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logophile's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
If the TV show Northern Exposure were a book, this would be it. I loved Northern Exposure, but as a novel, it’s a tad too twee for my taste. Everyone is just so good, and kind, and wise.
hannahlee's review
5.0
A completely lovely story - like Under Milk Wood meets One Hundred Years of Solitude, but with the specialness of place of the Pacific Northwest. This is a very lyrical, meandering piece, recommended for lovers of language and students of life, and for them it is totally engrossing, though I can imagine others not being into it by virtue of its sometimes slow pace. Still, I highly recommend it to any willing to give it a try!
sapphire_m's review
5.0
This might have just become my favorite book of all time. The way the story of this town is told is phenomenal and unlike anything I have ever read. If you have ever wanted to read a book with the best run-on sentences ever written, this is the one. All of Doyle's characters are clear and distinct in my mind (although it does take a while to remember their relationships) so that I can easily tell who is who despite the lack of distinction of dialog. I love the omniscient point of view, it really sets the idea that this is a story of the soul of the town which isn't just made up of one person's perspective, but everyone's, including the bears and the ouzels. I can't wait to pick up another of his books.
hcarver's review
5.0
wow! I loved this book. Magical realism in Oregon. The characters, the community, the interwoven cultural threads. The love of words.
maylingkuo's review
4.0
seriously, this novel took me AGES to get through. doyle's writing isn't for page turners and you won't find yourself flipping the pages to dive into the story. mink river is not going to entertain the average reader.
it's poetic, strong, interesting, cultural, romantic, rural, familial, stream of conscious... all of the reviews describe this as a book about a city. for me, it's more about a group of people so connected they are like a huge extended family.
unexpected is another descriptor. there's a moment where a bear does the most random thing and i laughed out loud - i re-read that page three times! and who would have thought i'd care so much about the crow, moses? my favorite moments are when doyle depicts all of the characters in town doing or saying the same thing. the idea that we could all be connected by the same action or word with completely different contexts feels comforting and miraculous.
it's poetic, strong, interesting, cultural, romantic, rural, familial, stream of conscious... all of the reviews describe this as a book about a city. for me, it's more about a group of people so connected they are like a huge extended family.
unexpected is another descriptor. there's a moment where a bear does the most random thing and i laughed out loud - i re-read that page three times! and who would have thought i'd care so much about the crow, moses? my favorite moments are when doyle depicts all of the characters in town doing or saying the same thing. the idea that we could all be connected by the same action or word with completely different contexts feels comforting and miraculous.
sjfurger's review
5.0
I absolutely loved this book. The characters fairly sprang off of the page and into my heart. I found myself grinning and nodding in agreement often - these people are wiser than they realize! And I found myself holding my breath more than once. I was sad to close this book. I will be thinking about these characters for a long time. Lyrical and magical writing. If you're looking for Twin Peaks/Stranger Things Lite, this is the book for you.
ariel_bloomer's review against another edition
5.0
A novel with maybe the most vibrant, tangible Place I've ever read.
bikeknit's review against another edition
3.0
I love the idea of this book - the intertwining of Irish floklore with Christian and Native American stories, the strong sense of place, the quirky small town characters. But I don't love the book. Just as I got involved in a story or a character I'd stumble over long blocks of run-on sentences, strings of metaphors, and long recitations of psalms and native people's stories. Some of this helped the narrative but a lot of it seemed to just get in the way.
Perhaps this is a result of the author's background as an essayist. What works well in a short piece doesn't always work so well in a novel. A lot of people loved this book so it may just be a matter of personal preference. I prefer a tighter writing style.
Perhaps this is a result of the author's background as an essayist. What works well in a short piece doesn't always work so well in a novel. A lot of people loved this book so it may just be a matter of personal preference. I prefer a tighter writing style.