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beckymckay17's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
mischief_in_the_library's review against another edition
4.0
It is a rare book that I will finish the last page and then immediately want to start it again. I'll admit, it took me a few chapters to get into it, but I loved Pea's voice. Claire King has added some details and used language it seems only a five year old would think of. Stellar.
tashferatu's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
bridget_h's review against another edition
2.0
I'm giving this a two star, which per Goodreads means "it's ok". And it was totally ok, and I don't meant that in a disrespectful way. I never really quite got absorbed by most of the characters and by others (well, one), I was totally frustrated with and could not find sympathy for. Since all the reviews seem to reference a "twist", I did peek ahead (which is not something I normally do), so I read about 2/3 of the book knowing the twist, but in some ways, I think that made it slightly more fulfilling.
antjerook's review against another edition
5.0
A wonderful book with an amazing main character- Pea, 5 years old and a really special little girl!
fallingletters's review against another edition
4.0
Review originally published 5 July 2018 at Falling Letters.
The Night Rainbow was one of the books that’s been on my TBR the longest. I added it in March 2013. I always get a sense of accomplishment when I knock off one of those pre-2014 TBR books! I read about 10% of The Night Rainbow before bed one evening. I went to sleep not sure if I would stick with it. I finished the rest of it the next day. Even though the first-person narration by a five year old completely differentiates itself from [b: Room|31685789|Room|Emma Donoghue|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1472239721s/31685789.jpg|9585076] (the only other adult novel I’ve read with a first-person child narrator, which I disliked), I wasn’t sure it was for me. I suppose I felt unsettled ‘hearing’ a child talk with a vocabulary and syntax beyond their age. However, King strikes a balance in giving Pea an adult voice and having her use that voice to express childish sentiments. Pea’s narration made for a refreshing change given that I’d been reading so many books told from a 12 year old’s perspective for 12 year old readers.
The last two sentences of the copy description above are a red herring. Suspicion of Claude and Pea’s friendship plays only a small part in the book. Claude doesn’t have any disturbing secrets – just a sad past (which comes as no shock to the reader) that Pea eventually learns about. The start of this book had me on edge because I wanted to read a lighter story in which Claude starred as a kind grandfather figure and not a kidnapper, murderer, rapist, etc. There were no hints that Claude would be revealed as a villain, so I eventually relaxed and enjoyed the story for what it is. The Night Rainbow is no dark mystery or [a: Rene Denfeld|56358|Rene Denfeld|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1482451222p2/56358.jpg] heart-breaker!
Because of Pea’s limited perspective, the reader doesn’t see much of the neighbors and villagers. We learn gradually and briefly about Maman’s strained relationship with them. I would have appreciated a few more scenes with the French (especially with Pea’s grandmother), which could have helped to stress the ‘criticalness’ of Pea’s situation.
My final comment is on the setting – I adored the descriptions of French countryside. Oh, how I love to roam a countryside like Pea does! I loved imagining I was playing alongside her. The trips to the market and even one trip to the seaside had me sighing with longing. King lived for a number of years in Southern France. That’s evident in her writing.
The Bottom Line:A quiet story centered around the French countryside and the trials of an isolated widowed mother with depression, The Night Rainbow is ultimately a warming tale about a resilient and imaginative young child.
The Night Rainbow was one of the books that’s been on my TBR the longest. I added it in March 2013. I always get a sense of accomplishment when I knock off one of those pre-2014 TBR books! I read about 10% of The Night Rainbow before bed one evening. I went to sleep not sure if I would stick with it. I finished the rest of it the next day. Even though the first-person narration by a five year old completely differentiates itself from [b: Room|31685789|Room|Emma Donoghue|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1472239721s/31685789.jpg|9585076] (the only other adult novel I’ve read with a first-person child narrator, which I disliked), I wasn’t sure it was for me. I suppose I felt unsettled ‘hearing’ a child talk with a vocabulary and syntax beyond their age. However, King strikes a balance in giving Pea an adult voice and having her use that voice to express childish sentiments. Pea’s narration made for a refreshing change given that I’d been reading so many books told from a 12 year old’s perspective for 12 year old readers.
The last two sentences of the copy description above are a red herring. Suspicion of Claude and Pea’s friendship plays only a small part in the book. Claude doesn’t have any disturbing secrets – just a sad past (which comes as no shock to the reader) that Pea eventually learns about. The start of this book had me on edge because I wanted to read a lighter story in which Claude starred as a kind grandfather figure and not a kidnapper, murderer, rapist, etc. There were no hints that Claude would be revealed as a villain, so I eventually relaxed and enjoyed the story for what it is. The Night Rainbow is no dark mystery or [a: Rene Denfeld|56358|Rene Denfeld|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1482451222p2/56358.jpg] heart-breaker!
Because of Pea’s limited perspective, the reader doesn’t see much of the neighbors and villagers. We learn gradually and briefly about Maman’s strained relationship with them. I would have appreciated a few more scenes with the French (especially with Pea’s grandmother), which could have helped to stress the ‘criticalness’ of Pea’s situation.
My final comment is on the setting – I adored the descriptions of French countryside. Oh, how I love to roam a countryside like Pea does! I loved imagining I was playing alongside her. The trips to the market and even one trip to the seaside had me sighing with longing. King lived for a number of years in Southern France. That’s evident in her writing.
The Bottom Line:A quiet story centered around the French countryside and the trials of an isolated widowed mother with depression, The Night Rainbow is ultimately a warming tale about a resilient and imaginative young child.
margaret21's review against another edition
5.0
I was charmed by this book. Pea is the five year old heroine - a young girl whose English mother, now living in southern France, is too depressed following a late miscarriage and the death of her husband to care for Pea and her young sister Margot. Long days in the French countryside, and Pea and Margot's adventures there, are described in evocative detail. They meet a neighbour, Claude, who loves their outside kingdom as much as Pea does, and who seems to have secrets of his own ......
This book is beautifully and convincingly written from Pea's perspective. Her inner life is richly evoked, as are the sights sounds and smells of the French countryside which is her home. I was seduced by this story, and its ending
This book is beautifully and convincingly written from Pea's perspective. Her inner life is richly evoked, as are the sights sounds and smells of the French countryside which is her home. I was seduced by this story, and its ending
gilmoreguide's review against another edition
5.0
Pea is a lonely 5-year-old girl living on a farm near a small village in France. Her father died recently and her pregnant mother is overwhelmed by grief, leaving Pea and her little sister, Margot, to take care of themselves. It is summertime so there is much to do and places to explore. A man who seems scary at first turns out to be a neighbor who was in an accident that left his face burned and his hearing almost gone. He seems lonely too, so he and his dog become part of the group, with Pea providing him as much comfort as he provides to her. In this way the summer passes, but as it does the outside world intrudes, with neighbors stopping by and asking questions and the locals staring when they go into the market. Maman gets worse as her pregnancy progresses—bursting into tears, throwing fruit at their tractor and sleeping all day. In an effort to make things better, Pea and Margot give themselves the challenge of making her happy.
The rest of this review can be read at The Gilmore Guide to Books: http://gilmoreguidetobooks.com/2013/04/the-night-rainbow/
The rest of this review can be read at The Gilmore Guide to Books: http://gilmoreguidetobooks.com/2013/04/the-night-rainbow/
mrstufflestin's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-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
5.0
This book was intense and sad, and the storyline broke my heart one too many times. The book was well written. Pea is a character you will never forget, and you will carry this story with you. You will cry, laugh, and be suspicious, but you will also be scared throughout the book. This book is a rollercoaster, and you will always return for more. There are a lot of surprises throughout the book, and you need to keep an eye on little details. So worth the reading and so worth all the tears and broken hearts.