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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
4.5/5
Okay I really REALLY enjoyed this but I had to take half a star off for the "for fans of Gentlemen's Guide to Vice and Virtue" thing I keep seeing because other than both being historical fictions in YA...I don't see it.
The characters were so good. Each scene had a purpose to develop them. The setting was fun as well but Lou really just stole my heart and attention for the whole book. I also gotta props the author for giving me a romance that I rooted for. I didn't roll my eyes for tons of the book or anything. I think it was incredibly smart for the author to have Lou's sister be in a whirlwind romance at the same time off-screen so I could compare it. Lou has this fear of losing herself but it felt more like she grows with her world and circumstances and experiences which happen to bring her to this romance with someone who also adjusts into her.
Also, how dare Indigo not carry this beautiful cover in stores!
Okay I really REALLY enjoyed this but I had to take half a star off for the "for fans of Gentlemen's Guide to Vice and Virtue" thing I keep seeing because other than both being historical fictions in YA...I don't see it.
The characters were so good. Each scene had a purpose to develop them. The setting was fun as well but Lou really just stole my heart and attention for the whole book. I also gotta props the author for giving me a romance that I rooted for. I didn't roll my eyes for tons of the book or anything. I think it was incredibly smart for the author to have Lou's sister be in a whirlwind romance at the same time off-screen so I could compare it. Lou has this fear of losing herself but it felt more like she grows with her world and circumstances and experiences which happen to bring her to this romance with someone who also adjusts into her.
Also, how dare Indigo not carry this beautiful cover in stores!
This book has easily made it into my favourite reads of 2019, and possibly my all-time favourites list!
There is so much I want to say about this book, and I feel as though I will not be able to write it all, so I am going to start with my only negative, which was that I found the first few chapters a little slow, and I somewhat struggled to get into it. I was still enjoying the book, but I certainly didn’t think it would become one of my favourite reads! However, once I was hooked that was it, and I loved it!! Laura Wood has beautiful writing that perfectly captures emotion and scenery, and I thoroughly enjoyed her debut historical fiction novel!
Set in 1929, Louise is a young girl unsure of her place in the world, dreaming of a life beyond the one waiting for her. She escapes her reality in a world of fiction, and in the Cardew House: an empty, isolated house, protected from the rest of the world by the tide. When the owners, Caitlin and Robert Cardew, move in, she cannot help but observe their lavish lifestyle and huge parties. She is quickly caught, and then befriended by the Cardew siblings. At first, she is merely something new and exciting for the rich to amuse themselves with, but slowly she becomes something more to them, and realises that there is more than meets the eye no matter your situation in life.
This is a beautiful, wonderful novel about coming of age, figuring out what you want, having the courage the admit it to yourself and the world, and finally pursuing it.
I love the relationships that are explored by Wood’s incredible prose. She examines sibling relations, friendships, romantic relations, class boundaries, mental health, interracial romance and LGBTQ+ relationships (and although I am not a huge historical fiction reader, I barely ever see LGBTQ+ relationships so this was great to see). Each relationship in the novel contains depth, and offers insight into life in the 1920s. Every character is important to Lou’s journey in some way, but Wood makes it possible for you to sympathise with and follow the progression of each person, and I have rarely loved so many of the characters as I do in this novel. The romance that develops through the novel is also beautifully written, and follows many of my all-time favourite romantic tropes, including an internal struggle as to whether they really like each other, subtle glances at each other and lingering for just a bit too long!
Throughout the novel, Wood highlights that there are many different ways to live life, and that there is no sole path that everyone must conform to, and that not every path will lead to happiness. Lou’s sister, Alice, is thoroughly happy as a married 19-year old, content to stay in Cornwall with her husband and raise a family. Lou’s parents are quietly accepting of their children’s differences, and provide gentle encouragement to Lou’s endeavours. Marriages as business contracts are seen as a strange but routine part of the rich world, and the Cardews lead a life of luxury and can still be fiercely unhappy. In a reassuring way, Laura reiterates that everyone is different, people are still figuring themselves out as they grow into adulthood, and the right path is not always the one expected of you.
If I could sum this novel up in a word, it would be: profound.
