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bmeroski's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
kscandone28's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. What a twisted story! I was able to guess some outcomes but others I did not see coming. Kitty is messed up beyond repair and her reality is frightening. Her family is also severely damaged and it makes for a good story. This was a very quick read, a real page turner because I needed to know what would happen next, I needed answers! I actually wish Morrall would write a sequel, I'd love to see some loose ends tied up. I'd definitely recommend this book to fellow readers.
cordiallybarbara's review
5.0
On a scale of cotton candy to Brussels sprouts, Astonishing Splashes of Colour by Clare Morrall is a proper cup of tea, startlingly cold.
Kitty decides she must learn who her mother is but she can't get a straight answer from her dad or brothers. How is it that she's grown up in this family and knows nothing?
As the reader, the journey is a peculiar one because after a while you begin distrusting Kitty's viewpoint on the world. If you've ever read the short story "The Yellow Wallpaper", then you know the disorienting tilt of the narrator.
The author's telling is rich, descriptive, haunting and a truthful word-to-the-wise. Not what you might expect.
Kitty decides she must learn who her mother is but she can't get a straight answer from her dad or brothers. How is it that she's grown up in this family and knows nothing?
As the reader, the journey is a peculiar one because after a while you begin distrusting Kitty's viewpoint on the world. If you've ever read the short story "The Yellow Wallpaper", then you know the disorienting tilt of the narrator.
The author's telling is rich, descriptive, haunting and a truthful word-to-the-wise. Not what you might expect.
serenity_then's review
4.0
Although I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book because Kitty seemed to become more and more disturbed as the book evolved, I wasn't satisfied with the story's unrealistic climax and ending. I also enjoyed the author's writing style.
kate327's review against another edition
4.0
Why do I feel such a connection to Kitty? My life is quite different from hers, yet at some level, there are underlying similarities, and reading this has made me eerily uncomfortable. I fear it may stay with me for some time.
What a hauntingly beautiful tale, and so incredibly sad. Family secrets, mental illness, motherhood, and loss are intertwined themes throughout. I anticipated some of the plot twists; others caught me off-guard. Kitty isn't a particularly warm character, but she has my empathy, and I thoroughly appreciate her challenges. I highly recommend this if you are comfortable with a sad, emotional tale and no neatly tied ending.
What a hauntingly beautiful tale, and so incredibly sad. Family secrets, mental illness, motherhood, and loss are intertwined themes throughout. I anticipated some of the plot twists; others caught me off-guard. Kitty isn't a particularly warm character, but she has my empathy, and I thoroughly appreciate her challenges. I highly recommend this if you are comfortable with a sad, emotional tale and no neatly tied ending.
icequeen13's review against another edition
4.0
review haiku
daughter sister niece
relational identities
cause havoc with lies
daughter sister niece
relational identities
cause havoc with lies
djrmelvin's review against another edition
4.0
A book that tells a sad tale but does it with such a delicate touch you don't feel the pain until it's too late to stop reading. Lost parents, lost children, and lost minds all tie together in the end, but no one is better off than when they started.
pussreboots's review against another edition
2.0
I read the book because of title and I enjoyed the few moments here and there when Clare Morrall played up her book's connection to Peter Pan but for the most part Astonishing Splashes of Colour left me bored. Kitty for a variety of reasons is a thirty-something adult who refuses to grow-up. It's not that she's young at heart or playful, she doesn't want to face the harsh reality that life can sometimes throw at a person.
Of course, there must be reasons for Kitty's withdrawal from the real world because people don't just break, at least that's what Morrall is implying. And rather than come up with anything "astonishing" or "colorful" she goes with humdrum and hackneyed. Kitty's family must be hiding a dead dark secret from her and if that's not enough, she's also suffered a mysterious still birth. Of course she can now, for no apparent reason try again for another child. Instead she is forced to wallow in the life that might have been for her if things had worked out differently. Whatever.
I've ready many positive reviews of the book and it was short listed in 2003 for the Man Booker Prize but I just don't see what all the praise is for. Sure, the book does have some interesting passages and I did love the first chapter, but the story doesn't go anywhere except down a very crowded and cliche ridden path followed by so many other books.
Of course, there must be reasons for Kitty's withdrawal from the real world because people don't just break, at least that's what Morrall is implying. And rather than come up with anything "astonishing" or "colorful" she goes with humdrum and hackneyed. Kitty's family must be hiding a dead dark secret from her and if that's not enough, she's also suffered a mysterious still birth. Of course she can now, for no apparent reason try again for another child. Instead she is forced to wallow in the life that might have been for her if things had worked out differently. Whatever.
I've ready many positive reviews of the book and it was short listed in 2003 for the Man Booker Prize but I just don't see what all the praise is for. Sure, the book does have some interesting passages and I did love the first chapter, but the story doesn't go anywhere except down a very crowded and cliche ridden path followed by so many other books.
clarehitchens's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I really enjoyed this. It has moments of great sadness but the characters and relationships are beautifully drawn, and ultimately there is light.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage