Reviews

Matrix by Lauren Groff

staci_stasis's review

emotional inspiring reflective medium-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

cayleybp's review against another edition

informative reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

ilo___'s review against another edition

challenging mysterious slow-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? It's complicated

3.75

the writing is GORGEOUS but it's not my kinda story so it took me way too long to read. I'm glad i read it and some passages have incredible writing but it's not an easy read i really had to focus. it didn't feel like much happened narrative wise and i barely connected to the characters. i appreciated the female everything but generally i think it's just not my sort of book.

dargan18's review against another edition

3.0

First, the things I liked about this book: It takes place in an English abbey in the 12th century, an interesting setting, and it's entirely populated with female characters, which is refreshing. It's a fictional retelling of the life of Marie de France, a poet and mystic. It had some interesting things to say about spirituality, and community, and faithfulness to one place.

Now, to the things I didn't like. This book just did not land for me. I had a hard time really connecting with any of the characters. Marie's relationships, her visions, and her version of spirituality were mostly just confusing to me. It somehow felt like nothing happened and too much happened (the book spans several decades of Marie's life). I ended up finishing it mostly out of sunk cost fallacy. It's not all bad -- Groff is a great writer -- I just wasn't into it.

gillsbooks21's review against another edition

2.0

Set in the late-twelfth and thirteenth centuries, Matrix tells the mostly fictional story of one woman, the bastard half-sister of Henry II, and her journey from the royal court of Eleanor of Aquitaine to becoming a fierce, passionate, and rebel abbess in England. I was very much looking forward to reading probably one of the earliest set historical fiction novels I’ve ever read, but was disappointed with the slow-developing plot and narrative style of Lauren Groff. The only strong point about this book was reading about a nun who challenged the patriarchy in her role as abbess. However, this book reads more like a litany of events in Marie de France’s life rather than an exciting retelling of her actions. I usually find solace in reading after a long day at work, but this book made me want to scroll through Twitter instead of reading it☹️

tequilatallulah's review against another edition

3.0

I wanted to like this a lot more than I did... Alas, not quite my cup of tea.
The writing is lovely but the narrative left something to be desired for me.

pauladennan's review against another edition

I found Matrix intensely boring, and there are too many nuns to keep track of.

arwatson01's review against another edition

No dialogue. Makes me sleepy. 

annineamundsen's review against another edition

2.0

This was just not for me. The concept of the story is pretty interesting but I did not like the way it was written. I was just...bored and not at all invested in the story or the characters. I considered not finishing several times but decided to power through - kinda wish I hadn't.

pipmonk's review against another edition

fast-paced

3.75