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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
I had mixed feeling about this book. I was interested to see it as I have visited Asheville, NC, many times, and a couple of years ago, I took a bus tour which stopped at the hospital grounds. That's when I first learned that Zelda Fitzgerald had so tragically lost her life there. But the book wasn't quite as good as I would have liked.
Pros: I liked the main character and the premise used to get to know the times and the place where Zelda died. As some other reviewers have noted, Zelda was not a major character, but that's OK, because to me, that made this more realistic. I also liked getting a glimpse of a mental institution from the 1940s. I liked the other characters that were introduced and hearing their back stories.
Cons: Overall, I felt for such a dramatic story, the story lacked drama. Even though I liked Evalina, I felt a disconnect with her emotionally. I would have liked to have been more emotionally involved in the stories. While I found the book interesting, it did not move me.
Pros: I liked the main character and the premise used to get to know the times and the place where Zelda died. As some other reviewers have noted, Zelda was not a major character, but that's OK, because to me, that made this more realistic. I also liked getting a glimpse of a mental institution from the 1940s. I liked the other characters that were introduced and hearing their back stories.
Cons: Overall, I felt for such a dramatic story, the story lacked drama. Even though I liked Evalina, I felt a disconnect with her emotionally. I would have liked to have been more emotionally involved in the stories. While I found the book interesting, it did not move me.
This was a wonderful book by a local author that I read for a class. There were all sorts of colorful characters. Sometimes I got a little impatient waiting for certain parts to finally show up, but overall I really enjoyed this book.
informative
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Very interesting story that is sort of wrapped around Zelda Fitzgerald's time at a mental institution. I do wish there had been a little more to it. I felt it ended too soon, yet I was still oddly satisfied.
I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13775995
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13775995
After just beginning this book, I saw [b:Z A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald|15994634|Z A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald|Therese Anne Fowler|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1396815892s/15994634.jpg|21763986] at the library and checked it out. Intrigued by the references to Zelda F in [b:Guests on Earth|17433973|Guests on Earth|Lee Smith|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1368230391s/17433973.jpg|24290951], I thought more background on this pivotal but backdrop character might give me more insight or weight for this book. It did, indeed. Infact, I recommend reading the two books together, starting with this one, then going through Z: A Novel and back and forth a bit. While the parts of Zelda's life featured in Guests on Earth are only briefly referenced in Z: A Novel, having the history of Zelda's life in firm grasp makes Guests on Earth a richer novel, and vice versa, because where Z: A Novel goes vague, Guests on Earth can fill in the gaps a bit.
Guests on Earth revolves around a young orphan who ends up in this mental institute for most of her life. While her mental illnesses are minor in comparison to others at the home, it does give some perspective on how treatments used to go, while at the same time giving an interesting snapshot into the life and times of the novel, and dabbling with the Fitzgeralds, a couple in the background. Music, art, and horticulture are also given a bit of a spotlight for their therapeutic roles.
The novel is not overly profound or unusual, but it is pleasant, the characters interesting and realistic, and the writing is strong.
This book would make a good book club selection.
I received my copy through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.
Guests on Earth revolves around a young orphan who ends up in this mental institute for most of her life. While her mental illnesses are minor in comparison to others at the home, it does give some perspective on how treatments used to go, while at the same time giving an interesting snapshot into the life and times of the novel, and dabbling with the Fitzgeralds, a couple in the background. Music, art, and horticulture are also given a bit of a spotlight for their therapeutic roles.
The novel is not overly profound or unusual, but it is pleasant, the characters interesting and realistic, and the writing is strong.
This book would make a good book club selection.
I received my copy through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury
I received a copy of this novel through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers programme (by mistake) in exchange for an honest review. This review in its entirety was originally posted at caffeinatedlife.net: http://www.caffeinatedlife.net/blog/2014/06/20/review-guests-on-earth/
What I really liked about this novel was the look into life in a mental hospital in the early 20th century, the regiments that were employed, the results, etc. Highland Hospital was sort of in the cutting edge when it came to mental health and treatment, so it was interesting to see some familiar implementations such as rest/activity, insulin therapy, shock therapy, etc. It’s also interesting to read how the characters fare within the institution, and how some of them may not necessarily be suffering from an actual mental illness; it’s hard to tell, the author I think places that question through some of the later doctors who come in to assess the patients.
The first half of the book was interesting as the reader is introduced to Evalina’s sad life and how she came to end up in Highland Hospital. However, the story started falling apart for me somewhere halfway when Evalina returned to the institute after a stint outside living a regular life; I think this was because I lost a sense of where her story was going, with the scenes became more disjointed and fragmented.
And then there’s Zelda Fitzgerald herself. She pops in and out of Evalina’s life, energetic but prone to sudden mood changes. I honestly not very familiar with her life save for the bare outline of what happened to her, but if you’re looking to read this book because of her, you might want to re-consider: she’s not in it a lot.
Overall Guests on Earth was a promising read. It had a strong beginning, but ultimately fell a bit short for me, especially as it heads to that fateful end of the Highland Hospital. The detail into the medicine and the practices of the time were interesting, as were the situation that these women were in with their health conditions.
What I really liked about this novel was the look into life in a mental hospital in the early 20th century, the regiments that were employed, the results, etc. Highland Hospital was sort of in the cutting edge when it came to mental health and treatment, so it was interesting to see some familiar implementations such as rest/activity, insulin therapy, shock therapy, etc. It’s also interesting to read how the characters fare within the institution, and how some of them may not necessarily be suffering from an actual mental illness; it’s hard to tell, the author I think places that question through some of the later doctors who come in to assess the patients.
The first half of the book was interesting as the reader is introduced to Evalina’s sad life and how she came to end up in Highland Hospital. However, the story started falling apart for me somewhere halfway when Evalina returned to the institute after a stint outside living a regular life; I think this was because I lost a sense of where her story was going, with the scenes became more disjointed and fragmented.
And then there’s Zelda Fitzgerald herself. She pops in and out of Evalina’s life, energetic but prone to sudden mood changes. I honestly not very familiar with her life save for the bare outline of what happened to her, but if you’re looking to read this book because of her, you might want to re-consider: she’s not in it a lot.
Overall Guests on Earth was a promising read. It had a strong beginning, but ultimately fell a bit short for me, especially as it heads to that fateful end of the Highland Hospital. The detail into the medicine and the practices of the time were interesting, as were the situation that these women were in with their health conditions.
relaxing
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
Very interesting. Evalina, the narrator, says she's going to talk about Zelda a lot, and then only talks about Zelda a little. But since there are tons of books that exist about Zelda Fitzgerald, I am cool with this.
It was a close examination about the evolution of mental healthcare in the span of about 12 years and that is what I found most interesting.
It was a close examination about the evolution of mental healthcare in the span of about 12 years and that is what I found most interesting.