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jenniferlyoung's review
3.0
Good, but not great. The book had such a long, slow build, I almost gave up on it. I loved all the characters, and I would say this is more magical realism than religion. I think my main issue was the hurry up and get it finished ending. Everything was wrapped up way too quickly! Fans of Sarah Addison Allen will probably enjoy this.
chicklit83's review
adventurous
emotional
tense
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? Yes
5.0
toastkid's review
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
hmm i have mixed feelings about this book. the prose is very nice to read, the descriptions of sound are so vivid, and overall it is a sweet, mostly feel-good story. but i feel like some liberties were taken and some tropes were relied upon a bit too heavily. like the idea of a town that ignored jim crow laws feels like the author wanted to avoid having to actually deal with racism in her story, but at the same time many of the black characters fall into the Magical Negro trope and Trinidad even teeters on the Mammy trope as well. i'm not entirely sure if the dialect stuff was accurate either. the author's descriptions of fetuses and abortion feel.... off, and i'm not sure whether her prose wrt that is being used to illustrate the perspective of the characters or to express her own views. overall a bit uncomfortable in this department.
i also feel like some allusions were a little heavy-handed or over-explained, as if the author was afraid we wouldn't get it. it worked okay with the style but i think it would have been better for the allusions to be left for the readers to pick up.
i did find the overall story very charming and easy to immerse myself in, and the writing was well-paced and had just the right amount of foreshadowing to allow me to piece together the story without feeling either impatient or spoon-fed. ultimately it was a surprisingly quick and enjoyable read but not without its problems.
i also feel like some allusions were a little heavy-handed or over-explained, as if the author was afraid we wouldn't get it. it worked okay with the style but i think it would have been better for the allusions to be left for the readers to pick up.
i did find the overall story very charming and easy to immerse myself in, and the writing was well-paced and had just the right amount of foreshadowing to allow me to piece together the story without feeling either impatient or spoon-fed. ultimately it was a surprisingly quick and enjoyable read but not without its problems.
simplymary's review
5.0
This book is more poetry than anything...magical, beautiful language weaving a descriptive tale of loss and wonder. I’m from Louisiana and Leganski certainly captured the essence and mystery of my home state. I loved Bonaventure, his mother, and father. A trio of favorite characters...you won’t regret reading this book!
keepcalmandcurl86's review
5.0
This novel was incredibly well-written and very captivating. I was shocked at the end by how all of the characters' lives were intertwined with one another - in ways I never even thought about! I definitely loved the character of Bonaventure Arrow, because he was such a sweet and innocent boy, who just wanted acceptance and love. I also enjoyed the character of his mother, Dancy, particularly in how she managed to raise her son alone and after facing the tragic loss of her husband. The grandmothers were so different, yet intriguing at the same time. The author used really poetic language, but it wasn't too obscure or flowery that you couldn't follow what she was saying. I definitely recommend this book to others. I picked it for my book club night, and all of the ladies thoroughly enjoyed it!
peppypenguin's review
5.0
I am so glad I picked this book off the shelf and decided to read it.
It's like poetry.
The writing is amazing. And the story's twists actually managed to surprise me.
It's take on religion may put off some people, but I saw it as a beautiful portrayal of God and what lies beyond, and the plans laid out for us all. Not being very religious myself, I took it as a piece of art and a point of view, and so it sat with me just fine.
And I absolutely adore the description the author gives of Bonaventure's abilities. It truly brings a sense of wonder to the entire novel.
Her characters are also fantastic, each with their own demons to conquer, and so well portrayed and examined.
It's a bit of a slower book, maybe not with a huge climax. But it's not that kind of novel. It almost reminded me of The Lovely Bones, but I preferred this book, in part because of the way the author brings everything together so completely.
I strongly recommend this book. It's beautiful.
It's like poetry.
The writing is amazing. And the story's twists actually managed to surprise me.
It's take on religion may put off some people, but I saw it as a beautiful portrayal of God and what lies beyond, and the plans laid out for us all. Not being very religious myself, I took it as a piece of art and a point of view, and so it sat with me just fine.
And I absolutely adore the description the author gives of Bonaventure's abilities. It truly brings a sense of wonder to the entire novel.
Her characters are also fantastic, each with their own demons to conquer, and so well portrayed and examined.
It's a bit of a slower book, maybe not with a huge climax. But it's not that kind of novel. It almost reminded me of The Lovely Bones, but I preferred this book, in part because of the way the author brings everything together so completely.
I strongly recommend this book. It's beautiful.
jeaninesmith1962's review
5.0
Best book club discussion ever - the characters, the settings, the themes - all led to a brilliant evening.
karimorton33's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the magical realism in this book, and how everything eventually came together at the end. But I felt it didn't have much of a plot and had many seemingly unrelated parts until the very end. I wished it included more about Bonaventure himself, however the other characters were all interesting in their own way. (Read for Central Book Club)
vanitar's review
3.0
Really well written book but didn't love all the content and the story as a whole felt too long. But the writing quality and style was fantastic.
aristeegan's review
5.0
To truly convey my thoughts on this book, I would need to be a far better writer. And so, I will just say that from the first page to the last, this story is a gift. Rita Leganski has an ability to weave together a deep and touching story using the threads of beautiful prose. A book like this doesn't come along very often.