There is so much I want to say about this book, and I feel as though I will not be able to write it all, so I am going to start with my only negative, which was that I found the first few chapters a little slow, and I somewhat struggled to get into it. I was still enjoying the book, but I certainly didn’t think it would become one of my favourite reads! However, once I was hooked that was it, and I loved it!! Laura Wood has beautiful writing that perfectly captures emotion and scenery, and I thoroughly enjoyed her debut historical fiction novel!
Set in 1929, Louise is a young girl unsure of her place in the world, dreaming of a life beyond the one waiting for her. She escapes her reality in a world of fiction, and in the Cardew House: an empty, isolated house, protected from the rest of the world by the tide. When the owners, Caitlin and Robert Cardew, move in, she cannot help but observe their lavish lifestyle and huge parties. She is quickly caught, and then befriended by the Cardew siblings. At first, she is merely something new and exciting for the rich to amuse themselves with, but slowly she becomes something more to them, and realises that there is more than meets the eye no matter your situation in life.
This is a beautiful, wonderful novel about coming of age, figuring out what you want, having the courage the admit it to yourself and the world, and finally pursuing it.
I love the relationships that are explored by Wood’s incredible prose. She examines sibling relations, friendships, romantic relations, class boundaries, mental health, interracial romance and LGBTQ+ relationships (and although I am not a huge historical fiction reader, I barely ever see LGBTQ+ relationships so this was great to see). Each relationship in the novel contains depth, and offers insight into life in the 1920s. Every character is important to Lou’s journey in some way, but Wood makes it possible for you to sympathise with and follow the progression of each person, and I have rarely loved so many of the characters as I do in this novel. The romance that develops through the novel is also beautifully written, and follows many of my all-time favourite romantic tropes, including an internal struggle as to whether they really like each other, subtle glances at each other and lingering for just a bit too long!
Throughout the novel, Wood highlights that there are many different ways to live life, and that there is no sole path that everyone must conform to, and that not every path will lead to happiness. Lou’s sister, Alice, is thoroughly happy as a married 19-year old, content to stay in Cornwall with her husband and raise a family. Lou’s parents are quietly accepting of their children’s differences, and provide gentle encouragement to Lou’s endeavours. Marriages as business contracts are seen as a strange but routine part of the rich world, and the Cardews lead a life of luxury and can still be fiercely unhappy. In a reassuring way, Laura reiterates that everyone is different, people are still figuring themselves out as they grow into adulthood, and the right path is not always the one expected of you.
If I could sum this novel up in a word, it would be: profound.
This was such a lovely, charming, heartwarming book. It would be the perfect cosy/read-when-sad novel; I kind of wish I'd bought it instead of taking it out of the library so I could pick it up at will. The Cornish setting and Lou's big, lovely family added so much to the book, and while I was a little apprehensive that it would try to sell the 1920s through a borrowed Great Gatsby aesthetic, the book turned out to be not that at all (though the party aesthetics are wonderful). To be honest, I enjoyed this book an awful lot more than I enjoyed The Great Gatsby, and the characters are infinitely more likeable.
Lou was a really great protagonist, and her banter with Robert was genuinely entertaining - not the superficial or cringeworthy conversations you get in so many books. Robert and Caitlin were truly endearing. I liked that the novel addressed the idea of Lou as a 'display piece' for all those wealthy young people, and the diversity was refreshing and didn't feel at all forced. Also, I have really really missed a good romance that took its time starting. Obviously I knew it was coming but by the time it came around it had had enough time to really develop, and as a result it was immensely satisfying.
Overall this was a lovely read, and there's definitely more to it than you'd guess from the cover (gorgeous as it is) and the blurb alone. It has a real emotional punch too, which only made me love it more. Would absolutely recommend it.
Lou was a really great protagonist, and her banter with Robert was genuinely entertaining - not the superficial or cringeworthy conversations you get in so many books. Robert and Caitlin were truly endearing. I liked that the novel addressed the idea of Lou as a 'display piece' for all those wealthy young people, and the diversity was refreshing and didn't feel at all forced. Also, I have really really missed a good romance that took its time starting. Obviously I knew it was coming but by the time it came around it had had enough time to really develop, and as a result it was immensely satisfying.
