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4.25 AVERAGE
4.25 AVERAGE
emotional
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Ultimately I enjoyed reading it. The thing I like most about Verghese is how he mixed in detailed medical information and descriptions of surgery with a sweeping story full of characters and with beautiful sentences.
Things I liked:
-setting changing, from India, Ethiopia, New York, etc
-middle class family perspective set against revolution and other political events
-medical plotlines, surgical residency, surgery descriptions, and how health and disease played a huge role
-everything ties together
-love is central to this story
Things I didn't like:
-the relationship to sex for almost all the characters, I felt there was quite a bit of mysoginy here including a sex scene that felt distasteful and in actuality would be considered assault - I did not feel like there was a critique of mysoginy here
-pacing, a very slow start to this one. this is in keeping with verghese's writing style I think, as he painstakingly sets you up for a good emotional payout later
Things I liked:
-setting changing, from India, Ethiopia, New York, etc
-middle class family perspective set against revolution and other political events
-medical plotlines, surgical residency, surgery descriptions, and how health and disease played a huge role
-everything ties together
-love is central to this story
Things I didn't like:
-the relationship to sex for almost all the characters, I felt there was quite a bit of mysoginy here including a sex scene that felt distasteful and in actuality would be considered assault - I did not feel like there was a critique of mysoginy here
-pacing, a very slow start to this one. this is in keeping with verghese's writing style I think, as he painstakingly sets you up for a good emotional payout later
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma
Moderate: Rape
The last 1/4 of the story redeemed this for me. I thought many parts were long winded and drawn out so it made it difficult to want to finish.
adventurous
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
This was a great book. I learned a lot (more than I wanted to) about surgery, as well as the history of Ethiopia.
Nice story, too. Started off a bit slow, but once I got into it, I couldn't put it down.
Nice story, too. Started off a bit slow, but once I got into it, I couldn't put it down.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
not getting into it so far..
I know everyone loved this, but I just could not get into it. I have really enjoyed all of his memoirs though.
I know everyone loved this, but I just could not get into it. I have really enjoyed all of his memoirs though.
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I love Verghese’s generational stories. Devastating and beautiful.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
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:
No