Scan barcode
tia_mariaa's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Beautifully written
thecuriosityhourpodcast's review
4.0
This is, as some of the reviews mention, a challenging book to read. It's kind of hard to read, actually. But, I think that's on purpose....the author uses language to draw out the tension to a really difficult degree. But, the themes in the book leave the reader really wanting to GET to the resolution of the tension, which--in life--isn't always possible.
Challenging. In a good way.
Challenging. In a good way.
mrskilwell's review
1.0
This book was interesting in the beginning an then became increasingly more difficult to read. It is a book about nothing in particular and it seems like the writer went off on tangents that were inconsistent with the stoy line.
mappingoutasky's review
2.0
Probably my least favourite for this class. It felt like the author was playing everything safe, and I hated the characters.
Read for ENGL 4811: Is Beauty Just?
Read for ENGL 4811: Is Beauty Just?
rachelp's review
3.0
I thought this book was just okay. I didn't really like the main character, which may have been one of the reasons I didn't really love the book. I found the main character incredibly weak and he was a pathological liar (as was his mother).
There were basically three stories going here. One was of the main character, Jonas and his job and his relationship with his wife. The second was of how Jonas' father first left Ethiopia, but I had a hard time figuring out which parts were supposed to be true and which parts were Jonas' fabrication. The third, the only one I really enjoyed, was about Jonas' parents as a young married couple and new immigrants from Ethiopia.
I liked the author's writing, but the story could have been better.
There were basically three stories going here. One was of the main character, Jonas and his job and his relationship with his wife. The second was of how Jonas' father first left Ethiopia, but I had a hard time figuring out which parts were supposed to be true and which parts were Jonas' fabrication. The third, the only one I really enjoyed, was about Jonas' parents as a young married couple and new immigrants from Ethiopia.
I liked the author's writing, but the story could have been better.
lisagray68's review
3.0
Beautiful writing, love the story of the immigrant experience. The book keeps hinting and big events or a huge plot twist or something, but it really never happens. A little too slow for me.
yooperdoc's review
2.0
I won this as a good reads giveaway, and the back cover synopsis did sound interesting, but the book disappointed. Of the 4 main characters, not one seemed to have any redeeming qualities, and no one seemed to evolve, grow, change or learn anything on their painful journeys. I finished the book because I feel obligated to review any give-away book, but could tell before I was halfway through, that the depressing lack of insight that all the characters shared did not seem to be lifting, and unfortunately the end did not deviate from the rest of the book.
More...