Scan barcode
akvolcano's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
1.5
Graphic: Child death, Cultural appropriation, Miscarriage, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Antisemitism, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Racism, Classism, Domestic abuse, War, Genocide, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Ableism, Colonisation, and Pregnancy
shadymist's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Rape, War, and Child death
Minor: Suicide attempt
julianship's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I say this as a compliment, but this book feels like playing a particularly difficult video game with no save points. Ursula successfully navigates all the mundane ways to die that surround her early years, only to be murdered by a husband, or hit by a car, or crushed by a wall in the Blitz, and then we're back to the start again. I found myself clutching the book and mentally hissing at Ursula as though I were in a horror movie.
Luckily, the Fox Corner periods of the book are full of a particularly English drawing room sniping I do enjoy reading, mixed with lush descriptions of countryside and food, and also after the first three or four Atkinson doesn't linger too much.
The character portraits are a real strength; nearly everyone we meet is terribly human, full of flaws and foibles, and they scrape up against each other excellently. No one in this book is uncomplicatedly good, although many people do good things, which is refreshing to read in a novel that spends a large amount of its second half in the Blitz.
My only qualm is that Atkinson's style uses comma splices constantly as an apparent stylistic choice, which I should not care about but unfortunately I can't turn the proofreading part of my brain off even though it hasn't been my job for a year and a half now.
This was a rec from a friend, and I'm excited to see that Atkinson has a new book out, because I liked this one so much I'd like to read more of hers! Would highly recommend for anyone who likes intricate/nested stories, stories about stories, unreliable narrators, and messy British families.
Graphic: War, Gore, Child death, Death, Vomit, Rape, Domestic abuse, Murder, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Death of parent
sauvageloup's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
pros:
- the prose and imagery is definitely it's strongest point. as one of the reviewers says, the scenes from the blitz in London are very vivid in my mind, as well as Ursula's awful time in london. and made me realise how truly awful it was for everyone - anyone who compares covid to the world wars has no idea.
- the characters were also wonderfully done, they were all imperfect but well rounded and unique, especially Sylvie, Ursula herself and the rest of the family.
- the idea itself is brilliant, and very well executed, with Ursula's slow realisation of what was happening and how the plots all came together.
- though many references went over my head, I did enjoy the classical and cultural nods where I recognised them.
cons:
-there were a lot of characters and storylines and it was confusing at times, especially because I had a break in the middle. but that added the palimpsest it was creating.
- I found the ending strange and unpoignant, though Atkinson's note at the end helped with this.
overall, very vivid and moving and I want to read more books by her in the future.
Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Abortion, Grief, Vomit, Body horror, Death, Gore, War, Violence, Suicide, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, and Rape
superbowl's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Blood and Abortion
Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Antisemitism, Child death, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Murder, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt