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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
slow-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:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
There was a lot of book-ception in this which isn't my cup of tea but I just love the way Irving writes people
Always love Irving's books. Great cast of eccentric characters and an excellent story.
I was immediately put off by the sexual content that was a major factor in the first few chapters, but am glad that I kept reading. This story had a quickly moving and somewhat winding plot. I did find myself having a hard time putting it down. The chapters were relatively short and I constantly wanted to know what happened next, and I was never disappointed as there was something unexpected around each corner.
The central character, Ruth Cole, is compelling and likable, in spite of, and maybe because of, the immoral people who surround her. The secondary character--a man who worked as an assistant to the girl's father (a writer) when he was 16 and Ruth was 4--had an affair with Ruth's mother and was present when the mother left the family, not to be seen or heard from again. The two characters have a relationship, but not a romantic one, as adults. The story chronicles Ruth's relationships--both friendly and romantic--as she navigates life as the child of low-life father and absent mother.
Ultimately, the message in this story wasn't as clear or as poignant as that of A Prayer for Owen Meany, but Irving's wit and the fast-paced, highly dramatic storyline made up for it. I've rarely seen a female main character pulled off this convincingly by a male author. Kudos to Irving on his insight, imagination, and such careful attention to his craft.
The central character, Ruth Cole, is compelling and likable, in spite of, and maybe because of, the immoral people who surround her. The secondary character--a man who worked as an assistant to the girl's father (a writer) when he was 16 and Ruth was 4--had an affair with Ruth's mother and was present when the mother left the family, not to be seen or heard from again. The two characters have a relationship, but not a romantic one, as adults. The story chronicles Ruth's relationships--both friendly and romantic--as she navigates life as the child of low-life father and absent mother.
Ultimately, the message in this story wasn't as clear or as poignant as that of A Prayer for Owen Meany, but Irving's wit and the fast-paced, highly dramatic storyline made up for it. I've rarely seen a female main character pulled off this convincingly by a male author. Kudos to Irving on his insight, imagination, and such careful attention to his craft.
slow-paced
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Very hard to finish. Poor character development. Too verbose. Not a good story.
This book took me an uncharacteristically long time. This had more to do with my time that anything. But I did find myself bogged down in the first two thirds of the novel. The last third, the concluding third was probably my favorite part. It was a different perspective on lust and love and loss throughout our life times. And how these themes never really leave us.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Excellent. Kept me guessing and hooked, even though I moved cross country while reading it. Well-drawn main character, especially considering the cross-gender writing. Disappointingly adolescent obsession with breasts, and overuse of italics, but these are minor criticisms.