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em_reads_books's review against another edition
4.0
A very easy book to pick up & get lost in. The central story (two friends grow up together but have very different life paths) is an old familiar one but the characters & settings are ones you don't see often, at least not in such a complex and multidimensional way as she writes them.
happentobeshort's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to enjoy this more than I actually did. Which is not to say I didn't like it. I think my main problem with it was the writing style as I think it got a bit dry at times. I am certainly the Read to Escape kind of person and find it hard to read books that don't allow me to do that, either through their plot or writing style. It got better after the first third or so, especially once the girls grew up. On finishing the book I'm able to appreciate it as a whole and I think my rating for it went from like a 2 (during reading) to a 3 (after reading).
http://www.hercommonplaceblog.wordpress.com
http://www.hercommonplaceblog.wordpress.com
janetlweller's review against another edition
3.0
Other than the horrible ending which seemed to have no rationale behind it I loved this book. It tells the story of Audrey and Caroline, two black girls in 1950's Kentucky. They have a love/hate friendship with much jealousy and bitterness between them, yet their attachment and reach for each other lasts over years. In the background is the Jim Crow south and more hidden racist (and sexist) north. At 17 Audrey, a talented pianist gets a job playing piano at The Apollo in Harlem. Her time in New York is the best part of the book, very compelling. For me this author has a lyrical voice and if it had not all fallen apart at the end I would have given this a very high rating.
bucket's review against another edition
4.0
I love both Audrey's and Caroline's stories and the way their early years formed them. They each have strengths and skills that bring them a level of momentum in life, but they both also suffer derailing tragedies at different points.
For the first half of the book, while the two are mostly still friends, the interplay of their stories is interesting. Each girl's perspective sheds light on and rounds out the other girl's. They each seem to better understand each other than they do themselves. This was great reading.
As they grow apart though, this understanding is lost and their stories separate. They no longer have good perspective on each other. It makes sense, but since each girl still doesn't understand herself very well, a lot more is missing. I wanted more from the last part of the book. It felt like I'd lost the thread of these two as much as they'd lost each other.
For the first half of the book, while the two are mostly still friends, the interplay of their stories is interesting. Each girl's perspective sheds light on and rounds out the other girl's. They each seem to better understand each other than they do themselves. This was great reading.
As they grow apart though, this understanding is lost and their stories separate. They no longer have good perspective on each other. It makes sense, but since each girl still doesn't understand herself very well, a lot more is missing. I wanted more from the last part of the book. It felt like I'd lost the thread of these two as much as they'd lost each other.
readincolour's review against another edition
3.0
It probably would have been better to read than listen. Decent story line, it just wasn't compelling enough to keep me interested for long stretches of time.
readincolour's review
3.0
It probably would have been better to read than listen. Decent story line, it just wasn't compelling enough to keep me interested for long stretches of time.
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