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remigves's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
betweenbookends's review against another edition
4.0
So much of the essence of The Hired Man is not written in its pages but is read between the lines, inferred from the gaps and contemplations that dot the narrative, all the unsaid things hinted at. Set in a small Croatian town, Gost, in the aftermath of the Balkan Wars, you follow a British family moving into an old house in this town with the idea of fixing it up for sale. You follow the story from the perspective of Duro, a 45-year-old man, a town local who becomes the handyman for this British family.
Forna, through this insular setting, masterfully peels back layer after layer of history, tragedy, betrayal and conflict that have plagued this town for years. You’re plunged deep into the narrator’s head, his experiences almost becomes your own and so much of the story is gleaned without actually being told. It is a slow burn. It starts very slowly, and initially you’re just following the daily interactions of this British family with Duro. The narrative, very gradually builds momentum, and you slowly come to realize all the conflict, unspoken history and secrets that haunt this town.
Aminatta Forna is a writer of uncommon elegance. The deftness of prose, the nuance of emotion, the precision and control with which the story unfolds is simply wonderful. My only qualm, though minor, is the pacing of the novel which felt slightly uneven: starting very slow, progressing really fast in the end, with bouts of action in the middle sections. I would have preferred a slightly more even pacing throughout.
Nonetheless, it’s a novel I’d highly recommend. Especially if you have read and loved Anthony Marra’s A Constellation of Vital Phenomena or Tea Obreht’s The Tiger’s Wife, both of which portray the breakdown of society in the aftermath of conflict. While Marra’s novel is still head and shoulders above this, The Hired Man is still well worth a read.
4.25/5
Forna, through this insular setting, masterfully peels back layer after layer of history, tragedy, betrayal and conflict that have plagued this town for years. You’re plunged deep into the narrator’s head, his experiences almost becomes your own and so much of the story is gleaned without actually being told. It is a slow burn. It starts very slowly, and initially you’re just following the daily interactions of this British family with Duro. The narrative, very gradually builds momentum, and you slowly come to realize all the conflict, unspoken history and secrets that haunt this town.
Aminatta Forna is a writer of uncommon elegance. The deftness of prose, the nuance of emotion, the precision and control with which the story unfolds is simply wonderful. My only qualm, though minor, is the pacing of the novel which felt slightly uneven: starting very slow, progressing really fast in the end, with bouts of action in the middle sections. I would have preferred a slightly more even pacing throughout.
Nonetheless, it’s a novel I’d highly recommend. Especially if you have read and loved Anthony Marra’s A Constellation of Vital Phenomena or Tea Obreht’s The Tiger’s Wife, both of which portray the breakdown of society in the aftermath of conflict. While Marra’s novel is still head and shoulders above this, The Hired Man is still well worth a read.
4.25/5
nataliemeree's review against another edition
4.0
More than a 4 star but not quite there as a 5 star for me. And I think that is my problem not the book’s.
For me it was such an interesting look at the distance that needs to be created by a person who went through so much trauma and continues to live in the town where it happened.
Sometimes I wanted to scream at Duro because of his lack of emotion but by the end I understood that this was a result of the distance he had to create in order to survive his every day.
Such a powerful lesson and told so well through great development of characters and this heavy weight of secrets throughout the book.
Great read.
For me it was such an interesting look at the distance that needs to be created by a person who went through so much trauma and continues to live in the town where it happened.
Sometimes I wanted to scream at Duro because of his lack of emotion but by the end I understood that this was a result of the distance he had to create in order to survive his every day.
Such a powerful lesson and told so well through great development of characters and this heavy weight of secrets throughout the book.
Great read.
casey_nichols's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
stephenl's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
3.75
snoakes7001's review against another edition
5.0
This is really good. It gets right under the skin of Croatia and the after effects of its recent history.
I can't do it justice - just take my word for it and give it a go.
I can't do it justice - just take my word for it and give it a go.
sakichan's review against another edition
4.0
Book Lust
It’s been a long time since a book so engrossed me that I was kept up past my bedtime to read it. But with The Hired Man, it was effortless. What I liked was the small cast of characters, which allowed each to be richly developed and complicated.
The story alternates between the present and Duro’s past, telling the story of friendships gone wrong and illicit love that developed at precisely the wrong time.
TL;DR: It’s not an elaborate story, but it is beautiful and emotional (I almost cried, and I almost never cry during a book). It would be a great addition to a summer reading list for those who don’t want to read trash!
It’s been a long time since a book so engrossed me that I was kept up past my bedtime to read it. But with The Hired Man, it was effortless. What I liked was the small cast of characters, which allowed each to be richly developed and complicated.
The story alternates between the present and Duro’s past, telling the story of friendships gone wrong and illicit love that developed at precisely the wrong time.
TL;DR: It’s not an elaborate story, but it is beautiful and emotional (I almost cried, and I almost never cry during a book). It would be a great addition to a summer reading list for those who don’t want to read trash!
andrew61's review against another edition
4.0
Having loved 'The memory of love' I tried this very different book and enjoyed it. Set in present day Croatia Laura and her teenage children move into the Blue house in Gost to renovate it as a holiday home. The hired man is Duro who builds a relationship with the family and starts the reovations. The remainder of the book develops the relationships and explores the problems in the town caused by the conflicts of the 1990's when neighbour turned against neighbour. The emotion in the story is very deep and the new family and the memories associated with the house bring the tensions to boliing point. I enjoyed it and its an easy read, perhaps my only slight criticism is that the 3 characters in the town who form the main protagonists are a bit cliched as heroes and villains , however overall I would recommend.
greenlight421's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I loved this book. Maybe because the theme of "uncovering the unspeakable acts of the past" seems to be a theme, maybe it's because I am familiar with the terrain and backstory of this region, but I just loved it.
kiramke's review against another edition
3.0
Well-written and engaging. I always appreciate approaching war as the stories (and losses) of individuals. I did have some reservations, I wanted to keep reading but also not to. Without any other clues I'm assuming this was just not the right time and mood.