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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
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:
Complicated
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
The was such a slog for me to get through. At first I was taken by the descriptive imagery, but as the story unfolded I was put off by how depressing it all got. I also think the writing got worse towards the end, things became less an less believable and the story just lost its threads. Took me about three months to finish.. that should tell you enough.
adventurous
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved the first part of this book (slightly over half), the narrative of Leila's last 10 minutes and 38 seconds of consciousness before her death. She's a compelling character, and the unfolding of her life story makes Shafak's points about society, misgyny, classism, and the rest without sounding like a lecture. The next two parts, which take place after Leila's death and feature her group of five friends, I found less compelling. The friends are introduced in the first part, but they aren't, for the most part, well developed, and so, when they have to carry the narrative, they tend to seem stereotypical in ways that they didn't when they were subordinated to Leila's story. Nonetheless, I'm really glad that I read this book, which is good, because I was on the library's hold list for (I kid you not) nine months.
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I did not enjoy this book ... Honestly unsure why it was shortlisted for the booker?
The author absolutely butchered the depiction of the trans character - misgendering her and deadnaming. Feels like the author fundamentally doesn't grasp that trans women have always been women. Also fatphobic at times.
The storyline was predictable. The first and second parts of the book didn't particularly marry together and the historical context felt shoehorned in. Overall, it somehow felt forced and clunky to read.
I liked the concepts (raw accounts of the hardships and horrors of being a woman) but the writing was not for me. Interesting themes of class, religion, sexism, transphobia, communism, anti-sex worker prejudice.
The author absolutely butchered the depiction of the trans character - misgendering her and deadnaming. Feels like the author fundamentally doesn't grasp that trans women have always been women. Also fatphobic at times.
The storyline was predictable. The first and second parts of the book didn't particularly marry together and the historical context felt shoehorned in. Overall, it somehow felt forced and clunky to read.
I liked the concepts (raw accounts of the hardships and horrors of being a woman) but the writing was not for me. Interesting themes of class, religion, sexism, transphobia, communism, anti-sex worker prejudice.