Reviews

In the Distance by Hernán Díaz

ollie_reading's review against another edition

**

brutal and sad and brilliantly written

goodself's review against another edition

5.0

This novel felt like a meditation.

griffinfarrow's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

lmreboy's review against another edition

4.0

Beautiful, sad, heartbreaking story about a young Swedish immigrant (he arrives as a boy) to the US during the time of the Gold Rush. Written by a man of Latin American heritage, the story explores the myth of the Great American West and the immigrant story. Highly recommend if these themes resonate with you

beriterickson's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

5.0

oisincleere's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

caitpaige's review against another edition

3.0

The total lack of progress, goal achievement, and resolution of the main character’s journey is frustrating, but at the same time is the entire point, which makes it satisfying... a paradox of a book.

callahan08wood's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

karrahp1's review against another edition

adventurous reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Emotionally challenging book for a beach vacation lol. But fun way to examine the ecology here in Baja while driving or hiking. Beautiful, soul altering prose. I loved how many ways the author was able to make loneliness and inescapable character. But I also teared up at times which was hard - to hold appreciation and despair simultaneously. 

The way that hawk unearths human nature just as I’m grasping a scene as a reader is deeply satisfying (e.g he witnesses a play, without knowing what it is, and both reader and character have the realization dawn that this is a reenactment and not real life at the same time 

harry23's review

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0