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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed this whimsical (albeit it a bit sad) book. The story felt a bit like Phantom of the Opera meets Les Miserables with a little more levity. The primary characters are well-developed and relatable, and I found myself feeling a lot for August and his struggles. I think the story also touches on a topic I think of constantly: all the ways we can give and receive love in this life.
I listened to this book as an audiobook. Joel Froomkin’s narration of this book is by far the best I’ve ever listened to from him. He takes the prose from the novel and brings it to life in an extraordinary manner. I laughed. I cried. And I enjoyed every word.
5 stars!
5 stars!
This book is pure camp. It's hard to translate camp onto the written word, when so much of camp is visual, but this book is more John Waters than Saul Bellow.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
LOVED IT. I saw this compared to John Irving (and he is one of my favorite writers, hence naming one of my cats Owen Meany), so I was not surprised to love it. Larger than life, like Irving's characters. Smart, witty, and hilarious. You do have to suspend disbelief a bit, but it's so well done I didn't mind. I listened to this one as an audiobook and felt the narrator brought it to life.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This story of a boy abandoned by his birth mother (an actress concerned only about her own career) and growing up in a theatre in the 1930s and 40s was quirky and very entertaining. Imagine a little kid who learns to talk in large part by watching plays by Shakespeare, Wilde, Ibsen, and other well-known playwrights. August is funny and I had a lot of sympathy for this poor guy caught in unusual circumstances. I highly recommend this unique novel.
My heart literally fell for this little boy, August March! I wanted to find him and adopt him’ ! My only complaint is not knowing how the second half of his life turned out!!! God bless his heart and i hope for a second book!