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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
I was on board for the first half, but then this got way too long and in love with its own explorations
I was quite certain when Mr. Westerbeke told me about this book at his table in Appletree Books that it would be torturously beautiful. I felt haunted by the concept, I couldn’t leave without it. And yet, it took me two months to pick it up, because I had spun the concept out in my head. And what I encountered within the pages over these last days was as heartrending as expected and more wondrous than imagined. Aubry’s lonely and loving witnessing of the world in constant, intimate motion is a gift to those of us blessed and cursed to have a home from which we explore the world. There aren’t words for the experience of this book, just as there aren’t words to summarize the experiences Aubry had.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Interesting premise but it no development of the character. Could have been so much better.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Not what I expected, definitely a metaphor for something. Dragged a bit in the middle. I feel like this is the author's way of fulfilling some kind of weird fantasy. I'd skip it.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-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:
Yes
3.75 stars, rounded up to 4. This is a novel rich in the magical realism genre. If you liked “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue”, “The Midnight Library”, or “Life of Pi”, this is one you should definitely pick up, as it will foster those same feelings you loved when you read those books; it is, however, a different pilgrimage from those as well. It’s an epic journey of the power of finding oneself, kindness in the face of adversity, and the substantial impact of brief encounters with people who influence, shape and inspire our lives, the agony of saying goodbye, and the efficacy of finding home. This adventure follows our protagonist, Aubry, when she is 9 years old and ends when she is well into (what I believe) is her 60s. It is a fabulous novel with a nice balance between character development and lyrical storytelling. The story unfolds quite nicely as stories within stories. It all just works.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Although I don't think that I entirely understood the point the author was trying to make, I still found it a beautiful book to read. I loved all the adventures and the humanity that Aubrey met in her travels. It was really comparable to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, however, different enough to make it still exciting to read.