Reviews

Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann

belwau's review against another edition

challenging emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

absolute_gemma's review against another edition

Not in the headspace for it right now — will return to it someday I hope!

caitieh's review against another edition

2.0

Book 49 of 2020. At its best, this book would put me into a trance and I wouldn't notice time pass as I read the steam of consciousness thoughts of a woman in Ohio baking pies.

At its worst, I would struggle through each page thinking, "good god, does this conceited b**** ever shut up?"

The truth is, any of us could have written this book by keeping track of every thought that passes through our head for several months. I can admire the fact that Ellmann did, as an art form, even if I didn't love it.

jammydodger's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

eleanornd's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective relaxing 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? Yes

3.75

biblio_popins's review against another edition

challenging informative slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

nobodyatall's review against another edition

5.0

Totally delicious.
I listened to the audiobook on 2.5x speed. It was like being in another ADHDers head instead of my own and I found it incredibly relaxing.
Plus I learnt a lot about pie, and what isn't there to like about pie.

madscientistcat's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Terminal illness, Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, and Murder

diesmali's review against another edition

5.0

The fact that this was a reading experience unlike any other, the fact that I've never felt like I've stayed inside someone else's head as much as this before, the fact that the story, if there can be said to be a story, is about a work at home mother who thinks about the latticing of her pies, whatever is on the news, and all the things that crop into her head, the fact that it is a convincing portrait of America, the fact that it is both funny and scary, the fact that this is actually how the entire novel is written, the fact that the author manages to keep this going for a thousand pages, the fact that it doesn't get boring, the fact that it works, the fact that there is a story about a lioness that is briefly and occasionally interwoven with the rest of the novel, the fact that it blew my mind.

reggiewoods's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing sad 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

5.0