Reviews - The Eights | The StoryGraph

492 reviews for:

The Eights

Joanna Miller

3.9 AVERAGE

kdowli01's review against another edition

3.0

slow-paced

chloe_s_'s review against another edition

3.0

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

Loveable characters: Yes

cbrice22's review against another edition

3.75

hopeful reflective 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: No

theadegruchy's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous funny lighthearted relaxing 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: Yes

_janethereader_'s review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny inspiring lighthearted 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: Yes

lfinkenkeller's review against another edition

3.5

hopeful informative slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Joanna Miller's book, The Eights, should have been engaging and compelling, but it fell short. It is the story of four women who are among the first women to be admitted to Oxford in 1920. The story covers their first year at Oxford. The women all live in rooms next to each other in Corridor 8. They become known as The Eights, hence the title.
I found the setting descriptions so vivid that at times, it felt like I was walking the streets at Oxford with the women. Ms Miller has spent many years being a student and living close to Oxford that she gives the reader intimate knowledge of the Oxford she knows. That is what I truly liked about the story and what kept me reading.
Where the story fell down for me was the the four women's character development. I felt that each woman's life was not well developed. I felt that characters were more snapshots of the woman. The reader would be given a glimpse into each character, but that was all. It felt to me like their lives were just glossed over. I know this is supposed to be a story of female friendship, but it was so hard for me to believe that these women could really be friends because I only had snippets of their character.
I think the author missed the mark with the character development in this story, and that is why for me, I only give it 3.5 stars.