Scan barcode
kolymaarasto's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
vrop's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
seymone's review
3.0
2.5 stars
I was so excited to read this novel. However, that excitement died, almost immediately.
The overuse of complex multi-syllabic words made the prose - muddy, murky and disjointed. I love a big word but not at the expense of clarity and flow of a sentence.
Secondly, I just couldn’t connect with this coming of age story, even though the storyline was unique to me. Could be why it has taken me a month to read.
Definitely would recommend listening on audiobook rather than reading the physical book.
I was so excited to read this novel. However, that excitement died, almost immediately.
The overuse of complex multi-syllabic words made the prose - muddy, murky and disjointed. I love a big word but not at the expense of clarity and flow of a sentence.
Secondly, I just couldn’t connect with this coming of age story, even though the storyline was unique to me. Could be why it has taken me a month to read.
Definitely would recommend listening on audiobook rather than reading the physical book.
a_lf05's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I know that in the end it is my story, not just his; and I know I levitate in the water of his openness and his love.
this was an absolutely GORGEOUS book !!! did knock a few points off bc I found the writing a bit confusing? the way the jamaican accent is written is quite nice but gets a bit hard to read - probably would be enjoyed more as an audiobook book....
The story always centres around Moshe and Arrienne, they are constantly referred to as twins which I think is beautiful. There is a brief period where we see them apart, some people might think that as detracting from their romance but I did genuinely think it was needed in order to watch them grow as characters - when they come back together they aren't perfect, but they're better.
This book is not a romance (at least it didn't feel like one to me), it's about Moshe struggling with his identity and parentage, Arrienne doesn't get as much development imo but that's bc the book doesn't centre so much around her. They're love story is more of an inevitably.
Moshes death is written SO WELL !!! It did shock me a bit, but I wasn't necessarily surprised (I always assumed he would have health complications). I'm not usually a fan of main character death but this book started with Moshe being found so it only made sense
The story always centres around Moshe and Arrienne, they are constantly referred to as twins which I think is beautiful. There is a brief period where we see them apart, some people might think that as detracting from their romance but I did genuinely think it was needed in order to watch them grow as characters - when they come back together they aren't perfect, but they're better.
This book is not a romance (at least it didn't feel like one to me), it's about Moshe struggling with his identity and parentage, Arrienne doesn't get as much development imo but that's bc the book doesn't centre so much around her. They're love story is more of an inevitably.
Everything ends so quiet and so long.
numbat's review
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I enjoyed the touch of magical realism in this book. The use of languages was well constructed too. The relationship between the two main characters kind of fell away into the background as the main plot overtook it then seemed a bit tacked back on at the end. Speaking of the end I liked the way it kind of rambled to a stop like a memory loosing steam.
bhagestedt's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? Yes
4.0
sophie7460's review
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book was surprisingly moving, definitely worth the read.
bubcat's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
orchidwynd's review against another edition
3.0
There are many passages in this book that are beautifully written and expose evocative ideas about sugar, colonialism and social justice. However, I found it difficult to buy into the romance between Moshe and Ariienne, in part, because I couldn't see Moshe in my mind's eye (though he is described constantly) and partly because the more we are told they belong together the less important their love story became as other story lines appeared more interesting - the quest for Moshe's family, Arriiene's job/other relationships, the spell on the Christies, the relationship to sugar, the four eyed woman and her changing narratives and even the lost Korean child - these are all themes I would have been happy to have explored further at the expense of the love story. The end of the novel, though, is quite raw and striking in its abstraction and perhaps the best part of the book.
constantreader471's review
3.0
3.5 stars rounded down for a book of uneven literary fiction. The first third of this book uses the Jamaican patois spoken by most people in Jamaica. Sometimes there is a translation. When there is no translation, you must sound out the words phonetically. I found this to be a distraction. The book is a love story between two people who are attracted to each other from childhood. But life intervenes and they are separated for several years. Some of the narrative is in the form of stream of consciousness of various characters, which I didn't enjoy.
Pros: The prose was lyrical at times.
One quote: "The grandmother, a longheaded woman of the countryside, tells me, Yu nuh need fi to deh so,' you do not need this long explanation of watery origins, since the ancestors of every Jamaican came over the sea, most of them in the ship's cakka, and moreover are we not an island, surrounded by water? So anyone born here is a child of water, and no more to be said."
It took me 19 days to read this book.
Thanks to Akashic Books for sending me this book through LibraryThing.
Pros: The prose was lyrical at times.
One quote: "The grandmother, a longheaded woman of the countryside, tells me, Yu nuh need fi to deh so,' you do not need this long explanation of watery origins, since the ancestors of every Jamaican came over the sea, most of them in the ship's cakka, and moreover are we not an island, surrounded by water? So anyone born here is a child of water, and no more to be said."
It took me 19 days to read this book.
Thanks to Akashic Books for sending me this book through LibraryThing.