Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
I read 50 pages and ultimately I was bored. But I also had real trouble reconciling why the protagonist joined what, from the very beginning, is very obviously a cult. Maybe you need to read more to understand but it genuinely read like "I've broken up with someone, I'm a bit fed up because I've had to move back into my mum's, yeah I'll join cult"...
My only question: WHY WERE THEY WEARING BRAS IN THE ALL-WOMEN COMMUNITY???
I liked the theme, didn’t like most parts of the novel, however the ending was beautifully written.
Some themes I liked:
I liked how lines of the individual and the group was slowly demolished then appeared again.
I liked the mother-daughter relationship. I liked the Iris-Hazel relationship, too, although it very much reminded me of Girl Interrupted - feeling like I have already witnessed it.
However, most parts of the book were over-explained and repeated the same sentences over and over. (e.g. Blythe always saying the same things about women raped out there etc.)
Sometimes the text even feels aggressive, over-explaining things, to be sure that it is obvious how Iris is thinking about men, how they are bad ( they are just laying at home having nothing to worry about except for work and receding hairlines), how they are whole different species. When she describes sg Nathan has done, there is always some kind of explanation, that Nathan was oppressive and how he treated her badly. It would have been so much better without these little reasonings, not letting the reader come to her own judgment, but having everything prepared, over-simplified.
Some parts are therefore cliches, portraying men violent and women soft, and the text makes sure it is obvious to everyone.
The ending works so well because it is about the loss of words, Iris not being capable to express herself, confused, doesn’t know what to think.
Spoilers ahead
Some parts feel very unrealistic , like the pictures - i don’t get it why would Scott put in so much effort of making leaflets and posters of the women.
The other thing - it might just be me- but these grown up women act like teenagers. They are very childish. Of course there is a sense of losing the individuality within the group but still, they seem so naive and child-like, it becomes annoying at one point.
This part I liked very much;
“They stood back to make room, Pearl on her back like a bug, her legs at a strange angle, and Nlythe no longer even there, fled like a ghost, fucking coward, probably deep in the woods by now.
Somewhere in the back of my head, I heard my father say: you shouldn’t start what you can’t finish.”
It is so good as the men’s world lingers back into Iris’ mind and turn against Blythe, I love the irony in this, so good.
I liked the theme, didn’t like most parts of the novel, however the ending was beautifully written.
Some themes I liked:
I liked how lines of the individual and the group was slowly demolished then appeared again.
I liked the mother-daughter relationship. I liked the Iris-Hazel relationship, too, although it very much reminded me of Girl Interrupted - feeling like I have already witnessed it.
However, most parts of the book were over-explained and repeated the same sentences over and over. (e.g. Blythe always saying the same things about women raped out there etc.)
Sometimes the text even feels aggressive, over-explaining things, to be sure that it is obvious how Iris is thinking about men, how they are bad ( they are just laying at home having nothing to worry about except for work and receding hairlines), how they are whole different species. When she describes sg Nathan has done, there is always some kind of explanation, that Nathan was oppressive and how he treated her badly. It would have been so much better without these little reasonings, not letting the reader come to her own judgment, but having everything prepared, over-simplified.
Some parts are therefore cliches, portraying men violent and women soft, and the text makes sure it is obvious to everyone.
The ending works so well because it is about the loss of words, Iris not being capable to express herself, confused, doesn’t know what to think.
Spoilers ahead
Some parts feel very unrealistic , like the pictures - i don’t get it why would Scott put in so much effort of making leaflets and posters of the women.
The other thing - it might just be me- but these grown up women act like teenagers. They are very childish. Of course there is a sense of losing the individuality within the group but still, they seem so naive and child-like, it becomes annoying at one point.
This part I liked very much;
“They stood back to make room, Pearl on her back like a bug, her legs at a strange angle, and Nlythe no longer even there, fled like a ghost, fucking coward, probably deep in the woods by now.
Somewhere in the back of my head, I heard my father say: you shouldn’t start what you can’t finish.”
It is so good as the men’s world lingers back into Iris’ mind and turn against Blythe, I love the irony in this, so good.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-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
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Niamh and I have a lot to say about this book. Woo, inaugural book club pick for the book club that is just the two of us and it’s so fun, we have exactly the same opinion, it’s like a cute little gossip session about made up people, let’s go againnnnn
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was so beautifully written and the tension was built perfectly throughout the entire book, very enjoyable read
Enjoyed the slow unravelling, the frenzied link to weather and the excellent writing. I sometimes felt that the characters lacked some depth beyond Iris, but perhaps that was the point.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No