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krobart's review against another edition
2.0
See my review here:
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2016/12/07/day-1007-perfume-river/
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2016/12/07/day-1007-perfume-river/
manaledi's review against another edition
3.0
I almost didn't finish this, but then realized it was short enough that I might as well. The various narrative character arcs do wind up neatly and I'm glad I did finish it, but wouldn't go so far as to recommend. Main thrust is about the impact of vietnam war on individuals and their families through a series of intersecting lives and their flashbacks.
hkihm's review against another edition
5.0
This book unfolds so slowly and meticulously you don't realize how the pieces are moving into place. Powerful reflection on how the Vietnam War has affected a single family.
gswain's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed the author's writing style but not sure how I feel about the story or the characters.
paul_cornelius's review against another edition
1.0
Such a shallow book, this. A better title might have been The Unbearable Lightness of Being Quinlans. For the novel is so earnest and attempts to be so very deep but only gets around to posing cliched questions of old age.
And age is another matter. This book is populated by geriatrics acting like they are 19 years old. There appears to be only two stages in life, old age and unrelenting memories of Vietnam, war protests, and the 1960s. It's all so tiresome. These people never reflect on anything that occurred in the intervening 46 years between their youth and their aged existence in 2015. But they are good at endlessly eating, sipping tea, and drinking coffee, especially Robert with his damned gourmet Ethiopian beans he obsesses over. And they are excellent at moaning over their comfortable middle class existence. It's as if that 1970 film, Getting Straight, with Elliott Gould and Candice Bergen, was suddenly brought to the 21st century, with all the humor and comedy sucked out of it.
Of the writing style? It pretends. It attempts. And it fails to reflect the fracturing and fragmentation of contemporary life. Instead, it becomes an oafish, hamfisted play in shifting narrative.
One thing this novel did convince me of is that we should abolish academic tenure. That would have rid us all of the insipid Robert and Darla. And perhaps the tedium of being faced with the work of the author of this work of low end academic fiction.
And age is another matter. This book is populated by geriatrics acting like they are 19 years old. There appears to be only two stages in life, old age and unrelenting memories of Vietnam, war protests, and the 1960s. It's all so tiresome. These people never reflect on anything that occurred in the intervening 46 years between their youth and their aged existence in 2015. But they are good at endlessly eating, sipping tea, and drinking coffee, especially Robert with his damned gourmet Ethiopian beans he obsesses over. And they are excellent at moaning over their comfortable middle class existence. It's as if that 1970 film, Getting Straight, with Elliott Gould and Candice Bergen, was suddenly brought to the 21st century, with all the humor and comedy sucked out of it.
Of the writing style? It pretends. It attempts. And it fails to reflect the fracturing and fragmentation of contemporary life. Instead, it becomes an oafish, hamfisted play in shifting narrative.
One thing this novel did convince me of is that we should abolish academic tenure. That would have rid us all of the insipid Robert and Darla. And perhaps the tedium of being faced with the work of the author of this work of low end academic fiction.
cawhite's review against another edition
3.0
I had really mixed feelings about this book, which I received as a giveaway from Goodreads. At times, I loved the book and was thinking "5 stars", and then it kind of floundered, and I had trouble staying interested. When the writing was good, it was excellent. But at other times, it was hard to follow. It was almost like there were 2 distinct styles of writing. Overall, it was worth reading, but I can only give it 3 stars.
nisquah's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Suicide, Grief, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Violence
Minor: Alcohol
underwater_reader's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. Wow. I loved this novel. LOVED it.
On the surface, it seems like a simple story about an estranged family reconnected by a health issue suffered by the patriarch. The deeper story is so much more impactful, though. It's the story of how war and those who experience it and choices and those who make them can impact all of the people near to them. This is also a powerful story of communication and how the lack of it can be harmful to people for many generations. I love reading family stories and this was such an amazing take on a family dealing with both external and internal struggles. It was refreshing for me to read a story about fathers and sons for a change instead of mothers and daughters. Robert Olen Butler named two of his characters Robert/Bob and I wonder about this choice. For an author to name two characters after him, I have to wonder how much of the story was autobiographical.
This is also a story of lost loves and secrets and guilt and daily routines and marriage and homelessness and mental illness and I'm sure if I were to read it again, I would discover several other topics that it is also about. The best part of the book, in my opinion, was the authentic characters who stayed with me after the last page. I found myself cheering for all of them and hoping for the best for them and mourning with them. The prose is also so beautifully written and the descriptions are vivid and wonderful. I am so excited to read more by Robert Olen Butler in the future. I highly recommend this one.
On the surface, it seems like a simple story about an estranged family reconnected by a health issue suffered by the patriarch. The deeper story is so much more impactful, though. It's the story of how war and those who experience it and choices and those who make them can impact all of the people near to them. This is also a powerful story of communication and how the lack of it can be harmful to people for many generations. I love reading family stories and this was such an amazing take on a family dealing with both external and internal struggles. It was refreshing for me to read a story about fathers and sons for a change instead of mothers and daughters. Robert Olen Butler named two of his characters Robert/Bob and I wonder about this choice. For an author to name two characters after him, I have to wonder how much of the story was autobiographical.
This is also a story of lost loves and secrets and guilt and daily routines and marriage and homelessness and mental illness and I'm sure if I were to read it again, I would discover several other topics that it is also about. The best part of the book, in my opinion, was the authentic characters who stayed with me after the last page. I found myself cheering for all of them and hoping for the best for them and mourning with them. The prose is also so beautifully written and the descriptions are vivid and wonderful. I am so excited to read more by Robert Olen Butler in the future. I highly recommend this one.
meghanmarion's review against another edition
3.0
I received this book free through Goodreads giveaways.
I d have to say that this was an interesting book. While I enjoyed the plot and felt invested in the characters, it did feel like it dragged on. Maybe that's the authors writing style so I don't want to dissuade anyone from reading this book. If you like reading about families and the long term effects f war then you will enjoy this book.
I d have to say that this was an interesting book. While I enjoyed the plot and felt invested in the characters, it did feel like it dragged on. Maybe that's the authors writing style so I don't want to dissuade anyone from reading this book. If you like reading about families and the long term effects f war then you will enjoy this book.