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kim_j_dare's review against another edition
4.0
What a surprise. It’s been a good while since I was this pulled into a story. I haven’t had a desire to read “plague fiction“ during this COVID-19 isolation, but my interest was piqued by an NPR interview with the author.
What I liked:
* Walker’s lyrical, quiet style of writing
* her ability to put us firmly in the moment, so that we feel invested in the small college town of Santa Lora and the residents we get to know
* how she got SO MUCH of the fear and anxiety and confusion and boredom of the day-to-day right (well before any of us imagined what the first half of 2020 would look like). And some inclusion of fake news and conspiracy theories
* the exploration of dreams and the fluidity of time and reality
*the fact that I had no idea how Walker was going to pull things together at the end
What didn’t work for me so well (SPOILER ALERT)
* the fact that this was an incredibly contagious illness, but that the impact on the larger world outside of Santa Lora was never explored. Especially after some of the quarantined college students were able to escape into other parts of California.
I get that Walker wanted to give us a microcosm of society, and truly enjoyed the experience. Just wish she hadn’t opened the door to the possibility of spreading beyond Santa Lora if she wasn’t going to follow through on that aspect.
All in all, though, a lot to enjoy here.
What I liked:
* Walker’s lyrical, quiet style of writing
* her ability to put us firmly in the moment, so that we feel invested in the small college town of Santa Lora and the residents we get to know
* how she got SO MUCH of the fear and anxiety and confusion and boredom of the day-to-day right (well before any of us imagined what the first half of 2020 would look like). And some inclusion of fake news and conspiracy theories
* the exploration of dreams and the fluidity of time and reality
*the fact that I had no idea how Walker was going to pull things together at the end
What didn’t work for me so well (SPOILER ALERT)
* the fact that this was an incredibly contagious illness, but that the impact on the larger world outside of Santa Lora was never explored. Especially after some of the quarantined college students were able to escape into other parts of California.
I get that Walker wanted to give us a microcosm of society, and truly enjoyed the experience. Just wish she hadn’t opened the door to the possibility of spreading beyond Santa Lora if she wasn’t going to follow through on that aspect.
All in all, though, a lot to enjoy here.
mzee34's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-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? Yes
5.0
teighan_campbell's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
joetatum24's review against another edition
4.0
At first, I thought this book was a bit too similar to Station Eleven. However, the further into it I got, I found myself entranced, and even moved a few times. This book became something quite interesting and engaging. I’d recommend it for a light but beautiful read.
cgbcgb's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
librarylandlisa's review against another edition
4.0
Well, It was a great book for 300 pages. I wished for more at the end but it was satisfactory and a good read.
keen23's review against another edition
4.0
oof. Well. Um. So this is NOT the book to read during a pandemic, unless it is the perfect book to read during a pandemic.
bronski's review against another edition
4.0
Combined some of my favourite elements of stories such as coming of age, epidemics, fantastical concepts and full of emotion. This book sucks you right in.