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brogancha's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Toxic friendship, and Transphobia
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.0
This won’t be a book for every reader and I did have some quibbles, including a gender related plot point that was introduced late in the novel but never fully developed. But, somewhat to my surprise, I’ve recently enjoyed a few quiet, literary historical novels centred around characters exploration and expression of faith - so long as they don’t strike me as prosletising. I can now add Haven to that list.
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Animal death, Body shaming, and Emotional abuse
ceruleanseas's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Toxic friendship, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Outing, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Body shaming
Moderate: Misogyny, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Blood
vireogirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Lots of birds mentioned.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Body shaming, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Animal death, and Confinement
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Excrement, Hate crime, and Outing
hannahrhian's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Outing, Religious bigotry, Vomit, Animal death, Blood, and Emotional abuse
afion's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Religious bigotry, and Transphobia
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Excrement, and Vomit
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, and Self harm
jesshindes's review against another edition
- 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
I just loved this book. Donohue has a gift for identifying intriguing situations - she talks in the afterword about visiting the West Coast of Ireland, where medieval monks absolutely did build monasteries in this kind of setting - and I particularly admire her ability to paint a detailed, realistic, but self-contained historical picture. Everything is focused and we stick close to the three monks for the whole book: from their beds in the monastery to the unfriendly, rocky landscape of Great Skellig, where they land their boat. Donoghue has an eye for landscape and I really enjoyed the richness and diversity of the wildlife the three encounter (it made me think a lot about how impoverished we are nowadays when it comes to other species). The birds who inhabit the island alongside them become a central part of the plot, as Trian in particular finds himself drawn to the creatures and Artt remains resolutely firm on the distinctions between the levels of God's creation.
Donoghue lets the story do the talking but the novel is great at demonstrating the strengths - and weaknesses - of its three central characters, the result of which is an understated, almost dry commentary on the nature of faith in a context where it underpins everything the characters do. All three of the men have faith in God (for their own reasons), but what about faith in other humans? Where is the limit to that? Where ought it to be?
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
bookedbymadeline's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
I love Donoghue’s ability to tell stories and she’s one of my auto buy authors. Of the 3 books I’ve read so far from her, I’ve loved all of them! Donoghue does a great job of building this historical world, painting vivid imagery of the day to day survival of these monks.
The characters are well written, as we get a glimpse into all 3 of their thoughts, emotions, and motives. They each have their own distinct voices and I loved getting to know them and see them evolve throughout the course of the story!
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Animal death, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Sexism and Transphobia
lenabrary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Animal death and Animal cruelty
dystopia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Body shaming, Medical content, and Religious bigotry