Reviews

A Good Hard Look by Ann Napolitano

kristin3's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

margaretmechinus's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Flannery O’Conner is a main character in this book set in her small home town in Milledgeville, Georgia in the 1960s. The characters are sad, the situations are dark,  it the writing is excellent. I’ll be thinking about this book and Flannery O’Conner for a while. 

Apparently, this is written in the style of Flannery O’Conner, and as she herself says of characters in her own stories- “Grace changes a person…and change is painful.” 

littletaiko's review against another edition

4.0

This is a fictional historical book set around 1960 that involves the author Flannery O'Connor. I really didn't know much about O'Connor works or life so came into this fresh. Would have been helpful to know ahead of time when she lived as it took until about two-thirds of the way into the book to realize it was set at an earlier time. However, the reason it didn't register is that I was just so caught up in the story. It opens on the eve of Melvin and Cookie's wedding and involves lots of peacocks which may sound odd but really set the tone for the book. It's about life in a small Southern town, personality conflicts, and trying to figure out how to live life to it's fullest. My one quibble was with the character of Cookie as her reasons for hating Flannery were so paper thin and not really believable.

verdenrow's review

emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I keep thinking about some of the scenes in this book. It is a heartbreaking read that stays with you  long after you finish the last words.

ngalbani's review against another edition

5.0

Beautiful!

kategci's review against another edition

3.0

A Look at Small Town Life
Flannery O'Connor was a Southern novelist and short story writer who had moved up North to live and write. She returns home to her mother in this novel, as she has become chronically ill with lupus and can no longer stay alone. As told through the eyes of several of Flannery's neighbors, seemingly benign interactions set in motion changes which affect them all. An engaging story which will resonate even after you have finished.

Read an Advanced Reader's Copy that I received from BookBrowse.com.

spauffwrites's review against another edition

5.0

The best literary history novel I've read in a really long time. It takes a lot of finesse (and nerve) to write a novel with Flannery O'Connor as one of your main characters, but Napolitano definitely succeeds. The writing is dark and gorgeous and she writes characters that would be at home in any O'Connor short story. It's the kind of book you can either hunker down with for a few days and finish, or savor in bits and pieces over weeks, and it will make you want to reread O'Connor when you're through.

jkkb332's review against another edition

2.0

I feel very meh about this book. I read it, I finished it, but I never got that into it, and I don't have super strong feelings about it now. If anything I think I'm leaning towards disliking it. It's really kind of a tragic book and there's a gross inappropriate relationship that takes up a lot of story time. I also have absolutely no feelings about Flannery O'Conner, having never read a single word she wrote, so there's nothing redeemable there either. I'm left feeling like I kind of wasted my time on this book, which is unfortunate. Actually, "unfortunate" really sums up the book in general. Lots of people making unfortunate choices, lots of unfortunate stuff happens, I unfortunately don't realize this in time to stop reading until it's all over and I'm left feeling depressed and melancholy...

allarminda's review against another edition

4.0

Astonishingly good.

kristinoffiler's review against another edition

5.0

A phenomenal book. I love Flannery O'Connor and was excited to see her as a character in this novel. I liked that she wasn't the main focus, but an important component in this complex puzzle of a story. I absolutely loved it. Read it in 2 days.