Overall this was a lovely read, and there's definitely more to it than you'd guess from the cover (gorgeous as it is) and the blurb alone. It has a real emotional punch too, which only made me love it more. Would absolutely recommend it.
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Párty, šaty, světla, třpyt, ostrov, alkohol, jablka, stromy, bosé nohy, jedno léto, drzá hrdinka, knihy Agathy Christie, honosné sídlo, trochu upjatý mladý muž. Asi tak by se dalo shrnout Nebe ze zlata, které mi přesně sedlo do nálady. Je to takové oddechové, odpočinkové a nenáročné čtení, které se čte jedním dechem. Potřebuji ve svém životě více knížek, které slupnu jako malinu ve dvou večerech.
Líbila se mi romantická linka a pohodová atmosféra léta plného večírků, i když bylo jasné, že na povrch vyplavou potíže.
Lou je pěkná divoška, která je tak trošičku Nick Carraway a trošičku Joe March - což samozřejmě berte s rezervou, jen jsem si na tyto dvě postavy při čtení prostě vzpomněla. Lou je očarovaná světem bohatých, vše bedlivě pozoruje a píše vlastní knihu, kterou si
Lou s Robertem mě vážně bavili, ale nemohla jsem se dostat to té představy, že se nejedná o prostředí USA, ale Velké Británie. Nějak mi to k ději nesedělo. Amerika by se svými uvolněnějšímu mravy a sociálními třídami nesvazovanými Britskou aristokracií byla mnohem vhodnější. Prostě nemůžu uvěřit, že by to v létě před Krachem newyorské burzy, který začal v září a vyvrcholil v říjnu 1929 a po kterém následovala Velká deprese 30 let, vypadalo takto růžově. Řekla bych, že „Roaring Twenties“ tedy Zlatá dvacátá léta probíhala hlavně v Americe, jelikož Británie byla po první světové obrovsky zadlužena vůči USA, řešila nezaměstnanost a ekonomika spíše stagnovala, zatímco Amerika zažívala boom. Na to si nemusím pamatovat detaily. Zrovna tak jsem nepochopila, proč měli klub ve sklepě, když prohibice byla v USA… asi na to autorka chtěla odkázat. Jasně, YA knížky nejsou učebnice dějepisu, ale já tam prostě viděla spíše tu Ameriku. Pak jsem taky nepochopila, proč si hrdinka nechá ostříhat vlasy skoro v závěru knihy, když jinak sledovala módní časopisy a měla by vědět, co se dávno nosilo.
Na co jsem si také musela zvykat, byl jazyk... přesněji řečeno tykání. Angličtina má v tomto krásnou výhodu, protože to neřeší. Nějak mi k postavám v roce 1929 neseděl jejich způsob mluvení. Nemyslím si, že by sedmnáctiletá dívka z farmy takto familiárně mluvila s třiadvacetiletým mužem z vyšší společnosti a to ani v této uvolněnější době. Musela jsem si několikrát připomínat, že jsem ve 20 letech a ne v současnosti.
Plus je velká škoda, že autorka při řečení duševního zdraví a alkoholismu nešla více do hloubky. Sestra Roberta má totiž opravdu problém, který mi nepřipadal vyloženě dořešený. Nicméně, to kvůli pohodovosti příběhu tedy přehlédnu.
Líbila se mi romantická linka a pohodová atmosféra léta plného večírků, i když bylo jasné, že na povrch vyplavou potíže.
