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sleightoffeet's review against another edition
4.0
I really love books where you stop thinking of the characters as characters and start thinking about them as people you know. At times, I had to remind myself that these people weren't actually my friends... even though, at times, I wanted them to be.
I liked hearing from their different perspectives, and learning that even the more questionable decisions made were never out of malice... though maybe a touch of jealousy, and I loved that each had their own distinct personality and set of values.
I never grew up in a small town, but if they're anything like Little Wing, then I really missed out.
I liked hearing from their different perspectives, and learning that even the more questionable decisions made were never out of malice... though maybe a touch of jealousy, and I loved that each had their own distinct personality and set of values.
I never grew up in a small town, but if they're anything like Little Wing, then I really missed out.
jenleah's review against another edition
3.0
This was a pretty good story. Read like a screenplay, lots of vivid imagery. I liked the characters and the story itself--at least until the end. The events leading up to the ending didn't fit with the rest of the book and was too long and drawn out. Then the actual ending was abrupt. So close to being a 4 star book, but for the ending.
mollyblikestoread's review against another edition
2.0
Fun book to read on the beach! It was well written but the plot was a little dull and very predictable.
readhikerepeat's review against another edition
5.0
There are a million things I loved about this book, from the writing and the storyline to the depth and honesty of the characters’ troubles and successes, but my favorite part is that Butler does an incredible job of creating three-dimensional characters. Several of his characters are, in all honesty, portrayed as brutal stereotypes in most books, whether it be an alcoholic rodeo man who didn’t have much formal education being portrayed as “less than” or a musician portrayed as a jerk. Butler, however, not only kicks aside the stereotypes, but he actually leans in the opposite direction by taking greater care with writing these characters. By bringing them fully into the fold, it adds to the richness of the story and is what makes the book so great.
For the full review, visit The Book Wheel.
For the full review, visit The Book Wheel.
lucasgarner's review against another edition
2.0
Maybe I just read this book at the wrong time, but a story detailing the trials and tribulations of four middle-class straight white men just didn’t have enough self-aware veracity to it in order for me to felt inclined to care about, well, straight white men. The writing was fine, but I guess my sympathy (or, rather, lack there of) feels a little misplaced.
lindasdarby's review against another edition
3.0
There were things I really enjoyed about this books and things I really disliked. The language was awful and felt totally unnecessary. This book felt to me like a love letter to Wisconsin and small time farms and I loved it. I also loved the descriptions of all the seasons and it made me long for more seasons than rain and not rain. There was a lot about regret and melancholy and how the choices we make affect us and that was the best part of the book for me. The author did such a good job capturing relationships and how we mess things up and how hard it is to fix relationships and how important the relationships in our lives are. I really liked this book but it also made me sad.
kittykornerlibrarian's review against another edition
3.0
It's like a really long country & western song. Landscape and setting prevail.
jokeefe's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
alibi313's review against another edition
4.0
Not my usual type of book, but picked it up for its Eau Claire area setting, just down the road from where I grew up. Really evocative of that particular area of Wisconsin, with a bonus point for the offhand shout-out to my tiny hometown (pop: 1,635). Beautifully written and well-narrated.