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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
An amazingly evocative portrayal of the recent civil strife in Sri Lanka. Highly recommended.
The first of Ondaatje's books I've read: keen for more...
The first of Ondaatje's books I've read: keen for more...
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-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:
Complicated
A lot of lines from this book are so quotable
I wanted to like this as much as Ondaatje's other books, but it didn't hold the same poetic appeal, and I didn't feel I understood or connected with the characters with the same depth and emotion.
A wonderful choice for anyone looking for a novel strong in character, setting, and fine use of language. I knew absolutely nothing about Sri Lanka going into the story, but now I'm intrigued, and I have a vivid mental image through the book. The story wanders, and there's a plot but the real emphasis is on other things - it seems like an excuse to introduce us to the place and the characters and the context. Really lovely, despite all the sad things it contains.
This book was very, very slow. I had a hard time getting through it but something kept me reading. It was rather hard to read in that it was written in fragments and pieces, not so linear, lots of character backstory. It felt kind of anti-climatic, but it was more of a character-driven, literary novel.
I enjoyed learning about Sri Lanka and the civil war that occurred during the 1980's and 1990's. I had no knowledge of this prior to reading the book. It's very sad to learn that such horrible things go on in the world.
It was quite depressing, but there were some very beautiful words and ideas. It wasn't the most exciting story, but there was a haunting quality about it that will stay with me.
Loved some of the quotes, including one of the last lines:
"A small brave heart. In the heights she loved and in the dark she feared."
I enjoyed learning about Sri Lanka and the civil war that occurred during the 1980's and 1990's. I had no knowledge of this prior to reading the book. It's very sad to learn that such horrible things go on in the world.
It was quite depressing, but there were some very beautiful words and ideas. It wasn't the most exciting story, but there was a haunting quality about it that will stay with me.
Loved some of the quotes, including one of the last lines:
"A small brave heart. In the heights she loved and in the dark she feared."
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I admit I had no clue what to expect having never read The English Patient (or any of Ondaatje's books, for that matter), so maybe I'm being too judgmental here. While I enjoy a few different storylines intersecting throughout the book, I'm not so into short bursts of a character's history at the beginning of the book full of key information about said character that the reader is supposed to file away until that character makes the official appearance hundreds of pages later. It's especially annoying to me when the first time we meet the character, he's not given a name, nor does he have a thorough description.
And, while I sped through this book, it was not because it was so blasted great -- it was merely good writing that had very little beauty or substance to it (beyond the Sri Lankan history, that is).
And, while I sped through this book, it was not because it was so blasted great -- it was merely good writing that had very little beauty or substance to it (beyond the Sri Lankan history, that is).
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, War
Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, Mass/school shootings, Murder
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A