Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

The Wonder by Emma Donoghue

29 reviews

vixenreader's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Despite how dry it can be at times, the mystery keeps you on edge, the lead is fascinating, and it reveals the darkest paths people will take to protect themselves and their reputations. 

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annniina98's review against another edition

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4.0


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dsaiz's review

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25


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bedtimesandbooks's review

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dark medium-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


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icieri's review

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challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75


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shmerbal's review

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emotional mysterious sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5


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amberinbookland's review

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emotional mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0


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alisonkolonick's review

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dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25


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bethboo's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I really liked this book and the companion movie. 
I would not have approached this title without seeing the movie first. But the characters were faceted and realistic and it gave a morose and vacant type of vibe to the story. 
I will say that the MC is much more stoic and stronger in the movie. She's more emotional and prone to outbursts in the book. 
I'm a sucker for a story where kids are in trouble and a parental figure is there to save them.  
I liked the moments when Lib thought she was the only sane person in that forsaken town.  
I thought this was very well written and the religious zealotry was a great revolving point for the plot

Things the movie had that were not in the book:
Weird sex and masturbation scene
Drug induced stupors and addiction to said drug
The journalist's back ground was a little different

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jhbandcats's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I recently saw the movie The Wonder, so I wanted to read the book. The movie follows the plot of the book closely; both are excellent. Emma Donoghue writes wonderful historical fiction, well-researched and with strong female characters, and I always learn something new from her. 

This story exposes the idiocy of blindly following a mystical religion in the face of all evidence that a girl is starving to death rather than that the spirit of the Catholic god is keeping her alive as one of his miracles. Nurse Wright’s change of heart as she comes to know Anna, from skeptical and angry at the fraudsters, to loving and frightened as the girl wastes away, is masterfully shown through interior monologue. 

With detailed scenes of Ireland only a few years after the Great Famine, two compelling main characters, and an unusual and mysterious plot, this is a fascinating and intriguing story. 

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