Reviews

Restless Dolly Maunder by Kate Grenville

canton24's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful 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

3.75

Easy read

jollyreads's review against another edition

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reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

ej53's review

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emotional informative inspiring sad medium-paced

4.0

inaguddle's review

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reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

lorrietruck's review

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emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

beckyjzw's review

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

ramai's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

despina19's review

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4.0

Continuing to work my way through the short list for the Women’s Prize for Fiction. 

In this novel, we follow Dolly from a child into her old age. Each step of the way is set up thoroughly, from the exhaustion and confinement of Dolly’s work on the farm and in the kitchen through to her dealings as a business and property owner later on. 

Throughout, the story focuses on how Dolly moves through the limits placed on women. And this is where the story came together in the end for me. I love how the author, Dolly’s own granddaughter, ties Dolly’s story to so many women’s stories during that period of transition for women in history. 

Overcoming trauma, limits, loss, and navigating complex family relationships and motherhood  are themes here, and they seem to run through all the books up for this prize - which is why this may be my favorite of all the prizes. This is a very memorable story, and I loved this book.

sal_3's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.25

jouljet's review

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informative reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0