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rebeccafromflorida's review against another edition
3.0
I received this book from TLC Book Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Coincidence by J. W. Ironmonger delves into the life, and the coincidences in the life, of Azalea Lewis. In 1982, Azalea was abandoned, at the age of 3, at a fairground. Her mother’s body washes up on shore a year later, with the connection to Azalea going unnoticed.
Ten years later to the day, Azalea’s adoptive parents are massacred in Uganda. Azalea believes that she will suffer the same fate, dying on the same date, and goes to Thomas Post, a professor who specializes in coincidences.
I really wanted to love this book. Coincidence debunking, Africa, tragedy, London, and narratives in different time periods sounds like a fabulous book. The story flipped back and forth between a few different time periods and stories, but that part worked very well.
For the full review, visit Love at First Book
Coincidence by J. W. Ironmonger delves into the life, and the coincidences in the life, of Azalea Lewis. In 1982, Azalea was abandoned, at the age of 3, at a fairground. Her mother’s body washes up on shore a year later, with the connection to Azalea going unnoticed.
Ten years later to the day, Azalea’s adoptive parents are massacred in Uganda. Azalea believes that she will suffer the same fate, dying on the same date, and goes to Thomas Post, a professor who specializes in coincidences.
I really wanted to love this book. Coincidence debunking, Africa, tragedy, London, and narratives in different time periods sounds like a fabulous book. The story flipped back and forth between a few different time periods and stories, but that part worked very well.
For the full review, visit Love at First Book
bjr2022's review against another edition
5.0
The first of Ironmonger's books published in the USA, the second of his books written, and my second read, Coincidence plops John Ironmonger onto my list of favorite writers.
He is a wonderful storyteller, but he is also a philosophy teacher, a purveyor of social justice, and a romantic.
A little girl named Azalea is found alone, apparently abandoned, in a fairground in Devon, England, and the story—put together like a jigsaw puzzle—proceeds to not only trace her back to her roots, but through Socratic dialogues, debate the merits of determinism (the notion that some outer force determines what happens to us) and free will, and expose the brutal army of Joseph Kony in Uganda.
There is nothing better than a great story about big ideas, delivered in a compelling and loving way.
And speaking of love, in both the Ironmonger books that I've read (the first being Not Forgetting the Whale), there is an omniscient storyteller who very occasionally voices a sweet amusement at the foibles of his characters. (I must steal this!)
Also, both novels end with wonderful back-of-the-book material that adds to the reader's knowledge and is as well written as the rest of the book.
He is a wonderful storyteller, but he is also a philosophy teacher, a purveyor of social justice, and a romantic.
A little girl named Azalea is found alone, apparently abandoned, in a fairground in Devon, England, and the story—put together like a jigsaw puzzle—proceeds to not only trace her back to her roots, but through Socratic dialogues, debate the merits of determinism (the notion that some outer force determines what happens to us) and free will, and expose the brutal army of Joseph Kony in Uganda.
There is nothing better than a great story about big ideas, delivered in a compelling and loving way.
And speaking of love, in both the Ironmonger books that I've read (the first being Not Forgetting the Whale), there is an omniscient storyteller who very occasionally voices a sweet amusement at the foibles of his characters. (I must steal this!)
Also, both novels end with wonderful back-of-the-book material that adds to the reader's knowledge and is as well written as the rest of the book.
libluv's review against another edition
2.0
I found his writing a bit bland and his plot forced at times. I did like the exposure to the setting in Uganda.
bagreening's review against another edition
4.0
Coincidences was an interesting read. It took time to set up the story and finish the story. But in between, Azalea's story was enjoyable. j.W. Ironmonger made you feel invested in her future. Overall it was a good story. I felt it could've flowed better.
maike_dt's review against another edition
3.0
I've read this book in german so i dont want to promise anything of what i'll be saying now is exactly how it's in the english edition.
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I got this book on the ' world day of books' in our books shop where they always wrap up some books on this day and you can can get one for free. So i got this book there and i can tell you one thing it was one of the less german books which actually have a beautiful cover ( if you ever should be interested in how it looks you can loook it up here. [b:Das zufällige Leben der Azalea Lewis|27826874|Das zufällige Leben der Azalea Lewis|J. W. Ironmonger|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1447482075s/27826874.jpg|47807560] For me it's quit important how the cover looks cause thats the first thing i see of a book and if the first impression is bad i won't enjoy it later . Thats just how i am.
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I have to say that at first , when i started the book i wasn't really motivated to read it. Everything just took so long and story didn't really begun until page 100 , which isn't too late but still a lot scenes where very strechted. Also it has time changes from chapter to chapter. Over every the year is written but it still was somehow very confusing at the beginning. As the story goes on those things get clearer so in the end it was ok.
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J.W. Ironmonger really wrote beautiful. I don't know if it was the translation from enlish to german but everything was neatly described with really fitting words. At the beginning this could get easily bored but after the first few chapter it got better and better. The realationship between Azalea and Thomas isn't very clear even at the end. It has an ending where everyone can think of their somehow own ending.
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All in all a good book but you have to get over the first few chapter to really get into the story. And if you do it is definatly worth it.
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I got this book on the ' world day of books' in our books shop where they always wrap up some books on this day and you can can get one for free. So i got this book there and i can tell you one thing it was one of the less german books which actually have a beautiful cover ( if you ever should be interested in how it looks you can loook it up here. [b:Das zufällige Leben der Azalea Lewis|27826874|Das zufällige Leben der Azalea Lewis|J. W. Ironmonger|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1447482075s/27826874.jpg|47807560] For me it's quit important how the cover looks cause thats the first thing i see of a book and if the first impression is bad i won't enjoy it later . Thats just how i am.
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I have to say that at first , when i started the book i wasn't really motivated to read it. Everything just took so long and story didn't really begun until page 100 , which isn't too late but still a lot scenes where very strechted. Also it has time changes from chapter to chapter. Over every the year is written but it still was somehow very confusing at the beginning. As the story goes on those things get clearer so in the end it was ok.
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J.W. Ironmonger really wrote beautiful. I don't know if it was the translation from enlish to german but everything was neatly described with really fitting words. At the beginning this could get easily bored but after the first few chapter it got better and better. The realationship between Azalea and Thomas isn't very clear even at the end. It has an ending where everyone can think of their somehow own ending.
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All in all a good book but you have to get over the first few chapter to really get into the story. And if you do it is definatly worth it.
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