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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
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
4.5 ⭐️ wow. such an engaging read that pulls you along and then just shifts into another gear in the last third. I’m in awe of how psychologically/motivationally complex these characters are, and how good Catton is at writing dialogue — felt like they were real 21st century people talking to each other in a way I don’t think I’ve experienced in any other book. And I really love the Macbeth connection — much to think about.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The plot revved up just enough to get me over the fact that there are no likable characters. No doubt this was intentional, as Catton is highly skilled, but does it make for an enjoyable read? Catton goes out of her way to depict the do-gooders at the book's core as self-centered and corruptible--only to be outdone by a comically bad "Big Bad" who literally needs his back scratched to enjoy intimacy. This all culminates in a large "final event metaphor" that didn't feel tonally even or earned. Still, readable.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
You can read my review of Birnam Wood over at Kill Your Darlings: https://www.killyourdarlings.com.au/contributor/lucinda-bain/
dark
tense
slow-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
Liked the first two thirds of the book but didn’t love the ending. The first two third followed the character very introspectively and used intellectual discussion to explore their belief systems. I was particularly drawn to Mira but all characters were well done. Most of the last third of the book I still enjoy. It showed how their beliefs and actions differed by putting in high stakes situations and showing under pressure. But then the end of the book was rushed and I felt like the motive for especially Robert wasn’t fully explored and cliffhanger ending felt out of character for a book that over-explained everything.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes