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rmcmahon22's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
jackyobrien6's review against another edition
3.0
Received as a mystery book - Don't give up after 100 pages, because the first part of the book felt like a dump of knowledge name-dropping obscure names. Once all the history of the stone was regurgitated, the imagery of the story really drew me in. I could so vividly picture Turkey and Baghdad, but the execution of that imagery was very choppy. The author frequently used short bursts of descriptive words rather than sentences. After researching the author and finding out he is a poet, it made me understand the stylistic choice, but I still didn't really like it.
The transitions between the brothers' story and Katherines felt very disjointed, and halfway through the book I was confused as to why I had so much background on the brothers but none on Katherine. As the book came to a close however, I understood the reasoning behind it and finally felt like I knew the character really well but I felt like it took too long to get to that point. Overall I liked the book more than I thought I would, but the execution of it really took away some of my enjoyment.
The transitions between the brothers' story and Katherines felt very disjointed, and halfway through the book I was confused as to why I had so much background on the brothers but none on Katherine. As the book came to a close however, I understood the reasoning behind it and finally felt like I knew the character really well but I felt like it took too long to get to that point. Overall I liked the book more than I thought I would, but the execution of it really took away some of my enjoyment.
zoe_d_marriott's review against another edition
4.0
One of those books which leave you with a strange impression of mingled boredom and beauty. A challenging and difficult read that was also compelling and wonderful. Often, somehow, simultaneously?! Not, in any sense whatsoever, a 'historical thriller' (oh blurbs, what are you), but certainly a timeslip novel in my eyes.
I take issue with reviews which brand the female narrator badly written or an obvious stand-in for a male, just because she's not performatively feminine. She is certainly a flawed and interesting person, both obsessive and capable of change, competent and dogged and strong, while at the same time vulnerable and often frightened. I liked Katharine, in so far as such a character can *be* liked. As far as I can tell, such reviewers are annoyed that she doesn't spend enough time worrying about her hair/make-up/clothes and what other people think of her and her appearance. I found this a refreshing change, honestly; just because oppressive insecurity about body image is embedded in most female presenting people, does this mean that all authors must inflict it on their readers through every female presenting character?
Anyway, this is brilliantly and starkly written and was definitely a must-read for my PhD research.
I take issue with reviews which brand the female narrator badly written or an obvious stand-in for a male, just because she's not performatively feminine. She is certainly a flawed and interesting person, both obsessive and capable of change, competent and dogged and strong, while at the same time vulnerable and often frightened. I liked Katharine, in so far as such a character can *be* liked. As far as I can tell, such reviewers are annoyed that she doesn't spend enough time worrying about her hair/make-up/clothes and what other people think of her and her appearance. I found this a refreshing change, honestly; just because oppressive insecurity about body image is embedded in most female presenting people, does this mean that all authors must inflict it on their readers through every female presenting character?
Anyway, this is brilliantly and starkly written and was definitely a must-read for my PhD research.
lacyp's review against another edition
3.0
I expected more, lyrically, from an established poet...what I got was an excellent sense of place from the descriptive settings, a choppy plot that doesn't quite knit together fluidly and characters about whom I remain lukewarm. Some of the situations seem a bit contrived, as well...but the story, rather the themes, have stuck with me after two years, so I can't complain that it was an overall bad book. Definately not good, though.
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