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kyleblackwood's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
1.75
_kiratune's review
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
The story is extremely character driven and very, very specific to the main characters situation. Little relatability, very self-indulgent and it depends on whether you enjoy this style or not. I didnāt very much, and I absolutely hate the desiring the older muse woman trope. Itās a very male-gazey book.
christylmcvay's review against another edition
1.0
This book was just awful. It goes on and on about nothing. Glad it was a free book on Amazon Prime. Don't waste your time on it even if it's free.
elenaakers's review against another edition
1.0
I donāt have much to say other than I thought this book was really not good, and it used too many short sentences.
stephb413's review
4.0
Enjoyable tale about exploration, desire, pain, and coming to terms (or not) with oneself. As an expat, I related to the main character a great deal.
jaimeekate's review
3.0
There's a strange sweetness to this short novel -- on the one hand, you can't help but feel protagonist Tee is way in over his head, but on the other hand, he's a 21 year old with a lot of baggage and more questions than answers. The trouble that finds him is not of his own making, which makes pondering his actions and his culpability in it all a fun internal mystery.
I think everyone will react a little differently to this story. Personally, I thought it was a nice little read. I wished it would have delved into the issues a bit deeper, and really explored the flawed nature of all of these characters, but I enjoyed it for what it was.
I look forward to reading more of Mathew Salases' work in the future.
I think everyone will react a little differently to this story. Personally, I thought it was a nice little read. I wished it would have delved into the issues a bit deeper, and really explored the flawed nature of all of these characters, but I enjoyed it for what it was.
I look forward to reading more of Mathew Salases' work in the future.
sshabein's review against another edition
3.0
On a sentence level, there were many beautiful lines. Overall though, I just liked it fine. More thoughts later.
gracer's review
Have wanted to read this forever but really did not care about the characters and was turned off by the cliched coveting of another characterās wife
newbatteri's review against another edition
5.0
[Taken from the Editor's Kindle First letter]
Matthew Salessesās dreamlike debut is haunting and magical, roaming in and out of time and place. The Hundred-Year Flood transported me from Boston to Prague to a hospital to being underwater. I saw myself touching the statue of a saint for good luck and waiting for a flood that comes only once every hundred years. I grappled with Pragueās myths, ghosts, heroes. This is one of those books that I thought I was reading just for the wonderful story itself, until I stepped back and realized that throughout the narrative, the author has unfailingly and beautifully woven together the threads of identity.
We follow the protagonist, twenty-two-year-old Tee, as he navigates the bonds of personhood. The bond of living in two cities. The bond of being seen as American and foreign at the same time. The bond of being both white and Asian. The bond of individuality and of becoming your father. The bonds of love and lust and loyalty. While Tee tries hard to convince himself that living in a new place will forge a new identity, Salesses masterfully lays down the heart of the novel: that the imprint of family is permanent and never washes away.
I was overcome by the ease and the absolutely breathtaking way with which Salesses navigates the waters of self and home. Roxane Gay, author of Bad Feminist and An Untamed State, calls the novel āepic and devastating and full of natural majesty,ā and I couldnāt agree more.
Matthew Salessesās dreamlike debut is haunting and magical, roaming in and out of time and place. The Hundred-Year Flood transported me from Boston to Prague to a hospital to being underwater. I saw myself touching the statue of a saint for good luck and waiting for a flood that comes only once every hundred years. I grappled with Pragueās myths, ghosts, heroes. This is one of those books that I thought I was reading just for the wonderful story itself, until I stepped back and realized that throughout the narrative, the author has unfailingly and beautifully woven together the threads of identity.
We follow the protagonist, twenty-two-year-old Tee, as he navigates the bonds of personhood. The bond of living in two cities. The bond of being seen as American and foreign at the same time. The bond of being both white and Asian. The bond of individuality and of becoming your father. The bonds of love and lust and loyalty. While Tee tries hard to convince himself that living in a new place will forge a new identity, Salesses masterfully lays down the heart of the novel: that the imprint of family is permanent and never washes away.
I was overcome by the ease and the absolutely breathtaking way with which Salesses navigates the waters of self and home. Roxane Gay, author of Bad Feminist and An Untamed State, calls the novel āepic and devastating and full of natural majesty,ā and I couldnāt agree more.