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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book tugged at my heartstrings in the beginning, and towards the end it had me turning pages to find out what’s next. I appreciated the characters’ struggles to reconcile troubled pasts with current events/behaviors, and the theme resolving as accepting simply what is, and moving forward the best we can.
Some aspects of the book felt a little glossed over or too simple (least of which but most interestingly the nod towards synesthesia which would have been amazing to learn more about!), but overall it was a beautiful book.
Some aspects of the book felt a little glossed over or too simple (least of which but most interestingly the nod towards synesthesia which would have been amazing to learn more about!), but overall it was a beautiful book.
It's been a while since I had a book where I felt so differently about the two halves. I had almost zero connection to the first half of this book. It stretched my imagination of synesthesia to the max and the father felt severely underdeveloped for making the choices that he did. I think the narrative elements in the first half were clunky and forced at times. I was fully prepared to actively dislike the second half of this book but Bauermeister does a significantly better job weaving complex personalities and interactions heavy with tension with a more adult Emmeline. I am shocked at how much I enjoyed the second half and essentially flipped my opinion on the book completely. I still wish there would have been 50-60 more pages at the end to fully hash out narrative implications on all the major characters but I think Reese fans will love this book.
Solid story. I was intrigued from the start. Some sections felt disjointed and abrupt.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I love this book. It was captivating from start to finish. It starts out with such a magical, mysterious feeling then evolves into a realistic setting of confusion, mistrust, and coming of age.
A coming of age story about a young girl who grew up in a remote island off the BC coast with her single father. Confused by her father's continued withdrawal, Emmaline uses her heightened senses to uncover the true story of her life.
This book was very readable. The flow was good, overall I enjoyed reading the first to sections of the book very much. It was incredibly atmospheric. Born and having lived most of my life in BC, I immediately placed coastal BC without knowing this in advance of reading. The description of Emmaline and John's island was visceral, I could see everything.
Where the book lost me was in the use of magical realism. I don't think the author integrated it very well. As well, I struggled with the character of Emmaline's mother, Victoria. She's written like a one dimensional Disney villain. Her reactions and motivations didn't feel authentic. Also the character of Rene felt shoe horned in. The wise, benevolent character given two scenes to be the omniscient character. A lazy device for the author to tell the "real" story and wrap things up tidily.
Overall though, an enjoyable read.
This book was very readable. The flow was good, overall I enjoyed reading the first to sections of the book very much. It was incredibly atmospheric. Born and having lived most of my life in BC, I immediately placed coastal BC without knowing this in advance of reading. The description of Emmaline and John's island was visceral, I could see everything.
Where the book lost me was in the use of magical realism. I don't think the author integrated it very well. As well, I struggled with the character of Emmaline's mother, Victoria. She's written like a one dimensional Disney villain. Her reactions and motivations didn't feel authentic. Also the character of Rene felt shoe horned in. The wise, benevolent character given two scenes to be the omniscient character. A lazy device for the author to tell the "real" story and wrap things up tidily.
Overall though, an enjoyable read.
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This one just didn’t do it for me. Without giving spoilers, the first 1/3 of the book was interesting and had a realistic magical component to it but rest seemed super disjointed and kind of rushed. It was like random components coming together without any reason behind them.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
In The Scent Keeper, Erica Bauermeister's Reese's Book Club pick, Emmeline has an enchanted childhood—she grows up on a remote island with only her father, the machine he uses to capture scents, and eventually she gets a pet goat. She has never been anywhere but the island--the get most of their food from scavenging and from boxes of staples, which her father tells her are dropped off by mermaids.
One day Emmeline must leave their island and join the outside world, where everything is foreign to her and she has no idea how to manage the senses she’d heightened on the island, which are now overwhelmed by the stimulus of a life with others.
The Scent Keeper is, in part, a discussion of socialization and the ways in which children are taught explicitly and implicitly to ignore their instincts for the sake of fitting in and the approval of others. Emmeline finds herself overwhelmed by all the odors that congregate around humans and the social rules no one explains to her. Her one friend is another misfit who can’t quite fit in, but they fit with each other.
One day Emmeline must leave their island and join the outside world, where everything is foreign to her and she has no idea how to manage the senses she’d heightened on the island, which are now overwhelmed by the stimulus of a life with others.
The Scent Keeper is, in part, a discussion of socialization and the ways in which children are taught explicitly and implicitly to ignore their instincts for the sake of fitting in and the approval of others. Emmeline finds herself overwhelmed by all the odors that congregate around humans and the social rules no one explains to her. Her one friend is another misfit who can’t quite fit in, but they fit with each other.
Would I teach The Scent Keeper? The Scent Keeper is told in first person, from Emmeline’s naive point of view. There is so much she does not understand about other people and the desires that they have. Her innocence is, at times, as cloying as the scents she describes. In terms of this narration and this outsider perspective, the book is interesting, and invites the reader to question the ways we are socialized, such as at school, where strangeness is often punished. Emmeline’s ability to recognize and eventually pair smells is one that can be used for great gain. Like so many abilities, it can be monetized, and another result of our socialization is how we view and eventually use our talents.
The Scent Keeper has a charm and a wonder that is linked to the story telling, and can certainly offer a rousing conversation. The story telling, however is not remarkable, and moments of the plot seem too farfetched. While it lent to a good discussion in book club, I would most likely not teach The Scent Keeper.
Oh I was disappointed with this book and it happened around the time that she met her long lost mother and their weird strange relationship started. Sure, I appreciated the focus around scents, but couldn't fully appreciate the WHOLE book. The romance or the protagonist never pulled me in as much as I had hoped. It was a fantastical story and painted beautiful imagery that I really enjoyed but I am not giving it more than 3 stars. Sorry.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes