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skeetergal's review against another edition
4.0
Beautiful and warm. A perfect end of summer book, full of longing and sadness and gorgeous landscapes.
tarduslectorum's review against another edition
5.0
Beautifully written. At once warm and natural and cold and melancholy and hopeful and the right amount of creepy. I like Grandmother
karmanderofmars's review against another edition
4.0
This was such a lovely book to take in slowly, whenever I wanted a quiet moment. The island, cottage-core vibes were immaculate and I loved the descriptions of the sea and seasons, it truly transported me to a different place. The characters were also extremely charming.
jacobedward's review against another edition
5.0
Slow, quiet. With unembellished prose, Jansson’s stories carve out a playful spot between childhood wonderment and the cynical wisdom of old age—in turn allowing the anxieties of both to be understood and processed. Lighthearted on the surface, a subtle melancholy permeates each vignette. Peppered throughout is Jansson’s evocative nature writing that captures the landscape’s desolate, harsh beauty, as well as the relaxed, cyclical rhythm of island life. This book worked on so many levels for me. Like a kid at the end of summer, I was disappointed when it was over.
seaemcay's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
choy77's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
tilla's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
A wonderfully sweet and enjoyable read. It’s not very long and perfect for a summer day where you need something light and cozy
flyupinthesky's review against another edition
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
I read this book as a child, and have often thought fondly of it. I read it again today, and whilst reading it from an adults pov gives me a different perspective it is a delightful little book of stories and anecdotes of moments on an island in the summer. I reqlly appreciated the afterward by Tove’s niece Sophia, showing the similar rhythms of summer island life now she is a grandmother.
elinchadwick's review against another edition
4.0
This book was such a delightful little read. Reading it at the very, very end of summer was such a good choice as well. I don’t normally go for the “all vibes, no plot” type of books but I was having such a fun time accompanying that crotchety old grandma and her feisty little granddaughter that by the time I got to the end, I was so reluctant to let go of summer on the island. The chapter about the end of summer, and how little by little the island was preparing itself for fall, made me feel really weirdly heavy-hearted about the seasons changing.
Optional side quest: tally up the amount of times the word “moss” is mentioned.
Optional side quest: tally up the amount of times the word “moss” is mentioned.