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tashalostinbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
shillebrand's review against another edition
1.0
I appreciated the idea of the book and the author's attempts at including fantasy characters/elements, however, it's obvious that this is not the author's preferred genre. The writing was lackluster and repetitive, the characters' personalities and speech were too flat, and the ending...just left me disappointed.
featheredpages07's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Dementia, and War
zemthings's review against another edition
2.0
I’m sure the story was fine but the writing style was so off-putting to me that it took me 8 months to read and I cannot be bothered to even google a summary and remember.
It would probably be a 3 or 4 if it weren’t written the way it is.
It would probably be a 3 or 4 if it weren’t written the way it is.
tamracielle's review against another edition
5.0
Thought-provoking, evocative, haunting. This book is remarkable and unlike anything I've ever read. I also expect that not everyone would like it. Action-packed and fast-paced it is not. The characters discuss endlessly what they are going to do for what seems like hours (days) before they actually do it. And they repeat themselves, again and again. Yet I was fascinated with the story and I dearly loved Axl and Beatrice, the elderly couple at its heart. The tale is set in ancient Britain, but it is timeless. The sheer poetry of the characters' speech was a delight and reminiscent of the great books of antiquity. It is a story and message for the ages. Highly recommend.
maidinnah's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
2.5
Really enjoyed Klara and the Sun, so I was looking forward to this novel, but found myself feeling more or less ambivalent throughout the story, except for the ending. Ishiguro's melancholic tone and somber ideas were interesting; it just failed to come together in a cohesive narrative that I could enjoy. In other words, thematically rich, but foggy throughout.
cinnamon_sputnik's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
caitlingilbert's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
3.75
avesmaria's review against another edition
2.0
I think I missed some over-arching greater analogy or meaning in this book. Is it about Alzheimer’s disease/dementia? Racism? Or maybe it’s just a novel that doesn’t fit too well in the fantasy genre because of its overwrought dialogue and complete lack of literally anything else descriptive about characters or settings. Seriously underwhelmed by this one.
chll_momchil's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 - I really feel like this book is sadly underrated.