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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Great work of fiction. Loved that we learned the secrets and got to see the future of the kids. Loved the grandkids bonding. Super cute family story. Everyone should read
I want to rate this higher. I waffled between 2 & 3 stars.
The premise drew me in but the incessant "feminism" and then "pc or not pc" comments alluded through out kept throwing me out of the story.
The idea of a rich woman planning her own death and watching the news around it unfold only to discover a dark secret is actually awesome story fodder.
The characters are just so shallow. One characters reason for possibly not asking a question was "she thought the question was non-PC {politically correct}." That forces the book to this time period, and it's weird.
And then the "big secrets" are ... not that big?
There are parts I enjoyed. I liked the parts where the MC was reflecting on her life, her mistakes, her achievements etc.
I think the book could have done without all the modern day slang and terminology because it forces the reader out of the story itself and it makes the Real World Problems way too central and in your face than if it was included in more subtle ways that actually made sense to the story being told.
I still finished the book tho. So there's that.
The premise drew me in but the incessant "feminism" and then "pc or not pc" comments alluded through out kept throwing me out of the story.
The idea of a rich woman planning her own death and watching the news around it unfold only to discover a dark secret is actually awesome story fodder.
The characters are just so shallow. One characters reason for possibly not asking a question was "she thought the question was non-PC {politically correct}." That forces the book to this time period, and it's weird.
And then the "big secrets" are ... not that big?
There are parts I enjoyed. I liked the parts where the MC was reflecting on her life, her mistakes, her achievements etc.
I think the book could have done without all the modern day slang and terminology because it forces the reader out of the story itself and it makes the Real World Problems way too central and in your face than if it was included in more subtle ways that actually made sense to the story being told.
I still finished the book tho. So there's that.
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The main appeal of this book is how complex, unique and diverse the characters are. Their personalities really shine through the writing, and their internal conflicts were fun to read. Sita was my favorite character!
Overall, the book is entertaining, and a fairly decent page-turner that tackles self-mythologizing in an interesting way. However, there are parts of the book that felt a little too heavy on the exposition, which made me feel like I was being hand-held through the story a little too much, and sometimes it lacked depth. I think it was a strange decision to set the story so distant into the future and not have that be a relevant part of the narrative, and sometimes the tangents about music felt a little frustrating and forced since they arrive just when things are getting interesting with the characters. With more tight-knit writing and a subtle flair, this book would have been more enjoyable for me even if the tropes this story uses have been way overdone by now.
Maybe it's just me, but I've always liked stories that are about families (or a group of people in general) who get isolated in a place and have to deal with a big conflict. Since this book gave me that, I had fun. I think it definitely has potential to be a fun limited series on a major streaming service – which is to say that even though it wasn't groundbreaking, it was still entertaining and an enjoyable use of my time! A decent read!
Overall, the book is entertaining, and a fairly decent page-turner that tackles self-mythologizing in an interesting way. However, there are parts of the book that felt a little too heavy on the exposition, which made me feel like I was being hand-held through the story a little too much, and sometimes it lacked depth. I think it was a strange decision to set the story so distant into the future and not have that be a relevant part of the narrative, and sometimes the tangents about music felt a little frustrating and forced since they arrive just when things are getting interesting with the characters. With more tight-knit writing and a subtle flair, this book would have been more enjoyable for me even if the tropes this story uses have been way overdone by now.
Maybe it's just me, but I've always liked stories that are about families (or a group of people in general) who get isolated in a place and have to deal with a big conflict. Since this book gave me that, I had fun. I think it definitely has potential to be a fun limited series on a major streaming service – which is to say that even though it wasn't groundbreaking, it was still entertaining and an enjoyable use of my time! A decent read!
I find it hard to rate a book when the main character isn't the most likeable and while Dava had good intentions, I found her to also be pretty selfish and stubborn in ways that were hard to empathize. I'm also not sure why this book is set so far in the future? It felt present day especially with references to technology and lifestyles (RIP BlackBerry phones), but was apparently in 2044 and I never figured out why.
it was too diaspora poetry, mindy kaling-esque, lowkey mindless to get into :/ but I want to try again because I don't think I read it at the right time
emotional
funny
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
I could NOT make myself care about these characters. No one really turned the empathy switch on for me. I just dreaded it & wanted to be Done.
reflective
slow-paced
One of the wealthiest women in the world, Dava Shastri is used to getting her way. When she is diagnosed with a terminal illness, Dava gathers her entire family to her private island, and then leeks an early press release announcing her death. Instead of accolades, Dava is stunned to see articles revealing hidden secrets, which she now must explain to her children and grandchildren.
Dava Shastri's Last Day just didn't strike the right cord with me. Although the premise is spectacular, the execution was so full of unlikeable characters that it was difficult to feel an emotional connection to the story. Dava, herself, was an intriguing character: selfish in her personal life yet truly invested in making a difference in the world. Dava's obsession with her legacy made her a poor matriarch to the family, which showed in her four children who were extremely hard to like.
the hamilton reference gave me the ick. but also…why was it set in the future???