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gingerine's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic
scockroft's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Violence
mypoormeatball's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Here is the spirit of this novel to me:
Imagine, on plain and warm day, a cherished adult mentor, in their old age, clutches you to their chest in a moment you’re vulnerable — a child, you’re grappling with the kind of profound disappointment and fear of growing up kids can’t always put into words — and as they hold you every memory of their own life and childhood and that of everyone they’ve ever loved, known in passing, and never met flashes before their eyes and they understand and love you and themselves and everyone on earth better than they could ever put into words. And then they rub you on the head and give you a snack and you feel a little better. They watch you play outside while they sit in a porch chair and think about how you both will be grow forever and ever and ever, warmth squeezing the air out of their heart and lungs.
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault
emmerylynn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Death
erikabites's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Violence and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Rape
lindsaylhunter's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Death and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Rape
maddie_can_read's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I really enjoy the structure of the book, where you follow characters over time and space.
Loved all the Canadian and especially the Toronto references!
I have a difficult time visualizing some books but thought this book was written in a way that really facilitated visualizing what was happening, being familiar with Toronto also probably helped though.
I also enjoyed the tone of the book, it felt neither overly optimistic or pessimistic in imagining a post-apocalyptic world.
One minor critique is that some of the side characters were difficult to distinguish between.
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Child death and Death of parent
Minor: Rape and Blood
sandysmith's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Gun violence, Rape, Suicide, Kidnapping, and Murder
pagesfromhome's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
St. John Mandel does an incredible job of spanning time and characters to build a world that feels realistic and haunting at the same time. Although, I found some characters less “necessary” to the story than others, I rarely regretted the moments spent with them on the page.
I love how she toyed with the timeline of the events in the book and teased growth and hope in the perfect amount throughout the story. I’d been avoiding pandemic/dystopian fiction for a long time (for a pretty obvious reason) but I’m grateful that I dove back in with this one.
Graphic: Death and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Suicide and Kidnapping
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
kittythewildcat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Minor: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Pandemic/Epidemic