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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
hopeful
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
emotional
lighthearted
slow-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
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The Eights is a debut novel about four women who attend Oxford University in 1920, the first year that women were formally allowed to receive degrees. It’s an interesting read that is a little mundane in the middle but finishes off strongly.
The four women call themselves ‘the eights’ because their rooms are in Corridor 8 of St Hugh’s College. They are all quite different from each other, but all are older than the average undergraduate and have war experience. Otto is from a rich family, and nursed and drove ambulances in Oxford during the first world war. It was an experience that scarred her, so she’s out for a good time. Dora’s family are from ‘new money’ (her father owns a factory) and she’s suffering from the loss of both her brother and fiancé. Beatrice is the daughter of a well-known suffragette who wants to do her own thing away from home. Marianne is the quiet daughter of a clergyman who goes home regularly to help the family. They all have their secrets (with varying degrees of explosiveness) but their primary aim is to do something different, and learn. Over the course of their first year, the four women become good friends helping each other in a myriad of ways. Together, they defend their right to be at university and grow as independent women.
I have mixed feelings about this novel. Initially, it reminded me of The Bookbinder of Jericho and I kept getting confused with characters between the books as both involve women at Oxford. As the women started classes and their characters became clearer, that settled. The current day is mixed in with some chapters involving each of the women’s past and secrets that they are trying to hide. This was a good plot device, but I feel the last secret flashback was void, as other characters had already guessed that secret. The first term of university was a good read about the women settling into classes and university life. However, it got a bit boring with more of the same in the second term – working and defending their right to be there. Even a huge surprise to one of the characters didn’t make a lot of difference. But everything picks up in the last seventy pages of so as the women complete their first year and realise that they are quite good friends, as well as moving on a little from their pasts.
There is a lot in the novel about the different Oxford colleges and rituals. It is interesting at times but it did start to wear me down as the characters jump from one Oxford tradition to another. As it’s a character driven novel, these felt more like markers to tell the time of year than to add anything much to the plot. The novel is a slow one, mainly about the characters and their personal growth but it is well researched. (Perhaps too much research at times at the expense of the plot?) If you are interested in this period of history, it is worth the read. For me, I found it dull at times and unevenly paced but still relatively enjoyable.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
The four women call themselves ‘the eights’ because their rooms are in Corridor 8 of St Hugh’s College. They are all quite different from each other, but all are older than the average undergraduate and have war experience. Otto is from a rich family, and nursed and drove ambulances in Oxford during the first world war. It was an experience that scarred her, so she’s out for a good time. Dora’s family are from ‘new money’ (her father owns a factory) and she’s suffering from the loss of both her brother and fiancé. Beatrice is the daughter of a well-known suffragette who wants to do her own thing away from home. Marianne is the quiet daughter of a clergyman who goes home regularly to help the family. They all have their secrets (with varying degrees of explosiveness) but their primary aim is to do something different, and learn. Over the course of their first year, the four women become good friends helping each other in a myriad of ways. Together, they defend their right to be at university and grow as independent women.
I have mixed feelings about this novel. Initially, it reminded me of The Bookbinder of Jericho and I kept getting confused with characters between the books as both involve women at Oxford. As the women started classes and their characters became clearer, that settled. The current day is mixed in with some chapters involving each of the women’s past and secrets that they are trying to hide. This was a good plot device, but I feel the last secret flashback was void, as other characters had already guessed that secret. The first term of university was a good read about the women settling into classes and university life. However, it got a bit boring with more of the same in the second term – working and defending their right to be there. Even a huge surprise to one of the characters didn’t make a lot of difference. But everything picks up in the last seventy pages of so as the women complete their first year and realise that they are quite good friends, as well as moving on a little from their pasts.
There is a lot in the novel about the different Oxford colleges and rituals. It is interesting at times but it did start to wear me down as the characters jump from one Oxford tradition to another. As it’s a character driven novel, these felt more like markers to tell the time of year than to add anything much to the plot. The novel is a slow one, mainly about the characters and their personal growth but it is well researched. (Perhaps too much research at times at the expense of the plot?) If you are interested in this period of history, it is worth the read. For me, I found it dull at times and unevenly paced but still relatively enjoyable.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-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
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Unlikely friends, varied trauma from the Great War, misogyny, a love of learning for its own sake... I was so drawn into these characters' lives, in thrall to their friendship and growth, and their battles with chauvinists and their own pasts, I kept picking this up to read even just a few pages more.
emotional
lighthearted
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
This was an enjoyable, lighthearted read about four friends navigating a changing world in post WWI England. I enjoyed watching their friendship unfold and deepen throughout the book and how each character experienced doubts and fears and insecurities that her friends were able to support her through. I also enjoyed learning a little more about what the world was like for women during that era as things were changing and more opportunities were opening up for them and the challenges they encountered.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-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:
Complicated
emotional
reflective
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:
Complicated
emotional
hopeful
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:
Complicated