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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
No
I love this book. The characters are honest and mature and refreshing!
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Eh…not my favorite Patchett, but not my least favorite. I didn’t love any character, except perhaps Phan, who you never even meet alive. But I think I would have liked him. The others? Probably not.
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Can an old book deliver new tricks? This one was a solid read.
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
"Airy, poignant, and tragic. Thoughtfully written and delightful to read."
Well, this is one of those books...the kind that leaves you scratching your head wondering, “Did I even like this??” And yet… I couldn’t stop reading. Or listening. (I did a tandem read: audiobook and physical copy. FYI: This book has no chapters. Not a dealbreaker on audio, but mildly maddening on paper.)
This quiet, strange little novel opens with Sabine, a magician’s assistant, grieving the sudden death of her husband, Parsifal...a charming, elegant man who turns out to have more secrets than a Las Vegas stage show. Turns out Parsifal wasn’t exactly who she thought he was, and in her attempt to mourn him, Sabine finds herself connecting with a family she never knew existed.
The book is emotionally slippery. At first it’s a story about grief. Then it’s about identity. Then it sort of veers into a "family secrets meets fish-out-of-water meets spiritual-journey-ish" kind of thing. I was intrigued by the idea of history repeating itself and how grief doesn’t just haunt you, it shape-shifts.
The relationship between Sabine and Kitty? I’m still undecided.
Patchett’s writing, though, is exactly what you’d expect: lyrical, understated, and elegant. She’s the kind of author who makes a cup of tea sound emotionally devastating.
This quiet, strange little novel opens with Sabine, a magician’s assistant, grieving the sudden death of her husband, Parsifal...a charming, elegant man who turns out to have more secrets than a Las Vegas stage show. Turns out Parsifal wasn’t exactly who she thought he was, and in her attempt to mourn him, Sabine finds herself connecting with a family she never knew existed.
The book is emotionally slippery. At first it’s a story about grief. Then it’s about identity. Then it sort of veers into a "family secrets meets fish-out-of-water meets spiritual-journey-ish" kind of thing. I was intrigued by the idea of history repeating itself and how grief doesn’t just haunt you, it shape-shifts.
The relationship between Sabine and Kitty? I’m still undecided.
Patchett’s writing, though, is exactly what you’d expect: lyrical, understated, and elegant. She’s the kind of author who makes a cup of tea sound emotionally devastating.