi creates on the train The Lucky Day, until the tension breaks.
A bit of Wes Anderson, but with more grit. Whimsical but with an undercurrent of tension and potential violence. I'd love to live in the world Oyeyemi creates on the train The Lucky Day, until the tension breaks.
vegetablemathematics's review
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Really liked this. Somehow it reminded me a little of the westing game, if the westing game was dreamlike literary fiction for adults. Just something about the vibe.
jessdonaldson84's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
alalex's review against another edition
challenging
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
hannahpicton's review against another edition
Made it to page 15 - not a chuffing clue mate
niwoo's review
challenging
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
bat11692's review
I’m so sorry I had to DNF this book. I really wanted to like it. Maybe I’m just not in the right mindset for it right now or it’s just not my style. But it’s so tangential, I’ve no idea wtf is going on, but I realized I don’t care to. It goes…bizarre event, nonsensical reverie, skip in timeline, repeat. I’ve read 112 pages which is about halfway and I just can’t do it IM SORRY