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textpublishing's review against another edition
5.0
‘The ever popular Ruth Park has written one of the best novels of the decade.’
The Australian
‘Almost impossible to put down…its characters keep on living in the imagination.’
Sydney Sun
‘A fairy tale of a novel.’
Sydney Morning Herald
The Australian
‘Almost impossible to put down…its characters keep on living in the imagination.’
Sydney Sun
‘A fairy tale of a novel.’
Sydney Morning Herald
polyhy_14's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
mandi_m's review against another edition
4.0
A wonderful story which shows how people coped through the depression in NSW. Great characters and descriptions.
Book Club have given their best marks of the year:
9/8/9/9/8.5/9/8.5/9/9/8/8/9/9/8.5/9/7/8/7
Book Club have given their best marks of the year:
9/8/9/9/8.5/9/8.5/9/9/8/8/9/9/8.5/9/7/8/7
msliz's review
emotional
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A powerful depiction of Australian life in the first few decades of the twentieth century, particularly the poverty and hardships people experienced during the depression years. Park is a wonderful writer. I especially like the gritty realism of her work - she doesn't romanticise the era, revealing the pervasive prejudices in society and the precarious position of women during these times, who were often completely at the mercy of the men in their lives. It's a fascinating window into a bygone time.
brona's review
4.0
The Miles Franklin Award aims to celebrate a novel each year that 'is of the highest literary merit and presents Australian life in any of its phases.'
Swords and Rings and Crowns is all of this.
There is nothing experimental or challenging about the format or structure of the book. It is straight forward historical fiction with a coming of age element and some romance. But it is beautifully realised.
Park's writing is evocative and authentic. She brings the hardships and the details of Depression era NSW to life so vividly that you can feel the hunger, the cold and the fear along with her characters. However, the bleakness of the times was compensated for by the warmth and grace of her central characters.
Full review here - http://bronasbooks.blogspot.com.au/2016/11/swords-and-crowns-and-rings-by-ruth-park.html
Swords and Rings and Crowns is all of this.
There is nothing experimental or challenging about the format or structure of the book. It is straight forward historical fiction with a coming of age element and some romance. But it is beautifully realised.
Park's writing is evocative and authentic. She brings the hardships and the details of Depression era NSW to life so vividly that you can feel the hunger, the cold and the fear along with her characters. However, the bleakness of the times was compensated for by the warmth and grace of her central characters.
Full review here - http://bronasbooks.blogspot.com.au/2016/11/swords-and-crowns-and-rings-by-ruth-park.html
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