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cocolly's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
misssleepy's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
4.25
I listened to Betty on audio. I really liked the narrator and would often times get the sound of the narrator’s voice stuck in my head. This book was a recommendation from Payton.
This book was such a well told story. I became very attached to the characters and imagined them and their world so vividly. Knowing that the novel was based on the author’s mother’s life kept mad everything and everyone seem more real.
I loved Landon. I really appreciated how positively he was reflected and how much patience and grace that he faced the world with. Through all of the adversity that the Carpenter family faced, he was such a loving figure. He handled Betty with so much love and grace when she needed it and gave her the most beautiful lessons to live life by.
Betty’s mother was just so tragic and her story (and Fraya’s) was one of the more difficult to read. I felt very sorry for Betty and her siblings. I also felt so sorry for Landon. I think he was always trying to make the best of the situation but his love wasn’t enough.
The scene where Landon ties the lemons to the trees and then we cut to the story of Cotton sending the balloon up everyday to his late wife broke me. I sobbed at that story and how Alka reacted to the story, saying that cotton wouldn’t have shown the love he did has his wife lived. I think it was very revealing that we later found out that it was Landon (at his funeral) that encouraged Cotton to write his letter and how he put a rock in the willow as a sign to Cotton that his wife could hear him. I also love the callback at the end, as Betty released her own ballon.
The storyline for Fraya was also so heartbreaking. I really wanted so much more for her. I think the fact that both Alka and Fraya carried their torment so close to their hearts their entire lives was so tragic and so telling how women’s pain was handled at the time. They loved these parallel lives, but I don’t know that either truly knew it.
I had a love/hate feeling for Flossie. I was rooting for her, but I do think she turned into a stereotype. Her story was sad in its own way. Sort of like a lost puppy. She just could never truly find her way.
We also later found out that Leland was not Landon’s son, but was a result of Alka being raped by her father. I think so often Alka’s own delusions (and racism if we are keeping it a buck) prevented her from fully accepting the love that Landon could give her. He took care of Alka in so many ways, but she could never overcome her own sorrows.
Betty’s life was filled with tragedy and racism but she managed to find a path in the world. She had such a good heart and took such good care of her family. The ending left me hopeful that her life would continue to get better, that she would make a good life for herself.
Something this book did seem to get lost in itself. There were many difficult chapters to get through, mostly because of some of the heavy content but also just because the story covered so much ground, much of it to build the story and the world, but no so much to further the plot.
I would recommend this book. I think it’s a very moving story, I found myself very entertained and at times moved by the story. I would just warn that there is some tough subject matter and it is long tale for the time span it covers.
This book was such a well told story. I became very attached to the characters and imagined them and their world so vividly. Knowing that the novel was based on the author’s mother’s life kept mad everything and everyone seem more real.
I loved Landon. I really appreciated how positively he was reflected and how much patience and grace that he faced the world with. Through all of the adversity that the Carpenter family faced, he was such a loving figure. He handled Betty with so much love and grace when she needed it and gave her the most beautiful lessons to live life by.
Betty’s mother was just so tragic and her story (and Fraya’s) was one of the more difficult to read. I felt very sorry for Betty and her siblings. I also felt so sorry for Landon. I think he was always trying to make the best of the situation but his love wasn’t enough.
The scene where Landon ties the lemons to the trees and then we cut to the story of Cotton sending the balloon up everyday to his late wife broke me. I sobbed at that story and how Alka reacted to the story, saying that cotton wouldn’t have shown the love he did has his wife lived. I think it was very revealing that we later found out that it was Landon (at his funeral) that encouraged Cotton to write his letter and how he put a rock in the willow as a sign to Cotton that his wife could hear him. I also love the callback at the end, as Betty released her own ballon.
The storyline for Fraya was also so heartbreaking. I really wanted so much more for her. I think the fact that both Alka and Fraya carried their torment so close to their hearts their entire lives was so tragic and so telling how women’s pain was handled at the time. They loved these parallel lives, but I don’t know that either truly knew it.
I had a love/hate feeling for Flossie. I was rooting for her, but I do think she turned into a stereotype. Her story was sad in its own way. Sort of like a lost puppy. She just could never truly find her way.
We also later found out that Leland was not Landon’s son, but was a result of Alka being raped by her father. I think so often Alka’s own delusions (and racism if we are keeping it a buck) prevented her from fully accepting the love that Landon could give her. He took care of Alka in so many ways, but she could never overcome her own sorrows.
Betty’s life was filled with tragedy and racism but she managed to find a path in the world. She had such a good heart and took such good care of her family. The ending left me hopeful that her life would continue to get better, that she would make a good life for herself.
Something this book did seem to get lost in itself. There were many difficult chapters to get through, mostly because of some of the heavy content but also just because the story covered so much ground, much of it to build the story and the world, but no so much to further the plot.
I would recommend this book. I think it’s a very moving story, I found myself very entertained and at times moved by the story. I would just warn that there is some tough subject matter and it is long tale for the time span it covers.
nikkimoniquereads's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
samanthasj's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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? It's complicated
5.0
irisreads1996's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
ursovrmne's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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
4.5
i dont even know what to write. so beautiful the whole way through. the weaving of each element of the story that would then become vital later on in the story was insanely good - incredible writing. made me cry more than once obv. so much happened in this book my god. i genuinely loved this family and felt for them.
alexatmz's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
ceechip's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
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
4.0
annaelizabeth24's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0