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emmme's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
5.0
What a whirl wind?!
This 3-day microcosm of 1918 pandemic Dublin will carry you away with its tense storytelling and in-depth understanding of midwifery and medicine. Though not for the faint of heart, The Pull of the Stars leans into the grotesque, heartbreaking nature of 1918 Dublin. Influenza and World War One rages around our protagonist -- one having destroyed her brother and the other ravaging her new-found love.
Highly recommend for any lovers of lgbtq histories as certain characters and large aspects of this novel are taken from real-life people and experiences. Please, please check this book out! Don't be too dissuade by other reviews!
This 3-day microcosm of 1918 pandemic Dublin will carry you away with its tense storytelling and in-depth understanding of midwifery and medicine. Though not for the faint of heart, The Pull of the Stars leans into the grotesque, heartbreaking nature of 1918 Dublin. Influenza and World War One rages around our protagonist -- one having destroyed her brother and the other ravaging her new-found love.
Highly recommend for any lovers of lgbtq histories as certain characters and large aspects of this novel are taken from real-life people and experiences. Please, please check this book out! Don't be too dissuade by other reviews!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Domestic abuse, and Grief
kelly_e's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Title: The Pull of the Stars
Author: Emma Donoghue
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.75
Pub Date: July 21 2020
T H R E E • W O R D S
Beautiful • Poignant • Timely
📖 S Y N O P S I S
The Pull of the Stars, set in Dublin at the height of the flu pandemic of 1918, spans three days with nurse Julia Power, the expectant mothers, doctor Kathleen Lynn, and volunteer Birdie Sweeney on the maternity ward of an understaffed city-centre hospital. A story of collective trauma and survival, of hope and resilience, of motherhood and friendship, these women will come to change each others' lives.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Initially, I'd have thought reading a story about a pandemic during the current pandemic would have been depressing, but I was wrong! The Pull of the Stars was a exactly what I needed without knowing it. Emma Donoghue's phenomenal and beautiful prose, and her endearing characters are the heart of this book. It is so wonderfully researched and eerily reminiscent to now, providing the comfort and escape I so desperately needed. Despite the darker subject matter, this novel is wholly human. I won't soon be forgetting this cast of characters, each playing an important role throughout. From the very first page, I was sucked into the story, the quick and gripping pace left wanting more.
This was so close to being a 5-star read, but I struggled with the structure. Each section certainly had its place, the length of them felt too long, and the lack of quotation marks at times made it confusing to distinguish between dialogue and thought. After doing a little research I've come to understand the author's intent for the thoughts and dialogue to flow together as one. Even though this structure wasn't for me, it complements the dynamic and chaotic nature of the novel.
Emma Donoghue has certainly become an auto-buy author for me, and I have loved everything I have read so far! Let me just finish by saying the cover artwork is beautiful and pairs perfectly with the stunning story. Also, make sure to check out the author's note at the end as it's another addition making this book so wonderful.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Historical fiction lovers
• Readers looking for a quick read
• anyone who likes admirable characters
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"As far as I could tell, the whole world was a machine grinding to a halt. Across the globe, in hundreds of languages, signs were going up urging people to cover their coughs."
"I gazed up at the sky and let my eyes flicker from one constellation to another, to another, jumping between stepping stones. I thought of the heavenly bodies throwing down their narrow ropes to hook us. I’ve never believed the future was inscribed for each of us the day we were born. If anything were written in the stars, it was we who joined those dots, and our lives were the writing. But baby Garrett, born dead yesterday, and all those whose stories were over before they began, and those who opened their eyes and found they were living in a long nightmare, like Bridie and baby White, who decreed that, I wondered, or at least allowed it?"
Author: Emma Donoghue
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.75
Pub Date: July 21 2020
T H R E E • W O R D S
Beautiful • Poignant • Timely
📖 S Y N O P S I S
The Pull of the Stars, set in Dublin at the height of the flu pandemic of 1918, spans three days with nurse Julia Power, the expectant mothers, doctor Kathleen Lynn, and volunteer Birdie Sweeney on the maternity ward of an understaffed city-centre hospital. A story of collective trauma and survival, of hope and resilience, of motherhood and friendship, these women will come to change each others' lives.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Initially, I'd have thought reading a story about a pandemic during the current pandemic would have been depressing, but I was wrong! The Pull of the Stars was a exactly what I needed without knowing it. Emma Donoghue's phenomenal and beautiful prose, and her endearing characters are the heart of this book. It is so wonderfully researched and eerily reminiscent to now, providing the comfort and escape I so desperately needed. Despite the darker subject matter, this novel is wholly human. I won't soon be forgetting this cast of characters, each playing an important role throughout. From the very first page, I was sucked into the story, the quick and gripping pace left wanting more.
This was so close to being a 5-star read, but I struggled with the structure. Each section certainly had its place, the length of them felt too long, and the lack of quotation marks at times made it confusing to distinguish between dialogue and thought. After doing a little research I've come to understand the author's intent for the thoughts and dialogue to flow together as one. Even though this structure wasn't for me, it complements the dynamic and chaotic nature of the novel.
