Scan barcode
kittkat's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Ein wirklich super interessantes Buch. Es hat sich angefühlt, als ob jemand mein Gehirn rausgenommen und ihn gut durchgeknetet hätte.
Die irische 6-köpfige Familie Madigan lebt mitten im Nirgendwo auf dem Land. Die Mutter Rosaleen ist emotional instabil und verbringt die meiste Zeit im Bett oder hat gerade einen Ausbruch. Die Kinder fühlen sich vernachlässigt und wollen schnellstmöglich aus dem Haus. Ab 1980 sehen wir über die Jahre, was aus den Kindern geworden ist, wie sie sich komplett von der Familie distanziert haben und mit ihren eigenen Problemen zu kämpfen haben. Dan, der seine Homosexualität leugnet - Constance, die für andere lebt und sich selbst nicht kennt - Emmet, der bei seiner Arbeit mit Unicef jeden Tag mit Krankheit und Tod konfrontiert ist - und Hanna, die Jüngste mit einem Alkoholproblem und postnataler Depression.
Eine sehr traurige Geschichte über eine dysfunktionale Familie, die sich nicht mal über Zeit heilen lässt und die Probleme über die Generationen weiterzugeben scheint. Unfassbar, wie viele Probleme die Autorin mit all den Geschichten aufgegriffen hat und dass sie das alles in einem Buch verpacken konnte. Mit einem tollen Schreibstil, der einen mitten ins Geschehen zieht (auch wenn man das vielleicht gar nicht möchte bei all dem Leid…).
Ich muss sagen, Respekt 👏.
Die irische 6-köpfige Familie Madigan lebt mitten im Nirgendwo auf dem Land. Die Mutter Rosaleen ist emotional instabil und verbringt die meiste Zeit im Bett oder hat gerade einen Ausbruch. Die Kinder fühlen sich vernachlässigt und wollen schnellstmöglich aus dem Haus. Ab 1980 sehen wir über die Jahre, was aus den Kindern geworden ist, wie sie sich komplett von der Familie distanziert haben und mit ihren eigenen Problemen zu kämpfen haben. Dan, der seine Homosexualität leugnet - Constance, die für andere lebt und sich selbst nicht kennt - Emmet, der bei seiner Arbeit mit Unicef jeden Tag mit Krankheit und Tod konfrontiert ist - und Hanna, die Jüngste mit einem Alkoholproblem und postnataler Depression.
Eine sehr traurige Geschichte über eine dysfunktionale Familie, die sich nicht mal über Zeit heilen lässt und die Probleme über die Generationen weiterzugeben scheint. Unfassbar, wie viele Probleme die Autorin mit all den Geschichten aufgegriffen hat und dass sie das alles in einem Buch verpacken konnte. Mit einem tollen Schreibstil, der einen mitten ins Geschehen zieht (auch wenn man das vielleicht gar nicht möchte bei all dem Leid…).
Ich muss sagen, Respekt 👏.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Homophobia, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, and Death of parent
timna_wyckoff's review against another edition
3.0
Distinctive and accomplished writing style, but not a lot new on family dynamics.
lmp2020's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I barely made it through. It could not hold my interest.
patmcmanamon's review against another edition
5.0
An excellent book about family and the strains and stresses we put on it. Brilliantly written, this book touches on so many issues. Compassion. Understanding. Family. The sacrifices made by women, especially mothers. Aging. It also provides a stark and real portrait of the dysfunction family, and the challenges contained therein. It's not exactly uplifting, but its writing is excellent and its story is compelling. An honest, real page-turner that had me wishing every time I put it down that I could pick it up again right away and see what was next.
sarahch's review against another edition
3.0
To me, books centered on family dynamics can be just as enticing as they can be frightful. And so it was with The Green Road. A nightmarishly vivid story of "wasted" family bonds and potential. When things simply never manage to click into place to settle the meaning of it all - what is given, what is owed, what is left. The familiarity of a generally pleasant childhood and family life turns bitterly painful when the unspoken contracts between mother and children, and between the children with one another, inevitably arise.
I admire how Anne Enright solidly weaves the atmosphere of the Madigan family dynamic through its members' individual stories. I always marvel at the magic of really good storytelling; when seemingly very suddenly you arrive on a page, and without ever being explicitly told, you understand the state of things.
This one was my first time reading Anne Enright. And although it was a beautiful beautiful book, as is often for me the case with multiple character perspectives, I tend to ultimately be disappointed with how much time is alloted to my favourite characters. I would have read a whole book about Dan, and the constant perspective switches slowed the pace of the book and made it very easy for me to put it down. I did push through eventually!
I admire how Anne Enright solidly weaves the atmosphere of the Madigan family dynamic through its members' individual stories. I always marvel at the magic of really good storytelling; when seemingly very suddenly you arrive on a page, and without ever being explicitly told, you understand the state of things.
This one was my first time reading Anne Enright. And although it was a beautiful beautiful book, as is often for me the case with multiple character perspectives, I tend to ultimately be disappointed with how much time is alloted to my favourite characters. I would have read a whole book about Dan, and the constant perspective switches slowed the pace of the book and made it very easy for me to put it down. I did push through eventually!
sigridjacobs's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the concept of this book, the family dynamics, the fact that each chapter is told by a different member of the family. Also I thought the language was beautiful. However, the ending ruined it for me. The pacing was really off, and the story didn't make sense. With a better ending, I would have given this book 4, maybe even 5 stars.
krobart's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I always feel that Enright’s characters are absolutely believable and her families fraught with realistic complications. Her descriptions, too, of the Western Ireland scenery are gorgeous. For my complete review, see this link: https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2024/04/30/review-2428-the-green-road/
ali_w15's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the individual characters in this book and appreciated the setting in terms of both time and place but I just didn't really gel with this book. I felt that there were too many hidden meanings within the book that were too obscure. I didn't really get the overall message or meaning of the story so felt that the book came to a rather disappointing end.
jlllzz's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
4.25