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syvanahlouise's review against another edition
I couldn’t get into this. So bored from the beginning. Maybe I’ll try this again later.
daniellemgreen17's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
awwcripes's review against another edition
Hmm. I did not dislike this book. But after 3 weeks I'm only 39% through this massive thing and my interest is gone. DNF for now.
I agree with antonomasia's review. Maybe I'll come back to it. There's an eff-ton of symbolism that went over my head.
I agree with antonomasia's review. Maybe I'll come back to it. There's an eff-ton of symbolism that went over my head.
martinclarke's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
fai_aka's review against another edition
4.0
It’s been a long time since I read a novel targeting the adults, so I’m finding it quite difficult at first to get used to the more advanced vocabularies and her writing style—I kept having to search meaning of certain words in order to understand the story, something that I haven’t done in a while because I have been reading mostly YA books.
~Page 81:
It’s getting interesting. I’m getting through the story faster than I expected I would.
~Page 521:
The pacing got slower and the story got confusing for a while but then it was recapped by one of the characters, which really helped me understand the story.
Now it’s getting more and more interesting to me.Such a convoluted plot.
I didn’t think that the story would wrapped up nicely like this(there are some mysteries unexplained but I’m fine with drawing my own conclusions). Eleanor Catton is a genius!
~Page 81:
It’s getting interesting. I’m getting through the story faster than I expected I would.
~Page 521:
The pacing got slower and the story got confusing for a while but then it was recapped by one of the characters, which really helped me understand the story.
Now it’s getting more and more interesting to me.Such a convoluted plot.
I didn’t think that the story would wrapped up nicely like this(there are some mysteries unexplained but I’m fine with drawing my own conclusions). Eleanor Catton is a genius!
carladepas's review against another edition
5.0
You might hate this book. I take no responsibility whatsoever if one of my three loyal followers reads it following my review and hates it.
Whatever the case, I hope you'll appreciate the sheer depth of this incredible 800 page epic. It's historical fiction, it's a murder mystery, it's dramatic, it's magical, it's romantic, and (perhaps most impressively) it's a deeply structured astrological map which I won't begin to unpack.
The story starts with thirteen men meeting in a hotel to compare notes on a series of mysterious events culminating in the death of Crosbie Wells. Each character is linked to a starsign, and their interactions are astrologically mapped out in the chapter titles, though you could easily get through the novel oblivious to this (like me), such is the subtlety of the underlying astrological structure. The first section is extremely confusing, with each of the men telling their part of the story (as well as interupting each other and with-holding information), but the level-headed outsider Walter Moody nudges the story back on track, and provides enough recaps that you understand the main points. Though we get to know these thirteen characters well (Maori wise-man Te Rau Tauwhare is a favourite of mine) - most of the action centres around the absent characters; the dark and morally questionable Francis Carver, the deceased hermit Crosbie Wells and his mysterious wife Lydia, the missing young fortunato Emery Staines and the pained prostitute Anna Wetherell.
These glowing characters leap to life against the vivid backdrop of the Hokitika gold fields in colonial New Zealand. The gold fields, the shipping yards and shipwrecks, the hotels and courtrooms and churches and pubs and jails, bolster this novel to a piece of excellent historical fiction as well as a murder mystery. As a reader you feel the alluring all-or-nothing chance at riches that the gold fields provide, and can grasp at the hope of striking gold that drives so much of the deceit and drama in the novel.
The novel itself is divided into twelve sections, and each gets shorter as the novel progresses (Like the moon! There's a reference even I could pick up!). This feels appropriate, because as a reader my attention waned at a similar rate so I appreciated how the meandering first section faded into an engaging sensible pace and then into a punchy short finale where all the answers are laid bare. Said answers were satisfying and wonderfully complex - all loose ends were tied up. I must say I had to google a few things, more to refresh my memory on some of the clues that were left in the first part of the book. There is a certain satisfaction in knowing that while the map in my head may not be complete, I can flick back through the book and feel confident that I'll be able to tie everything together - though this may take me a little time.
Sometimes I'll give a book five stars for the entertainment value, but sometimes it's simply a marvel; I step back and appreciate the mastery at work. This falls firmly within the second category. A masterpiece. I enjoyed solving the puzzle myself, while also being dazzled by the stunning backdrop and the colourful characters. I'd recommend it to all, but as I said before, not expect all to enjoy it. To my three loyal followers - let me know if you want my audible password and let me know what you think :)
Whatever the case, I hope you'll appreciate the sheer depth of this incredible 800 page epic. It's historical fiction, it's a murder mystery, it's dramatic, it's magical, it's romantic, and (perhaps most impressively) it's a deeply structured astrological map which I won't begin to unpack.
The story starts with thirteen men meeting in a hotel to compare notes on a series of mysterious events culminating in the death of Crosbie Wells. Each character is linked to a starsign, and their interactions are astrologically mapped out in the chapter titles, though you could easily get through the novel oblivious to this (like me), such is the subtlety of the underlying astrological structure. The first section is extremely confusing, with each of the men telling their part of the story (as well as interupting each other and with-holding information), but the level-headed outsider Walter Moody nudges the story back on track, and provides enough recaps that you understand the main points. Though we get to know these thirteen characters well (Maori wise-man Te Rau Tauwhare is a favourite of mine) - most of the action centres around the absent characters; the dark and morally questionable Francis Carver, the deceased hermit Crosbie Wells and his mysterious wife Lydia, the missing young fortunato Emery Staines and the pained prostitute Anna Wetherell.
These glowing characters leap to life against the vivid backdrop of the Hokitika gold fields in colonial New Zealand. The gold fields, the shipping yards and shipwrecks, the hotels and courtrooms and churches and pubs and jails, bolster this novel to a piece of excellent historical fiction as well as a murder mystery. As a reader you feel the alluring all-or-nothing chance at riches that the gold fields provide, and can grasp at the hope of striking gold that drives so much of the deceit and drama in the novel.
The novel itself is divided into twelve sections, and each gets shorter as the novel progresses (Like the moon! There's a reference even I could pick up!). This feels appropriate, because as a reader my attention waned at a similar rate so I appreciated how the meandering first section faded into an engaging sensible pace and then into a punchy short finale where all the answers are laid bare. Said answers were satisfying and wonderfully complex - all loose ends were tied up. I must say I had to google a few things, more to refresh my memory on some of the clues that were left in the first part of the book. There is a certain satisfaction in knowing that while the map in my head may not be complete, I can flick back through the book and feel confident that I'll be able to tie everything together - though this may take me a little time.
Sometimes I'll give a book five stars for the entertainment value, but sometimes it's simply a marvel; I step back and appreciate the mastery at work. This falls firmly within the second category. A masterpiece. I enjoyed solving the puzzle myself, while also being dazzled by the stunning backdrop and the colourful characters. I'd recommend it to all, but as I said before, not expect all to enjoy it. To my three loyal followers - let me know if you want my audible password and let me know what you think :)
maryeverettb's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
keiyi's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
klebere's review against another edition
5.0
This book was recommended to me because I love nineteenth century literature that is plot-heavy and has a large cast of characters. Definitely not a book for everyone but totally up my alley.