Emma Donoghue has certainly become an auto-buy author for me, and I have loved everything I have read so far! Let me just finish by saying the cover artwork is beautiful and pairs perfectly with the stunning story. Also, make sure to check out the author's note at the end as it's another addition making this book so wonderful.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Historical fiction lovers
• Readers looking for a quick read
• anyone who likes admirable characters
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"As far as I could tell, the whole world was a machine grinding to a halt. Across the globe, in hundreds of languages, signs were going up urging people to cover their coughs."
"I gazed up at the sky and let my eyes flicker from one constellation to another, to another, jumping between stepping stones. I thought of the heavenly bodies throwing down their narrow ropes to hook us. I’ve never believed the future was inscribed for each of us the day we were born. If anything were written in the stars, it was we who joined those dots, and our lives were the writing. But baby Garrett, born dead yesterday, and all those whose stories were over before they began, and those who opened their eyes and found they were living in a long nightmare, like Bridie and baby White, who decreed that, I wondered, or at least allowed it?"
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Incest, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Blood and Suicide
⚠️ CW: stillbirth, PTSD,nodogsonthemoon's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Child death, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse
katie_biggs7's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Child abuse, and Blood
Minor: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Suicide
hbhentschel's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
3.5
It was a bit eerie to read about the last global pandemic while still caught up in the current one. Well-written but difficult to read because of the subject matter.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Gore
Minor: Domestic abuse and Child abuse
ekmoore11's review against another edition
reflective
sad
tense
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Child death, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Rape
carlybellesbooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Religious bigotry
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Incest, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, and Vomit
nsfinch's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
THE PULL OF THE STARS, by Emma Donoghue, is set during the 1918 flu pandemic, and it was published right at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. I’ve been avoiding reading it for an entire year. Heck, I’ve been avoiding reading anything too sad for an entire year. I finally started it today, and it was so good I finished it today. Content warnings for childbirth, child death, medical trauma, rampant sexism, and the notorious mother and baby homes in Ireland. DESPITE ALL THAT: It filled my heart and I’m so, so glad I read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Medical trauma, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse
linesiunderline's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The Pull of the Stars is an incredible read. I finished it in less than 24 hours because I just couldn’t bear to draw out knowing the fates of the characters.
It’s about the strength and suffering of women, the resilience of humanity, the politics of illness and poverty, and ordinary heroism.
I might have thought that reading a book about a pandemic during a pandemic would be too much, but I was surprised to find a strange sort of comfort in this story. Imagining the many lives before ours, the struggles and loss and the will to continue - it gave me hope. It’s a grim tale, but there is a lot of tenderness to be found in it as well.
There’s a love story that took me by surprise, and I’m not entirely sold on whether or not it was necessary to the narrative or consistent with the characters. This isn’t to say that it wasn’t well portrayed and that I didn’t accept it fairly quickly, but I didn’t see it coming at all.
Donoghue’s writing has a directness and immediacy about it, perfect for the intensity of this story, and then every so often a more lyrical passage shines out and is all the more memorable in the contrast.
Don’t be put off by the apparent darkness of this story. It’s full of hope and humanity.
It’s about the strength and suffering of women, the resilience of humanity, the politics of illness and poverty, and ordinary heroism.
I might have thought that reading a book about a pandemic during a pandemic would be too much, but I was surprised to find a strange sort of comfort in this story. Imagining the many lives before ours, the struggles and loss and the will to continue - it gave me hope. It’s a grim tale, but there is a lot of tenderness to be found in it as well.
There’s a love story that took me by surprise, and I’m not entirely sold on whether or not it was necessary to the narrative or consistent with the characters. This isn’t to say that it wasn’t well portrayed and that I didn’t accept it fairly quickly, but I didn’t see it coming at all.
Donoghue’s writing has a directness and immediacy about it, perfect for the intensity of this story, and then every so often a more lyrical passage shines out and is all the more memorable in the contrast.
Don’t be put off by the apparent darkness of this story. It’s full of hope and humanity.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content
Moderate: Child death, Grief, and Blood
Minor: Domestic abuse and Forced institutionalization
sarah984's review against another edition
emotional
informative
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? No
3.0
This book is about a nurse working in a makeshift maternity ward in Ireland during the Spanish flu pandemic. The medicine parts of it were interesting (though not for the faint-hearted) and I liked most of the characters, though there are a few that I wish had gotten a bit more screen time. A lot of social issues in Ireland at the time are brought up and discussed in a way that mostly feels organic.
The last third was just too much for me though, way too soap opera-ish for me with all the romance and drama crammed into two days. After the weight of the rest of the book it felt kind of silly.
The last third was just too much for me though, way too soap opera-ish for me with all the romance and drama crammed into two days. After the weight of the rest of the book it felt kind of silly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Excrement, Grief, Medical content, and Vomit
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Confinement, Drug use, Gun violence, Incest, Pedophilia, Sexism, Suicide, and Trafficking