Reviews

A Boy of Good Breeding by Miriam Toews

mattgroot1980's review against another edition

lighthearted medium-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

4.75

alexelves's review against another edition

4.0

4.5 stars

coopfranks's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful sad fast-paced

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

4.5

sarahjjs's review against another edition

3.0

I thought this book was sweet and quaint. It's really well written and funny but I think I wanted something a bit more emotionally gripping.

bockney's review against another edition

3.0

3.5 really, if that were an option. It's less absorbing than A Complicated Kindness, but entertaining, quirky and full of interesting characters. Plus it mentions A Music Man in passing, which almost pushed my rating up to 4.

harvio's review against another edition

4.0

- a big-hearted, lightly humorous small-town novel
- almost as enjoyable as "A Complicated Kindness"

jaclyn_youngblood's review against another edition

2.0

So sometimes you try another book by an author you just discovered and it turns out, the second attempt just falls flat. That's alright. Onto the next.

robintinani's review against another edition

4.0

Not my favourite Toews book - The Flying Troutman's is still the best. This was a good book though, i was completely immersed in the story. I was so sad at the end though...

simsarah79's review against another edition

4.0

I love Miriam Toews. She is a voice that can just tell the story the little bits that go through the characters' minds and then some but it never gets complicated. She reminds me of Anne Lammot that way but Toews has a comedic thread that keeps it a little lighter.
LOVE her!and am sad that she only has a few books but am happy that her next comes out this september

chalicotherex's review against another edition

4.0

Kind of a different novel for Toews, focusing on a community instead of a single person or family. Reminded me of John Swartzwelder, maybe because of its jokiness. Or Lynn Coady's Saints of Big Harbour. Or even Hans Fallada, though I think I think that's just the small town setting.

Also, the Prime Minister was loosely based on Diefenbaker, right? Because he's supposed to have fathered some unacknowledged Diefenbabies, right?