7.62k reviews for:

The Great Believers

Rebecca Makkai

4.45 AVERAGE

mkebrew's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional sad 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: No

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Terribly tragic. A light shining onto the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s. A forgotten, covered up time period thanks to Regan. Also about a main characters fight to find and repair her relationship with her daughter. Tragic. Sad. A good read. Historical. 

janellet24's review against another edition

4.5

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad 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: Yes

kbrunik's review against another edition

4.0

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I liked the characters and the storylines for both Yale and Fiona. There was a level of naïveté to Yale that was frustrating, but maybe still realistic? 

rifelife's review against another edition

5.0

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-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

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So glad my ancient kindle wouldn’t connect to my hotel wifi to download all my current Libby books because I kept this stunning novel waiting in the wings too long. The characters were all so well-written and I cared deeply about their journeys. I also think Makkai did an excellent job acknowledging her role as an author of a book telling these stories in her author’s notes.

krysti37's review against another edition

5.0

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

megantallent's review against another edition

4.25

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

cascherer's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad 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: Complicated

martine_01's review against another edition

3.75

emotional reflective sad slow-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

all_abi_reads's review against another edition

3.5

Plot or Character Driven: Character

anniemayn's review against another edition

4.75

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Incredibly moving, devastating book that drops you in the middle of an AIDS-ravished scene in Chicago in the 80s—something I’ve heard about but never felt the gravity of until reading this. Extraordinary character development and a tragedy that refuses to stop giving you hope. It both lets you live in and through the horrors, and gives you a glimpse at the effects decades later.