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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
I love that he rewrote a story he started 50 years ago.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
informative
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a nice short read that I picked up via Libby. I like this author and so that is why I thought I'd give this one a try. It was good. I liked the nuances throughout... the strong family bonds, the way our judicial system can be flawed, how others can redeem themselves, the value of getting to know someone and not judging them superficially. The big struggle though was man vs. nature, and that was interesting to see play out. I also had no idea about the actual flood that this story was based upon. You think often times that weather conditions are crazy now because of global warming, but there have been some serious incidents of strange weather in our past as well.
Is a levee strong enough to hold against the 1927 flood, where floodwaters were, at places, 8 miles wide? A simple story about the human assumption that we are able to withstand and overcome the strength of nature.
Good for a novella but not as good as this Tender Land or Ordinary Grace. Full review to come.
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The writing is fine, I just couldn’t connect to this story and had trouble keeping the characters straight.
2024 Beyond the Bookends Summer Reading Bingo #4: Book Featuring a Weather Event.
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Based on the true historical flood of 1927, four convicts are given permission to rescue the people who built the levee at Ballymoor. Filled with stubborn pride by the levee builder, some romance, criminal acts the story unfolds as the flood waters rise and the dam is threatening to give way.
Not my favorite WKK story mostly because it is only done as an audiobook and I really disliked the narrator voice. For the future, please give readers the choice of a book or an audiobook!
Not my favorite WKK story mostly because it is only done as an audiobook and I really disliked the narrator voice. For the future, please give readers the choice of a book or an audiobook!
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
sad
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:
Yes
I have always enjoyed Krueger’s work and generally rarely consume books in audio form. Here, I could not find this novella in any form other an audio book and bit the bullet to listen despite the clear preference for reading. Krueger is typically an author whose descriptions of nature are exceptional with good mysteries and feel good moments. The audio book deprived me of seeing the beauty of those descriptions and re-reading them. The author credited a William Faulkner book as his muse for this tale. The story is decent and the technical writing very good. Overall a 3 star book.