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amycrea's review
3.0
2.5, maybe. Too many characters that aren't fleshed out, a romance that feels shoehorned in. The parts about Chernobyl itself were great, but so much else felt unfocused. I agree with other reviewers who recommend reading Voices from Chernobyl.
hoserlauren's review
4.0
When a reactor explodes at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, life changes for hundreds of thousands. A doctor leaves his home to go work the front lines, treating those that are sick. He seems to be the only one that truly understands the impact of radiation and doesn't believe everything that the government is saying about what is going on. A young boy practices almost every day because he has such talent at the piano. Living with his mom and aunt, it becomes hard to make ends meet after the disaster and practices need to be cut short. Then there's the family that lives close to the plant and the father helps clear the forest after the accident. Obviously he becomes very sick and the mom and her two children are left in makeshift huts for their new home.
This book is like a graceful and careful dance, with each character's story touching another. Usually I like character-driven stories and really want to be able to connect with at least one of the characters. For this book, I felt that it was more situation-driven. I think the characters could have been almost anyone, it was about what they were going through and how they managed the disaster. There is a chapter in this book that doesn't have any of the main characters from the story but was one of the most riveting chapters I've read in a long time. It described what happened right after the accident and how actions that seemed innocent actually would have killed the people that did it, knowing what we now know about Chernobyl.
There was a lot of history in this novel that I wasn't aware of about the disaster. Details were provided on how the Soviet Union did not protect their citizens during the disaster time which is interesting to learn about, especially given the current news with Russia.
A fantastically written book about a very interesting subject.
This book is like a graceful and careful dance, with each character's story touching another. Usually I like character-driven stories and really want to be able to connect with at least one of the characters. For this book, I felt that it was more situation-driven. I think the characters could have been almost anyone, it was about what they were going through and how they managed the disaster. There is a chapter in this book that doesn't have any of the main characters from the story but was one of the most riveting chapters I've read in a long time. It described what happened right after the accident and how actions that seemed innocent actually would have killed the people that did it, knowing what we now know about Chernobyl.
There was a lot of history in this novel that I wasn't aware of about the disaster. Details were provided on how the Soviet Union did not protect their citizens during the disaster time which is interesting to learn about, especially given the current news with Russia.
A fantastically written book about a very interesting subject.
balletbookworm's review
4.0
Beautiful, atmospheric writing. And not atmospheric in the you-find-this-word-in-a-blurb sense, but truly evocative of an area of the world so impacted by man-made radiation and fall-out that it cannot belong to our normal frame of reference.
Great debut novel.
Great debut novel.
constantreader471's review against another edition
3.0
I found it hard to get into this book. The first fifty pages were slow going. I found the subject matter very depressing,i.e.,huge numbers of people dying unnecessarily after the Chernobyl disaster. I did like the author's description of the vivid colors in the sky. I rate it 3.5 out of 5 stars(rounded down to 3).
teachingkids1982's review
5.0
Wow... Breathtaking. Superb. Moving. Eye opening. Historical. Emotional. 5⭐
readhikerepeat's review
5.0
If you were to read the description of All That Is Solid Melts Into Air, you would be led to believe that it is a sweeping story about last days of the Soviet Union. Though this is true, it fails to truly capture the intimate storylines of its three main characters: a former journalist working in a factory, a young piano player forced from his home, and a doctor who will sacrifice himself for the good of others, that drive the story. When the infamous nuclear disaster occurs at Chernobyl Power Plant, all three of their lives are thrown into turmoil as they navigate the waters of their new uncharted lives.
There are a million reasons to love this book. First, its honest portrayal of the stark reality of the damage radiation can cause is difficult but important to read in order to place the lives of its characters into context. Second, it paints the picture of what life was like in 1986 – from poverty to the suppression of free speech to the emphasis collective action. While Chernobyl serves as the catalyst for the story, its primary purpose is as the anchor that the others’ stories rotate around, rather than being a plot in itself. Third, McKeon is able to place the reader into the setting without casting judgement on it, which is a difficult task for many authors. Lastly, the rich complexity of the characters, flaws and call, bring them to life so that the reader falls instantly in love with both the good and the bad.
For the full review, please visit The Book Wheel.
There are a million reasons to love this book. First, its honest portrayal of the stark reality of the damage radiation can cause is difficult but important to read in order to place the lives of its characters into context. Second, it paints the picture of what life was like in 1986 – from poverty to the suppression of free speech to the emphasis collective action. While Chernobyl serves as the catalyst for the story, its primary purpose is as the anchor that the others’ stories rotate around, rather than being a plot in itself. Third, McKeon is able to place the reader into the setting without casting judgement on it, which is a difficult task for many authors. Lastly, the rich complexity of the characters, flaws and call, bring them to life so that the reader falls instantly in love with both the good and the bad.
For the full review, please visit The Book Wheel.
chaotic_aesthetic's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
- 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? No
4.5
cynthiak's review against another edition
2.0
So boring. Overuse of description at the expense of the plot. Actually there is no plot. Characters lack depth, they are bland. Their stories are loosely linked or not at all. Nice writing? Yeah, nicely built sentences put one after another without making any sense do not give a full-developed plot nor strong characters. Such a let down.
bookwormbecks's review
challenging
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0