Scan barcode
saidtheraina's review against another edition
5.0
David James Duncan is (officially) one of my favorite authors. Largely because of this book.
hwintermute's review against another edition
3.0
This book has its moments: some interesting philosophical tales, a quirky romance, funny & captivating characters… but it moves along at a slow rambling pace. Perhaps a little too slow for my liking.
ryanterry's review against another edition
3.0
The first third or maybe half of this book had me prepared to give it one, maybe two stars. It seemed like it would just be 400 pages of unbelievable and not even really enjoyable fishing tales peppered with intolerable fishing caricatures. But the second half I enjoyed almost as much as anything else I’ve read this year, particularly the last hundred pages or so, when the humans of the story become much more human. So I’ll settle in the middle with three stars.
If you don’t like fishing, probably not worth the read honestly. But if you do, it’s worth the trudge through the first 150 pages to get to the good part.
If you don’t like fishing, probably not worth the read honestly. But if you do, it’s worth the trudge through the first 150 pages to get to the good part.
deniset's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
findyourgoldenhour's review against another edition
1.0
I desperately wanted to like this book. If I had picked it up on my own, I wouldn't have bothered to keep reading past the first 50 pages. But I picked this for the book discussion group at the store! I had to finish it! I kept looking at the stellar reviews here on goodreads, the ones that called it their all-time favorite, and I was wondering what book they read, because it couldn't be this one. It had moments of insight that I would highlight and flag and think, "Okay! Now it's going somewhere!" But it was fleeting, and then the rambling would begin again.
Usually when I read a book for this discussion group, even if I hate the book, there is at least one person who liked it and could give me an appreciation for things I may have missed. Not this time. It was universally despised.
Usually when I read a book for this discussion group, even if I hate the book, there is at least one person who liked it and could give me an appreciation for things I may have missed. Not this time. It was universally despised.
anniegroover's review
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
poachedeggs's review against another edition
4.0
DJD can make any esoteric subject profound and engaging: here, he has taken fishing, one of his passions, and woven a beautiful story about a young fisherman who, torn between his father's belief in the superiority of fly-fishing and his mother's practical inclination towards bait-fishing, moves out and lives alone along the river.
Musings on God, spirituality and love eventually follow, and Gus Orviston grows into his own in his little cabin.
The only reason why I didn't give this five stars is that I do see some of DJD's essay-speak seeping into the novel (and now begin to understand why he has not written much fiction). He has certain opinions that may need to be reined in when it comes to writing a story (and I think he acknowledges this somewhere in his foreword).
Musings on God, spirituality and love eventually follow, and Gus Orviston grows into his own in his little cabin.
The only reason why I didn't give this five stars is that I do see some of DJD's essay-speak seeping into the novel (and now begin to understand why he has not written much fiction). He has certain opinions that may need to be reined in when it comes to writing a story (and I think he acknowledges this somewhere in his foreword).
andrewschreck's review against another edition
4.0
This book is an odd one, parts of it I really didn't care for, but parts of it I loved. I listened to the Audiobook, so I know part of the dislike was for the voices and inflection in the readers voice. Overall, a good book about growing up, fishing, finding yourself and healthy mix of spirituality. I want to get a hard copy of this, and read it myself some day (as opposed to listening to it), I think I'll enjoy it more.