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hileahrious's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-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? No
2.75
I really like the idea of this book (short stories written out of bits of historical fact the author researched, mixed with her own imagination). However, I found it boring and ended up only reading the little factual snippets about the stories she includes at the end of each.
smithel's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
needagoodbook's review against another edition
3.0
I found it very hard to get into each short story in this book as you're right in the thick of it with no explanation of who the characters are etc but I did find myself enjoying the stories by the time they ended.
lsparrow's review against another edition
4.0
enjoyed this collection of short historical fiction stories.
mostly following the lives of women, but all stories of migration.
mostly following the lives of women, but all stories of migration.
gingerliss's review against another edition
4.0
Somehow I ended up reading another collection of short stories. I have to say when I bought this book I didn't realise that's what it was, I just bought it on a whim because I loved Donoghue's 'Room' so much. Now I must admit, that this is finally a book of short stories that I can actually say I am enthusiastic about. I enjoyed the majority of the stories and I think the cord throughout the stories, what connected them, was clever. I liked that they were all based on true events as well and I enjoyed Donoghue's explanations at the end of each story and I also very much enjoyed the Afterword, which lets the reader into the author's world. I am excited to read more of Donoghue's work.
yayjill's review against another edition
3.0
I loved the concept of expanding snippets of history into short stories.
akabah's review against another edition
3.75
Really interesting premise/gimmick- more effective for some stories than others. Worth picking up.
janetll's review against another edition
4.0
This was great, and I love the premise. To be honest I did skip "The Hunt" once I understood what it would be about.
rebcamuse's review against another edition
5.0
I cannot honestly remember when I have so enjoyed a collection of short stories. Donoghue has so many voices inside her--each one unique, yet all united by sojourns of the soul and spirit. From the pages of history, Donoghue develops characters who are flawed in ways that we can recognize when we look in the mirror. I found this collection of short stories to be an excellent companion to [b:A Field Guide to Getting Lost|76479|A Field Guide to Getting Lost|Rebecca Solnit|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1422199403s/76479.jpg|2756721], by [a:Rebecca Solnit|15811|Rebecca Solnit|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1251330691p2/15811.jpg]. I'd recommend this strongly to travelers, whether the journeys are literal or figurative.
bunrab's review against another edition
4.0
I like her explanations of where the story ideas came from. There is a certain sameness to them, after a while, though, and it's more "escape" than "astray." Best read in 2 or 3 doses rather than all at once, so the sameness part of it doesn't diminish the writing.