Lou je pěkná divoška, která je tak trošičku Nick Carraway a trošičku Joe March - což samozřejmě berte s rezervou, jen jsem si na tyto dvě postavy při čtení prostě vzpomněla. Lou je očarovaná světem bohatých, vše bedlivě pozoruje a píše vlastní knihu, kterou si
Spoiler
Robert čte a pak přiměje Lou poslat ji do nakladatelství.Lou s Robertem mě vážně bavili, ale nemohla jsem se dostat to té představy, že se nejedná o prostředí USA, ale Velké Británie. Nějak mi to k ději nesedělo. Amerika by se svými uvolněnějšímu mravy a sociálními třídami nesvazovanými Britskou aristokracií byla mnohem vhodnější. Prostě nemůžu uvěřit, že by to v létě před Krachem newyorské burzy, který začal v září a vyvrcholil v říjnu 1929 a po kterém následovala Velká deprese 30 let, vypadalo takto růžově. Řekla bych, že „Roaring Twenties“ tedy Zlatá dvacátá léta probíhala hlavně v Americe, jelikož Británie byla po první světové obrovsky zadlužena vůči USA, řešila nezaměstnanost a ekonomika spíše stagnovala, zatímco Amerika zažívala boom. Na to si nemusím pamatovat detaily. Zrovna tak jsem nepochopila, proč měli klub ve sklepě, když prohibice byla v USA… asi na to autorka chtěla odkázat. Jasně, YA knížky nejsou učebnice dějepisu, ale já tam prostě viděla spíše tu Ameriku. Pak jsem taky nepochopila, proč si hrdinka nechá ostříhat vlasy skoro v závěru knihy, když jinak sledovala módní časopisy a měla by vědět, co se dávno nosilo.
Na co jsem si také musela zvykat, byl jazyk... přesněji řečeno tykání. Angličtina má v tomto krásnou výhodu, protože to neřeší. Nějak mi k postavám v roce 1929 neseděl jejich způsob mluvení. Nemyslím si, že by sedmnáctiletá dívka z farmy takto familiárně mluvila s třiadvacetiletým mužem z vyšší společnosti a to ani v této uvolněnější době. Musela jsem si několikrát připomínat, že jsem ve 20 letech a ne v současnosti.
Plus je velká škoda, že autorka při řečení duševního zdraví a alkoholismu nešla více do hloubky. Sestra Roberta má totiž opravdu problém, který mi nepřipadal vyloženě dořešený. Nicméně, to kvůli pohodovosti příběhu tedy přehlédnu.
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
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:
No
I adored this book! When I picked it up from the library I could not get over the cover!! This book is filled with Gatsy glamour, romance and, a teeny bit of mystery. Just the escape I needed, especially as the weather warms up a little. It’s the perfect light YA read. I personally enjoy a little more “action” but nonetheless I liked this one a lot!
Instagram.com/whatarireads
Instagram.com/whatarireads
I wish I could give this 100 stars. This might be my favorite book of 2020. It’s beyond delightful.
This is the third book I've read this year that I wish had leaned into its potential as a psychological thriller. I kept waiting for this totally boring protagonist to find out that all the fancy drinks these London hotshots were serving her would, like, turn her into a goblin. Or maybe that they were only befriending her so that they could harvest her organs. But instead, all these, ahem, TWENTYSOMETHINGS are just besotted with this completely ordinary 17-year-old country girl. And even cringier is that she writes stories and the Twentysomethings FIND the stories and...love them. I thought maybe the love for her stories was feigned so that they could win her over in order to steal her identity at some point, but no. There's this character Bernie who I honest-to-goodness thought might be a vampire, or a grave-robber, or SOMETHING...nope. He's just a slightly creepier twentysomething than the rest.
Here's the twist ending of this review, though: it almost completely won me over in the last two chapters. At that point, I suddenly remembered [b:I Capture the Castle|31122|I Capture the Castle|Dodie Smith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1385316083l/31122._SX50_.jpg|950769] and [b:Daddy-Long-Legs|1499952|Daddy-Long-Legs (Daddy-Long-Legs, #1)|Jean Webster|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1545901408l/1499952._SY75_.jpg|1710545] and realized ooooooohhhhhhh there were never any body-snatchers, it was wholesome all along! And I wasn't sad I had read it.
Here's the twist ending of this review, though: it almost completely won me over in the last two chapters. At that point, I suddenly remembered [b:I Capture the Castle|31122|I Capture the Castle|Dodie Smith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1385316083l/31122._SX50_.jpg|950769] and [b:Daddy-Long-Legs|1499952|Daddy-Long-Legs (Daddy-Long-Legs, #1)|Jean Webster|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1545901408l/1499952._SY75_.jpg|1710545] and realized ooooooohhhhhhh there were never any body-snatchers, it was wholesome all along! And I wasn't sad I had read it.