Reviews - The Fortunate Ones

168 reviews for:

The Fortunate Ones

Ed Tarkington

3.78 AVERAGE

larcher's review against another edition

5.0

This was a five star read for me. This author writes such a beautiful narrative.

http://obsessedbookaholic.com/2020/12/12/the-fortunate-ones-book-review/

julieturnsthepage's review against another edition

3.75

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

cmocker's review against another edition

5.0

4.5* I don't know why I liked this book so much, but I did. The story follows Charles, a boy being raised by a single mother, who surprisingly gets a benefactor for an all-boys high school. It's a coming of age story of this boy and his entanglements within this family, and it is so well-written that I couldn't put it down. It did remind me of the assigned books in Literature class, like The Great Gatsby, but so very relatable. I think I read the right story at the right time.

jsl's review against another edition

5.0

"It seems these days more and more that people assume that because a man is wealthy, he should be trusted to lead or govern. They overlook the fact that wealth is often acquired without discipline or virtue. But one needn't be wise to be wealthy. One certainly needn't be virtuous."

janeycanuck's review against another edition

3.5

dark emotional reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This started as a 4-star read - the first half was excellent with that Gatsby-esque feeling I was expecting, complicated by the emotions of a kid coming of age as a complete outsider after being dropped into a private school. The second half felt somewhat rushed and disconnected, with a rather abrupt ending that didn't tie into the opening of the book. I didn't quite make all the connections I think I was supposed to make, which took away from things. But Tarkington is a fantastic writer, creating the most alive settings and depth in his characters - I could hear the southern drawls and feel the heat, despite being in the middle of a Canadian winter.

yana's review against another edition

4.0

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

kmoreads's review against another edition

5.0

emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The Fortunate Ones by Ed Tarkington.
I loved this book! ALL THE STARS. I easily found myself absorbed in Charlie’s story. He is the son of a young mother and finds himself being given a scholarship to an elite prep school usually reserved for the rich kids or athletes. Charlie is neither.
However, his first day he is assigned a big brother, Arch, who takes him under his wing. Charlie lives the lifestyle he has only dreamed about, but at what costs?
This book explored many relationships. It is definitely worth the read.

Thank you to @algonquinbooks, @NetGalley and @edtarkington for the #gifted copy of the book