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knitnread's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jrl6809's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
eliasbednar's review against another edition
3.5
Frustrating, but definitely purposefully. The tone felt undefined for the first 200 or so pages and then harrowingly depressing after that.
jlsjourneys's review against another edition
4.0
"Foreboding" is the primary word that comes to mind with this novel. Smiley was brilliant in her ability to use subtle words & events to create an overwhelming sense of pending dread. I listened to a podcast of the BBC Book Club about this book and a participant said it best: "Smiley may have done her job too well, because the emotion was so present and intense, I almost didn't want to pick the book back up." It's a brilliant book - and now I'm looking for a beach read to follow it up.
reneeritchie's review against another edition
slow-paced
2.0
Pulitzer Prize?? Zzzzzzzzzzzz. The story nor the writing style were captivating. I can see how other people would enjoy this Iowa 1970s farm-piece, but not for me.
beckymckay17's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
ronjaslibrary's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jess_mango's review against another edition
4.0
A Thousand Acres is a reworking of Shakespeare's King Lear. Smiley has set her novel on a thousand acre family farm in Iowa. The family patriarch decides to retire and hands his farm over to 2 of his 3 daughters. The book started off slowly. The novel turns into a character-driven story about family and betrayal.