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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
Scent as memory is such a powerful thing, and I loved how the author described the smells of everything throughout this book. The contrasting images and smells she brought to life between island and city life were particularly well done. As a reader, I was transported and could smell it all. I also really enjoyed both the complexity and simplicity of the coming of age love story between Emmeline and Fisher. Lots of complex themes - abandonment, abuse, guilt - intertwined into the story of a young girl finding her place in the world made for a very rich, memorable tale.
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Had an odd start and wasn't sure about the plot... but the ending... got me :')
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
I wavered between 3 and 4 stars but I’ve made the decision to be more generous than stingy lately. There were parts I really liked and others not so much. I would read another book by this author though and as someone suggested that is a good marker to go off. I love the idea of scents what they mean, how they influence people, etc. The notion that scent is powerful in memory recall always reminds me of my grandpa and the smell of his cologne when he’d hug me and pat my back strongly. I miss him and coming across that scent after he passed away was a sweet moment for me. I like Emmeline and Fisher as characters and the complexity of people and relationships explored in this book.
I was expecting all the feels, but this was heavy on the sad. There was happiness, but the melancholy really seeped through everything.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Beautifully written, lyrically and ethereally at points. The story itself about scents and people who have 'noses' was intriguing to me. The main theme kept coming back to how scents bring us back more so than any other sense to certain moments of our lives. They are truly memory keepers. The only thing that stopped this from being a 5 star was there were some jarring bits that didn't seem to go with her character and that didn't feel authentic to me.
Overall, perfect escapism which is what I was looking for
Overall, perfect escapism which is what I was looking for
I listened to this and when I listen to books I do so at a fast speed (1.75). The narrator had this habit, undetectable at slower speeds, but frustratingly annoying at the faster speed; her voice would raise at the end of each sentence like a question. Once I noticed it was hard to not notice. But the tentativeness of that tic really contributed to the way I imagined Emmeline. I loved the world painted by the description of scents. I thought it would get old but it didn’t. This young woman learned so much and you could sense the angst in her choices and regrets. Lovely book!