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grunbean's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Unexpected.
I think the blurb of the book does not do it justice. I would say that what it was advertised as is not necessarily what the book is.
It took a while for me to get into this. It has a lot of history and politics in it. I was a little disappointed that more of it wasn’t about these ‘clinics of the past’. However, that’s likely from the poor description of what you’re picking up.
I like it. Particularly in the last third of the book. It hits you with an interesting development. It would probably be more appealing to a person with a greater appreciation for European history and politics.
I think the blurb of the book does not do it justice. I would say that what it was advertised as is not necessarily what the book is.
It took a while for me to get into this. It has a lot of history and politics in it. I was a little disappointed that more of it wasn’t about these ‘clinics of the past’. However, that’s likely from the poor description of what you’re picking up.
I like it. Particularly in the last third of the book. It hits you with an interesting development. It would probably be more appealing to a person with a greater appreciation for European history and politics.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dementia
Minor: Genocide, Grief, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Abortion, Gun violence, War, Kidnapping, Mental illness, and Murder
tysuckz's review
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I would’ve loved to have rated it higher but I just can’t. The parts that I loved, I loved enough to give it a five star but the parts I didn’t like, I disliked enough to have nearly stopped reading. The parts I didn’t like became chores to read and it was just unpleasant.
I loved the beginning, enjoyed the idea of the towns a lot and meeting the patients that lived in the clinics was sweet. However, I didn’t enjoy when it randomly went off the rails and suddenly there were 5000 referendums, so much historical talk & information about wars and leaders and political parties.
It did seem quite philosophical, which honestly I feel like my mind can’t quite grasp or maybe just doesn’t like to, but I enjoyed it all the same even if I didn’t understand some of the ramblings.
Loved the diary format, made for an interesting read and was refreshing from the usual following the main character around everywhere, all the time.
Some places it’s a little boring and others it’s really interesting! Gave us a 3 because the really interesting parts made for some great reading.
Also the translation of this book was pretty good in my opinion, usually I find translated books lose a lot of depth but this still felt very deep to me!
I loved the beginning, enjoyed the idea of the towns a lot and meeting the patients that lived in the clinics was sweet. However, I didn’t enjoy when it randomly went off the rails and suddenly there were 5000 referendums, so much historical talk & information about wars and leaders and political parties.
It did seem quite philosophical, which honestly I feel like my mind can’t quite grasp or maybe just doesn’t like to, but I enjoyed it all the same even if I didn’t understand some of the ramblings.
Loved the diary format, made for an interesting read and was refreshing from the usual following the main character around everywhere, all the time.
Some places it’s a little boring and others it’s really interesting! Gave us a 3 because the really interesting parts made for some great reading.
Also the translation of this book was pretty good in my opinion, usually I find translated books lose a lot of depth but this still felt very deep to me!
Content Warnings
Graphic: War and Dementia
Minor: Suicide
caittothelin's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia and War
znvisser's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
This book managed to utterly intrigue and completely bore me at the same time. The narrator (or dare I say author?) uses fiction to explore some interesting ideas about the loss of memory and time, but it takes its time doing so. Well into the first part I was desperately starting to wonder if it was going to lead us somewhere, hoping the other four parts would be different, but unfortunately, insufficiently so. I loved the premise of this book but sadly most of this stays in the 'ideas' realm; the main character lacks any character and while history and philosophy are applied in an interesting way, the plot isn't rich enough to keep me in it either. Very dry. Not unhappy to have read this, but definitely happy it's done.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War and Dementia
Moderate: Violence
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
What to say about Time Shelter, winner of this years International Booker Prize, that hasn’t already been said? For me it wasn’t a story to sink into. Plot and character are not the main focus. Rather it is a book about ideas - especially time and memory at both the personal and national levels. What started as a story about a new way of helping people with Alzheimers - rooms replicating different historical eras so people could be immersed in whichever era they felt safest and most comfortable in - changed into a book dealing with European history, nationalism, patriotism, and the problems with nostalgia, with looking back to the past with rose-tinted glasses, particularly at a national and societal level. What might be good for dementia patients is anything but for society as a whole. At times I didn’t feel clever enough to read it, and I know I would discover more if I were to reread it.
It’s a book with plenty of layers and real depth, rich with intellectual meat and philosophical musings, and very timely given Brexit, MAGA and the like. A very worthy Booker winner.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War and Dementia
abisnail564's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia
Moderate: Violence and War
ritsuka's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Książka napisana przepięknym językiem, ubogacona licznymi odniesieniami do literatury światowej. Bardzo wciągająca, tajemnicza, momentami smutna; skłaniająca do refleksji.
Trochę przydługie opisy polityczne.
Ukłony dla tłumaczki.
Trochę przydługie opisy polityczne.
Ukłony dla tłumaczki.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
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