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jessicaf1616's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
kamrynkoble's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of those books that makes you a better, more compassionate human being. I read half of it in one sitting today, turning page after page, caught in a nostalgia over a life that is absolutely nothing like my own but shattered me all the same.
I clearly remember my mother telling one of her book-loving friends about this over the phone when I was in elementary school when she first read it, when I had no clue what the "n-word" was or why it was bad. It had always been one of those untouchable books, and I'm not going to lie and say I didn't blush in math class once or twice reading it. It was a gift, honestly, being deemed mature enough to finally read this book.
Rush Home Road by Lori Lansens covers just about all the tragedies and horrors that life can present a person, in a beautiful package that creates its own atmosphere as you get lost in it. I adored reading this, and snatched moments until I could finally binge the second half today.
I might have to write a part two later, my mind is overwhelmed. I feel intimately close to these characters, like they're living and breathing people. This book was not easy in the least, and it doesn't help how achingly close you get to these people. Please read this.
I clearly remember my mother telling one of her book-loving friends about this over the phone when I was in elementary school when she first read it, when I had no clue what the "n-word" was or why it was bad. It had always been one of those untouchable books, and I'm not going to lie and say I didn't blush in math class once or twice reading it. It was a gift, honestly, being deemed mature enough to finally read this book.
Rush Home Road by Lori Lansens covers just about all the tragedies and horrors that life can present a person, in a beautiful package that creates its own atmosphere as you get lost in it. I adored reading this, and snatched moments until I could finally binge the second half today.
I might have to write a part two later, my mind is overwhelmed. I feel intimately close to these characters, like they're living and breathing people. This book was not easy in the least, and it doesn't help how achingly close you get to these people. Please read this.
lin127's review against another edition
emotional
medium-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
4.0
jlholowaty's review against another edition
2.0
2-3 Stars. While it is a good story, it drags in places. Style of intertwining past and present makes it interesting at times, but tedious at others. Interesting story - I like how the arrival of Sharla brings Addy back to her past; however, it does get a bit ... irritating at times. Also, becomes a bit more confusing towards the end, but I think that might have been the intention (follows along with Addy's deterioration). Nice story, but dense and wordy in places. Mediocre read.
lindsayw's review
4.0
Rush Home Road is an excellent example of great Canadian fiction. It's been quite a while since I had this much difficulty putting a book down even in the midst of a busy work/school schedule, but this one called to me whenever I wasn't reading it. It's a beautifully written book with not one, but two fabulous stories in it.
I often find when a book flips back and forth between past and present that I greatly prefer one to the other, but Lori Lansens managed to pull off the impressive feat of making both storylines compelling. There were clever little call backs between stories, and the characters were loveable despite their flaws. Addy in particular has several weak moments where she makes questionable decisions, but I still wound up loving her. Sharla could easily have been insufferable (justifiably given her crappy first five years), but she jumps off the page as a sweet and generous child.
My one complaint would maybe be that some of the big plot points that were probably supposed to be plot twists were actually fairly predictable. I saw most of them coming well before they happened, but that's a pretty small complaint in a book that's so well done. And I must say, the ending is beautiful. A great read.
I often find when a book flips back and forth between past and present that I greatly prefer one to the other, but Lori Lansens managed to pull off the impressive feat of making both storylines compelling. There were clever little call backs between stories, and the characters were loveable despite their flaws. Addy in particular has several weak moments where she makes questionable decisions, but I still wound up loving her. Sharla could easily have been insufferable (justifiably given her crappy first five years), but she jumps off the page as a sweet and generous child.
My one complaint would maybe be that some of the big plot points that were probably supposed to be plot twists were actually fairly predictable. I saw most of them coming well before they happened, but that's a pretty small complaint in a book that's so well done. And I must say, the ending is beautiful. A great read.
lizasaurr's review against another edition
5.0
I first remember opening this book in the store and reading the first paragraph. From that first paragraph I was hooked. I knew that it was going to be good but I still had my doubts about the storyline. I continued reading later on that night and I couldn't stop. I was younger at that time so it took me a few days to read. I was incredulous at the way the whole town acted towards Addy. The hate, betrayal, and abhorrence just came out without questioning what really happened to her. I loved following her through her past and present at the same time caring for little Sharla Cody. I was able to see her face her problems of love, rape, acceptance and the strength she had to make it through it all.
I learned that life isn't perfect and there are always going to be times when life takes a turn for the worst but you shouldn't let it control your life. The best thing you could ever do is try to make the best of it and move on.
I learned that life isn't perfect and there are always going to be times when life takes a turn for the worst but you shouldn't let it control your life. The best thing you could ever do is try to make the best of it and move on.
csprfamily's review against another edition
5.0
One of my all time favorites. We always hear about African American life in the south and so rarely from the north. The characters are wonderful.
bookthia's review against another edition
4.0
What a wonderful story. Lansens weaves a beautiful tapestry of love and loss, sin and forgiveness, cruelty and kindness, and above all, redemption. The characters connected with me, the history of the place moved me, and the miracles within the story gave it depth and hope.
middleditch's review against another edition
4.0
Good story. A mixture of humour and tragedy, perhaps heavier on the tragedy. I really liked Addy, the main character, and her "adopted child" Sharla. A few things were predictable but still told in an interesting way. Satisfying.
stacey_kenny's review against another edition
2.0
This was a selection for my local book club so I will disclose first that I typically am not a fan of your everyday run of the mill contemporary fiction, which is what this largely turned out to be. The blurb for this book mentions the Underground Railroad, so I was expecting to have a backstory here. It was nonexistent, which turned out to be the biggest disappointments for me as I was really looking forward to that aspect. The only mention of the Underground Railroad in the book was that the author lived in a town the was founded by refugees of the Underground Railroad. While reading it, I kept thinking that this would be the type of story that is turned into a cheesy Hallmark movie and the whole book gave me the feeling that I'd heard this story before, as in unoriginal subject matter. Just not my cup of tea.