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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
hopeful
inspiring
medium-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
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Title: The Eights
Author: Joanna Miller
What to expect:
*1920 timeline setting
*Suffragette’s
*Found female friendship
Pros:
The found friendship of four women that were a part of the first class of women that were allowed to attend Oxford.
Cons:
Keeping the characters names and personalities separate for the first third of the book was a little confusing.
Safety:
Parental neglect, trauma from war, misogyny
Format: Palace Project audiobook
Genre: Historical fiction
Overall score:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level:🌶️
Characters: Beatrice, Dora, Otto, & Marianne (FMC’s)
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-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
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
I really enjoyed this novel, which takes an intimate look at the lives of 4 young women attending the University of Oxford in 1920, a time in which they faced scrutiny and harassment from a some male scholars. We get to see how they navigate the social aspect of attending university while not being allowed to leave their college unattended. And we see what their lives looked like prior to the start of the academic year and what they did during The Great War and the effect that had on each of them. Miller’s writing is very compelling and it’s very easy to become invested in these young ladies, hoping they pass their examinations, and rooting for them in their romantic aspirations. Each of the 4 girls is unique and have different life experiences but they all form a fast friendship and companion ship which was endearing to read about. I enjoyed their complexity, their realness, how they learn, grow, and come to rely on each other not just because if their close proximity, but because they genuinely enjoy each others company.
The only thing I wanted was more of an insight into their academics, more scenes of them attending lectures and studying. But seeing their lives inside the college and outside in the city of Oxford and their hometowns was lovely, and it makes me want to visit Oxford to see all the wonderful places they talked about and inhabited. I actually enjoyed that this wasn’t strictly a biography of a few young women to attending Oxford at this time, rather, by having the main characters be fictional and based on real people and events and having some side characters be more heavily influenced on real people, it allowed for the story to explore many aspects of early 1920s society and culture without being bound by history.
Some of my favorite quotes:
“Why is it that women must suppress the feelings that are inconvenient or threatening to men?”
“It seems to me that our mother’s are disappointed because we haven’t turned out to be just like them.”
“I do wonder if I am any good at it - friendship, I mean. It seems to come so easily to the rest of you.” … “Friendship is like this quilt - cozy mainly, but it can also be utterly stifling.”
4 to 4.5 stars
The only thing I wanted was more of an insight into their academics, more scenes of them attending lectures and studying. But seeing their lives inside the college and outside in the city of Oxford and their hometowns was lovely, and it makes me want to visit Oxford to see all the wonderful places they talked about and inhabited. I actually enjoyed that this wasn’t strictly a biography of a few young women to attending Oxford at this time, rather, by having the main characters be fictional and based on real people and events and having some side characters be more heavily influenced on real people, it allowed for the story to explore many aspects of early 1920s society and culture without being bound by history.
Some of my favorite quotes:
“Why is it that women must suppress the feelings that are inconvenient or threatening to men?”
“It seems to me that our mother’s are disappointed because we haven’t turned out to be just like them.”
“I do wonder if I am any good at it - friendship, I mean. It seems to come so easily to the rest of you.” … “Friendship is like this quilt - cozy mainly, but it can also be utterly stifling.”
4 to 4.5 stars