Reviews

In the Skin of a Lion by Michael Ondaatje

erikajam'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
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

nanimao's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

One of those rare books that doesn't need a single word added or subtracted.

nyom7's review against another edition

3.0

Meh is genuinely all I can say about this book. There is absolutely nothing special about it and it is entirely forgettable. I don’t actively regret the time spent reading it but that’s only really because it was being read as procrastination. If I’d taken this on holiday I would have been thoroughly disappointed.

biomimic's review

adventurous dark emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

grayjay's review

3.0

Ondaatje fictionalizes the lives of Canadian immigrants who played a large part in the early development of the city of Toronto in the early 1900s, focusing on the building of the Prince Edward Viaduct and the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant. He also weaves in historical figures such as Ambrose Small among his fictional ones.

The novel hones in on the sacrifices paid by immigrants to build the country that welcomed them in yet kept them at a distance. Yet I also felt like I was kept at a distance. I found the jumps in time, not confusing, but a little distancing. Each time we return to the lives of the primary characters their circumstances and relationships have changed.

Yet it is still a poignant story. His characters really suffer from the dominant power structures of a young Canada, eager to grow and willing to push the powerless out of its way

balfin's review against another edition

challenging emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

tsaechaox's review against another edition

adventurous funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

This was a read for a class but it was an interesting one. While I do love the way the book was done it was very confusing at times. 

readytogo's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

veechronicles's review against another edition

4.0

i really enjoyed this, maybe it was just the italian representation that i was loving but i think this was really well done
it was a little hard to get into at first and the construction parts were a bit dry, but the character building makes up for it completely

genevieveelizz's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious relaxing sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5