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amandagrau's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
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? Yes
4.25
booksandmacchiatos's review against another edition
4.0
Uitgelezen binnen 12 uur, 2 lees-sessies. Wat een verontrustend boek, een verhaal van een familie, een groot huis en schimmen uit het verleden. Wegkijken lukt maar moeilijk, zelfs al wil je het niet allemaal weten.
amber12345___'s review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
thewellreadrunner's review
3.0
I'll start this review by stating very clearly that this is not a good book to pick up if you dislike reading about violence against children/babies. New moms might have an especially hard time. I wish I had known this beforehand, because I might have skipped it as a result, but the book description really doesn't tell you enough to figure that out beforehand.
This book is basically about Ellen, now an adult, but when she was 12 her mother developed postpartum psychosis after the birth of her baby sister. The details of her terrifying childhood unfold throughout the book as she tries to comes to grips with her past.
Overall, this book was likeable in style/writing. It took me a bit to get used to how Dorrestein jumped from past to present, sometimes on the same page with very little warning. But once I figured out the style, I did enjoy it. And Ellen's character is rather complex--if you take her adult character on its own, she is difficult to like, but when you add in all the details of her childhood, it makes you want to be more sympathetic towards her. I didn't feel that the "revelation" at the end was earth-shattering, but it was fitting with the rest of the plot.
The only thing that really kept me from giving this more stars is that the subject matter is SO disturbing, and not knowing that at all beforehand made this a difficult read for me. I am not lying when I say that I put the book down multiple times just so I could go stare at my son while he slept. The book is not for the faint of heart. If you don't mind that, you'll probably love it, because at its core it is a very interesting story.
This book is basically about Ellen, now an adult, but when she was 12 her mother developed postpartum psychosis after the birth of her baby sister. The details of her terrifying childhood unfold throughout the book as she tries to comes to grips with her past.
Overall, this book was likeable in style/writing. It took me a bit to get used to how Dorrestein jumped from past to present, sometimes on the same page with very little warning. But once I figured out the style, I did enjoy it. And Ellen's character is rather complex--if you take her adult character on its own, she is difficult to like, but when you add in all the details of her childhood, it makes you want to be more sympathetic towards her. I didn't feel that the "revelation" at the end was earth-shattering, but it was fitting with the rest of the plot.
The only thing that really kept me from giving this more stars is that the subject matter is SO disturbing, and not knowing that at all beforehand made this a difficult read for me. I am not lying when I say that I put the book down multiple times just so I could go stare at my son while he slept. The book is not for the faint of heart. If you don't mind that, you'll probably love it, because at its core it is a very interesting story.
a_robin_reads's review against another edition
5.0
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Information:
- Library audiobook
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Review:
I read this as an audiobook. The audiobook was narrated by Diewertje Blok. Recommend this audiobook, it was great.
What I liked:
Everything
What I didn't like:
Nothing
This story hit me hard. It was difficult to listen to, but at the same time I was very intriguid.
I felt like I was in the head of the maincharacter. Because of the change in time frequently it felt like you were following her thoughts and that felt so real.
The writing was amazing. It's sort of simple, but in a very good way. The pacing was very good.
The story itself was heartbreaking. The buildup was so good that I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.
Loved it, highly recommend! One of my favorites.
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Review previously placed on my blog:
Review previously placed on my blog:
I'm currently reading A heart of stone by Renate Dorrestein. I'm reading the Dutch audiobook. I'm really enjoying this book. It's very complex and well written with a lot of changes in the timeline. I like that kind of challenge in a book. This is even maybe a 5 star read, because the audiobook is truly amazing.
Wow, I loved this book! It was very good and am glad that I have read it. And indeed it was a five star read for me. It's even going on my favorites list. I highly recommend it! I can't really say anything more that I haven't said. Just read it ;).
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sarah42783's review
4.0
What a riveting read! This book left me totally speechless. After I finished reading it I felt like I’d been punched in the stomach, what a powerful and poignant story! Reading this book is definitely an experience and it’s hard to put it in words or write a review about it. There are definitely the elements of a Greek tragedy here and the book reminded me a lot of Medea by Euripides, which I studied back in college. I love the way the book is written and how the horror of it all is slowly unveiled. I’d advise future participants to read the author’s interview at the end of the book; it’s very interesting and gives much insight into the story. Definitely my best read so far this year.
varsha's review against another edition
3.0
I'll have to say this was one of the very few dutch books that I actually liked. It had a great story line. A little bit masochistic but very cool. Very suspenseful. Amazing how this actually exists. How it can make a person go insane.
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