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angelabuck's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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? Yes
4.25
When Roland Baines’ wife leaves him with their 7-month-old son, he is forced to reflect on his past life and the decisions he had made, which were influenced by a relationship in his teens with his piano teacher. This is an epic and challenging read, that covers his entire life. There is lots of social and political commentary, which is interesting but it slows the pace.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Pedophilia
peckreadsbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Abandonment
zara89's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Chronic illness, Toxic relationship, Rape, Cancer, Terminal illness, Child abuse, Sexual content, Grief, Pedophilia, Death, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Death of parent
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic
natlikestoread's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Physical abuse
Minor: War
danaaliyalevinson's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I’ll preface by saying, I have loved other stories from this writer. This one was a big miss for me. I’m a television and screenwriter, and all the time in reference to biopics, I say that they often fail to realize that someone’s life is not a story. That’s how I felt about this book. Its narrative spanned an entire lifetime and yet it just felt like a series of events marching on without point or thematic conclusion. Oftentimes, the historical events that are woven throughout the narrative also feel contrived, as if to make commentary on the ways in which history affects the common person. But for me, too often this served to distract from the narrative.
I was also very disappointed in the way that this book handled sexual assault and the non-consensual adult/child sexual relationship between Roland and his piano teacher. For me, it fell into the trap of how when an adult man preys on a girl, it’s clearly viewed as predatory and beyond the pale. But when an adult woman preys on a boy, well good for that boy! While there’s some indictment of Roland’s teacher, there’s not nearly enough. And even Roland himself questions whether or not she really did anything wrong. The psychic harm that she caused him is also not fully explored. For me, this was problematic on its face.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Death, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Dementia
Minor: Transphobia and War
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