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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
reflective
relaxing
This book is the perfect balance of connecting the reader to the Wilderness through thorough descriptions of the bioregions the Community moves through and lives off of, while still focusing on its complex characters and moving the story along. The dialogue was a bit strange, and I found myself a thinking “people don’t really talk like this?” a few times throughout, but perhaps that was the point. I trust Diane Cook to make that call that probably went over my head.
It’s also hard to tell if this book was damaging or therapeutic for people who have mommy issues. Either way, I would recommend it to every mother and anyone who’s a daughter. Cook splitting the novel into the Ballad of Bea and the Ballad of Agnes provides two drastically juxtaposed outlooks on familial relations, abandonment, self preservation, and unconditional love, it’s such a perfect balance of being incredibly excited to keep reading, and feeling deeply sad for Bea, Agnes, and the rest of the members of the Community.
Reaching the last part of the book made me check three.. four.. five times for the last chapter in which Agnes gets reunited with her mother and is able to repair their relationship, or at least finds Jake to raise Fern and Egg together as “life mates.” But it wasn’t there, and it left me with a feeling of heartbroken sadness for Agnes being forcibly removed from her home and hugely disappointed in Bea, just as Agnes was. I devoured this book so quickly and so intensely, and empathized with the characters on such an emotional level that I was left feeling exhausted after reading it, but in the way that only a truly GOOD book can do for you.
It’s also hard to tell if this book was damaging or therapeutic for people who have mommy issues. Either way, I would recommend it to every mother and anyone who’s a daughter. Cook splitting the novel into the Ballad of Bea and the Ballad of Agnes provides two drastically juxtaposed outlooks on familial relations, abandonment, self preservation, and unconditional love, it’s such a perfect balance of being incredibly excited to keep reading, and feeling deeply sad for Bea, Agnes, and the rest of the members of the Community.
Reaching the last part of the book made me check three.. four.. five times for the last chapter in which Agnes gets reunited with her mother and is able to repair their relationship, or at least finds Jake to raise Fern and Egg together as “life mates.” But it wasn’t there, and it left me with a feeling of heartbroken sadness for Agnes being forcibly removed from her home and hugely disappointed in Bea, just as Agnes was. I devoured this book so quickly and so intensely, and empathized with the characters on such an emotional level that I was left feeling exhausted after reading it, but in the way that only a truly GOOD book can do for you.
Set against an extreme background, this is ultimately a story about a mother and a daughter trying to survive. Bea has to take her daughter Agnes out of the city. The pollution there is killing her, like it is killing many. They volunteer to become part of a field study: can humans live in the last remaining protected wilderness without harming it?
20 people that have to provide entirely for themselves but also follow strict rules. Settling in one spot is not allowed, leave no trace and stay together. It is at times a gruelling life and deaths are not uncommon.
The book starts off when (what is left of) the group has been in the wilderness for a few years. Agnes has grown healthy underneath the fresh air, and becomes more and more one with her surroundings, hardly remembering life before. Bea meanwhile keeps an eye on the group politics. Because these people might be their community, but that does not make them family. Life in the wilderness is hard, and people harden with it. Bea included, leaving Agnes craving for kindness. Though she would never be able to name it.
Deeply moving, troubling and raw. Set in a very depressing future, that seems at times all to realistic.
The book was a solid 4 stars for me, but the final chapters bumped it up 0.25 points. I love that the story doesn’t spell everything out. There is much to be read in between the lines.
20 people that have to provide entirely for themselves but also follow strict rules. Settling in one spot is not allowed, leave no trace and stay together. It is at times a gruelling life and deaths are not uncommon.
The book starts off when (what is left of) the group has been in the wilderness for a few years. Agnes has grown healthy underneath the fresh air, and becomes more and more one with her surroundings, hardly remembering life before. Bea meanwhile keeps an eye on the group politics. Because these people might be their community, but that does not make them family. Life in the wilderness is hard, and people harden with it. Bea included, leaving Agnes craving for kindness. Though she would never be able to name it.
Deeply moving, troubling and raw. Set in a very depressing future, that seems at times all to realistic.
The book was a solid 4 stars for me, but the final chapters bumped it up 0.25 points. I love that the story doesn’t spell everything out. There is much to be read in between the lines.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Meh. I thought this book would be different than it was. I reminded me a little of Wilder Girls, and just like that one, I guess I’m not as smart as the intended audience? I assume a lot of it went over my head. But it was enjoyable. Ish. Too long. And sort of pointless. I don’t know. Just not what I was after. #engelbrechtreads2020 #engelbrechtreads
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Terrific, thought-provoking book.
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Good plot idea, but too vague