Reviews

Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann

literaryelephant's review against another edition

5.0

I had a few small hangups, which I'll cover in a review, but overall this was such a unique and wonderful read that I just can't lower my rating. What an incredible novel.

oliviasbookshop's review against another edition

4.0

I’m glad I stuck with this book despite being intimidated - it was an immersive reading experience and once I got used to the stream of consciousness I enjoyed being inside the narrator’s head. This is a heavy read in terms of subject matter, and half the time I didn’t know where the story was going, but it all paid off in the end. An ambitious undertaking by this author and I believe she succeeded in crafting a unique, challenging, timely novel.

amybunselmeyer's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

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

nouf's review against another edition

5.0

Can't explain why, but thoroughly enjoyed the stream of thoughts.

ktonks's review against another edition

5.0

The fact that this book is impossible to rate or compare to anything else. The fact that the lions made me cry. The fact that I am really going to miss her voice in my head and am not sure how to go on now.

wtb_michael's review against another edition

4.0

What a ride! it's a frustrating, overwhelming, all-encompassing triumph of a book. You'll never read anything else like it. It took me a fair chunk to really sink into the rhythms of this strange, hypnotic, baffling book. But once I did, I was enthralled by the allusive sparks and tangents of the inner monologue that drives this book. It's an all encompassing experience - one that doesn't really compare to anything else that I've read - and one that gradually consumes you until you feel like you're somehow living inside the main character's brain. It's a big effort, but worth the shock to the system of something so unlike most literary fiction.

akinderjim's review against another edition

5.0

I loved this book so much - the train of thought/one long sentence isn't a gimmick - it really captures that feeling of being inside someone's head. And my goodness, what an ending! I couldn't put this book down for the last 200 pages. If anyone is intimidated by this, don't be! If you read 50 pages a day, you can have it done in less than a month, and it is so worth the effort!

tielqueen's review against another edition

3.0

i never want to see the phrase "the fact that" again

the one redeeming part: lion porn

angela_doolin's review against another edition

challenging reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

alisonj's review against another edition

5.0

Fantastic. I enjoyed the time I spent with this character. Absolutely recommended.