Reviews

The Great Good Thing by Roderick Townley

nyamh's review

4.0

really loved this book, unique, creative and I think overlooked - has concepts reminiscent to inkheart which the book predates. A light easy read with elements of writing that are a pure delight.

caseymorgan's review against another edition

5.0

I read this book for the first time when I was in 4th or 5th grade and I absolutely loved it. I never made a note of the book because I had assumed that it would be easy to find again. Since then I have been searching for this book and now, at the age of 19, it has finally returned to me. This story was wonderful and exactly as I remembered. I cannot believe that once more I have had the opportunity to read this story which has remained with me for so long.

chloehey's review against another edition

5.0

Absolutely love this book. Recently rediscovered it again!

dickh's review against another edition

5.0

I love this book and I think every parent should read it with their children several times - and then several more times on their own. Just a wonderful story for readers, and writers, of all ages.

processpending's review against another edition

4.0

This is a really cute story where the reader gets to see what it's like for the characters when someone opens the book and begins to read their story. I also liked that this book gently introduces young children to the idea of death and what it means. It's very cleverly done and I think it's a book parents would enjoy reading to their child.

marciapoore's review against another edition

2.0

This is the third fantasy I’ve read in my challenge, and I haven’t enjoyed any of them. Definitely not my genre.

somechelsea's review against another edition

2.0

I really enjoyed the first half or so, but then they left the book... and so did I.

Clever idea, so-so execution.

ajparmentier's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

This book is worth a read because it has some interesting ideas. But as the book went on it mostly filled me with existential dread, a feeling of struggling against the inevitable, and eventually of just static existence (and lack of free will). I think I either missed the point, or the ideas just didn't work together to make a statement as well as they could've. I mostly just was waiting to figure out what, exactly, was the great, good thing and for everything to finally be explained. But I was left with more questions than answers. Not necessarily a bad thing, but not what I was looking for from the book. Still! Nothing compares to the excitement of reading that Sylvie was leaning against paragraph 7 on page 3, and counting the paragraphs to realize that was the exact paragraph you were reading!

caitlin_bookchats's review against another edition

1.0

IDK, I didn't completely actively dislike this book so in some ways "it was o.k." but I also didn't like it? None of the "surprises" were in any way surprising, it wanted to be way more profound than it was, and it can't decide if it wants to push going outside your defined role to do new things or preserving the way things were.

macklin's review against another edition

3.0

This rang a bell. I knew I read it before, but it was a long time ago. After finding the right cover, it's coming back. I remember liking the book, but not much else.