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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had seen this book, and been intrigued by it, in bookstores several times before I decided to actually buy it. I loved the setting of Ireland and was curious about the plot of adult children coming together to face their common history and flaws. Perhaps I had built it up by not buying it for so long but once I was actually reading it I was disappointed by the outcome.
It was decently written and the characters had depth but the overarching story was jolted and sometimes hard to follow. It was difficult to see the connection between some of the details and side stories and the actual plot. In fact it was a bit hard to find the actual plot. There was a lot of internal monologuing that felt a lot like babbling, it tended to be repetitive and uninteresting when you wanted there to be something more to it. Something that endeared you to the character or revealed something that only you knew and it just never seemed to happen.
Even the ending left something to be desired. It was as if I waited the entirety of the book for the denouement to be revealed only to discover that there wasn't one. I'd say save your time for a more interesting read.
It was decently written and the characters had depth but the overarching story was jolted and sometimes hard to follow. It was difficult to see the connection between some of the details and side stories and the actual plot. In fact it was a bit hard to find the actual plot. There was a lot of internal monologuing that felt a lot like babbling, it tended to be repetitive and uninteresting when you wanted there to be something more to it. Something that endeared you to the character or revealed something that only you knew and it just never seemed to happen.
Even the ending left something to be desired. It was as if I waited the entirety of the book for the denouement to be revealed only to discover that there wasn't one. I'd say save your time for a more interesting read.
Upplevde att den började lite långsamt men när jag väl kom in i den kunde jag inte sluta läsa. Egentligen rätt enkel men säger så mycket. Jag vill ha mer.
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Beautifully written, found some characters and their stories more compelling than others but overall a great read
I would read basically anything set in County Clare, but this one is universally appealing. I'm a sucker for books that skip through time and narrators, and Enright does so flawlessly.
The children of Rosaleen and the late Pat Madigan have grown up and scattered from the nest. They have roamed near and far from their home; reaching Canada, third world countries and down the road in Dublin. After she announces that she wishes to sell the family home, the children, Dan, Emmet, Constance and Hanna are drawn back for one last Christmas. This final celebration with their challenging but difficult mother will bring to the surface the tensions that have always been there as the children face a change that none of them expected.
The quality of the writing is excellent, making it effortless to read. Enright has managed to capture perfectly the mood and moments of the era. The characters of the four children are briefly sketched in individual chapters before they are thrust together in the family reunion in the second part of the story, where the strains in the relationships are tested. If you are looking for a complex plot then this might not be the book for you as not a lot happens; just the deeply fragmented layers of family sagas. It did feel a bit clichéd though, otherwise it was a fine read.
The quality of the writing is excellent, making it effortless to read. Enright has managed to capture perfectly the mood and moments of the era. The characters of the four children are briefly sketched in individual chapters before they are thrust together in the family reunion in the second part of the story, where the strains in the relationships are tested. If you are looking for a complex plot then this might not be the book for you as not a lot happens; just the deeply fragmented layers of family sagas. It did feel a bit clichéd though, otherwise it was a fine read.
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
Eerste 100 pagina's waren fantastisch, daarna zakte het in als een cake die je te vroeg uit de oven haalt. Kon op het laatst helemaal geen sympathie meer opbrengen voor de personages, en kon me ook niet meer inleven in hun situatie.
A four and a half really, only just missing out on a five because I found some of the children's individual chapters a bit rambly. Was starting to think I should steer clear of anything that has the word prize or award on the cover, but then I started to thoroughly enjoy it after that. The writing was beautiful, these particular sentences melted my heart "...just the fact of her son made Constance entirely happy. He could do what he liked, she would not mind. He was a good guy, and he lived his mother, and not even his laundry offended her. Or not much." Loved this book.