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shaunie991's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars
There seems to be a lot of negative feedback given to this book. I’m certainly not mad at it. I really enjoyed this queer historical fiction piece. The ending was a bit abrupt (hence the .5 rating lost) as I was hoping for just a little more of something, but overall this book was stellar. Also decent narration by Cynthia Farrell.
I’d actually be interested in reading how Ada continues to treat her patients, the losses, the saves, the drama, all that historical fiction stuff.
There seems to be a lot of negative feedback given to this book. I’m certainly not mad at it. I really enjoyed this queer historical fiction piece. The ending was a bit abrupt (hence the .5 rating lost) as I was hoping for just a little more of something, but overall this book was stellar. Also decent narration by Cynthia Farrell.
I’d actually be interested in reading how Ada continues to treat her patients, the losses, the saves, the drama, all that historical fiction stuff.
lcmcmurtray's review against another edition
4.0
So here is the thing: was this a perfect book? No. It took some time to find its stride, it was never very clear that it takes place in a Margaret Atwoodian dystopian alternate timeline, and the supporting characters could use more fleshing out. BUT the writing was beautiful, the story fascinating and well-paced, and it filled a niche I didn’t know I’ve been wanting: queer feminist Western with a speculative edge. I wanted to stay in this world a little longer.
alexispaprzycki's review
I tried. I really tried.
Characters are not fleshed out, they all blur together- same backgrounds, same personality, blah
Even the MC was just. There. I couldn’t tell you one thing about her personality or beliefs or looks and the book is literally written in 1st person. Took like 13 pages for me to even know her name.
“The Kid” is weirdly just some religious fanatic who obsesses over building a promised land or something? Something about a place where everyone is safe and yet there’s never any discourse on the means in which they plan on doing so- (no discourse on the ethics of robbing innocent people blind)
Also the author is seeming very TERF-y in her overly gendered language regarding cross-dressing, gas men, and “barrenness”
The book is droning
Characters are not fleshed out, they all blur together- same backgrounds, same personality, blah
Even the MC was just. There. I couldn’t tell you one thing about her personality or beliefs or looks and the book is literally written in 1st person. Took like 13 pages for me to even know her name.
“The Kid” is weirdly just some religious fanatic who obsesses over building a promised land or something? Something about a place where everyone is safe and yet there’s never any discourse on the means in which they plan on doing so- (no discourse on the ethics of robbing innocent people blind)
Also the author is seeming very TERF-y in her overly gendered language regarding cross-dressing, gas men, and “barrenness”
The book is droning
lurker_stalker's review against another edition
5.0
I don't think I've read anything like this before. The different take on the Hole in the Wall Gang sort of took me by surprise. I don't remember what the blurb said when I initially read it and I've thought of a hundred books since then. My remembery isn't so good...
I have mixed feelings about certain aspects of the story but, overall, I enjoyed it and it made me think.
4.5 rounded up.
I have mixed feelings about certain aspects of the story but, overall, I enjoyed it and it made me think.
4.5 rounded up.
kimt255's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
I wish there was a bit more character development for the side characters and a littleee bit more action. I appreciated the feminist themes and was able to relate to some of the characters but I gave it the rating I did because I wanted just a bit more of everything.
unculturedswinehart's review
3.0
Loved the world building in the first few chapters, but then it kind of stagnated. It picked up pace towards the end, but even that felt kind of rushed.
pagesofkim's review against another edition
4.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.4 (4.4 out of 5 stars)
I chose this book for my Book of the Month pick for January because it was just simply outside of my normal and it sounded so quirky and fun. And it was.
This is the tale of Ada, a barren woman living in the 1890s. You don’t want to be a barren woman living in the 1890s, first of all. It doesn’t go over well with the townspeople, or your husband‘s family, for that matter. Unable to conceive a child, Ada becomes an outlaw and gains confidence and wisdom - she builds her skills to prove her worth in a male dominated society. This is a story of overcoming incredible odds.
I really enjoyed this book. There was a lot of old time medical thinking which was so fascinating! It made me very thankful for where medicine is today. There were also some undiagnosed mental illnesses which took me back to my psychiatric nursing days. My only gripe with this book was that the chapters were super long -like 40 and 50 pages long, which for me, made it harder to read. I really prefer a book that has shorter chapters, as I’m frequently putting the book down when I have mom or work duties to attend to.
If you’re looking for something new and fun to read in the new year, this is it! Strong female characters and a plot that keeps you guessing.
millylewis's review
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0