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mjminkowich's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
cathybbookshelf's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jessalynn_librarian's review against another edition
4.0
This one has a different flavor than Ibbotson's other adult novels that have been repackaged for young adult readers - which is perhaps why it hasn't been republished with the rest. The story is definitely more focused on adult concerns, rather than those of a young woman just entering adulthood. Some Ibbotson fans seem thrown off by the way she deals with mistresses and adultery, but to me the story was more about evoking Vienna of a particular period, bringing the city to life in a wonderful way (and making me crave all kinds of delicious cakes).
jenniferaimee's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I loved Ibbotson's middle grade fantasy when I was a kid, and I remember being so excited to find one of her adult books at the library as a teenager. But when I tried to read it, it didn't resonate with me for some reason, and I never finished it. I picked up Madensky Square (again at a library) because I felt maybe I hadn't been fair to her adult writing when I was younger, and having now read this in approximately three sittings, I can say that I certainly was unfair. I loved this and can't wait to read more of her books.
johannaerika's review against another edition
3.0
Är inte mycket för halva betyg, men denna är en klar 3,5...
charlotteappleyard93's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book follows the life of Susanna a bright and talented seamstress who runs her own shop. I really love this character who is quite different to the sweet and almost Mary Sue like protagonists in other Ibbotson books. She's intelligent, driven and very passionate and also sometimes high strung and stubborn, I appreciated her maturity and complexity.
Other ways this book differs from classic Eva Ibbotson romances is that it is written like a diary with the chapters representing the months. However you barely notice this! I would say this book focuses more on the lives and dramas of the locals, it's full of eccentric characters and funny moments and entanglements.
However, there is a melancholy running through these subplots and themes of abandonment, child neglect and death. The language can also be somewhat dated.
It's so different to Ibbotsons traditional work, it is way less romantic but I still overall enjoyed it and found the end very satisfying. In a sense I liked that Susanna's story was not completely hinged on her getting together with someone and is definitely focused on her business and independence.
Other ways this book differs from classic Eva Ibbotson romances is that it is written like a diary with the chapters representing the months. However you barely notice this! I would say this book focuses more on the lives and dramas of the locals, it's full of eccentric characters and funny moments and entanglements.
However, there is a melancholy running through these subplots and themes of abandonment, child neglect and death. The language can also be somewhat dated.
It's so different to Ibbotsons traditional work, it is way less romantic but I still overall enjoyed it and found the end very satisfying. In a sense I liked that Susanna's story was not completely hinged on her getting together with someone and is definitely focused on her business and independence.
sarahvernall's review against another edition
5.0
Chosen for my first reread of Ibbotson's adult romances because it's very distinct from the others. A more mature and self sufficient heroine, an epistolary journal style, and a gentle slow-paced slice-of-life narrative. The gentle familiarity that is established with the setting and the comings and goings of its inhabitants is beautiful; Madensky Square is almost a character in itself. Susanna Weber is a charismatic, sunny tour de force, if more worldly than Ibbotson's usual clutch of breathless life-enhancing ingenues (all of whom I also adore). The secondary characters uniformly sparkle; the Hungarian anarchist, the herpetology professor, the English Miss, the Bluestocking, the carpenter and his seven daughters, the tiny Polish piano prodigy. There are occasional problematic elements; see Susanna's disgust for Magdalena's wish for a sexless marriage. But overall, it remains an undiscovered beauty of a novel.
jennybeastie's review against another edition
4.0
It's more of a romance with Vienna and a time of beauty than a romance of persons. Tragic and beguiling. Quietly told and measured in pace, beautifully told.