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3.25 AVERAGE
3.25 AVERAGE
This one just didn't do it for me, and I'm not sure why. It's a nice, gentle read about a woman getting back on her feet and fighting for the survival of her library and her town. I think many fans of light "women's fiction" will enjoy this, but for whatever reason it didn't grab me.
Overall vibe: a lovely read, with many different PoV’s, and an engaging plot about local residents standing up for their towns & a woman standing up for her independence
What I liked:
- Hanna Casey- not sure we’d get along irl but I liked her a lot despite her not being a traditionally likable character
- Mr. Grumpy Contractor Man (Fury O'Shea)–listen, I really have a weakness for grumpy old men characters who are good and kind in their own way, he really had my heart in one page
- the other side characters- I felt like they all existed on their own, and their connection to Hanna wasn’t the Most Important Thing
- they all also got sympathetic tellings in their own chapters, so that the Mom Who’s Overbearing And Pessimistic got some depth instead of staying caricature (same for the other characters, but she was one I was worried about)
- the Vibe- listen, a story about a woman fixing up an old cottage on the sea? Earning her independence after years of not owning it? Sign. Me. Up. Every. Time.
- the setting felt like it’s own character and i fell in love with it
- the relationships shown all had their little quirks & unique elements
- a community coming together to save their town? Love it so much
- the ending (mostly)
What I didn’t like:
- so many different story threads to keep track of- they all got tied back in the end, but i still had trouble with them
- I love details that add depth to a place but at times it felt like there were a lot of them at once, if that makes sense? Like occasional infodumping
- *spoiler* although I liked the ending, there was one story thread that didn’t feel properly ended—throughout the story, Hanna Casey lies to her daughter about her ex husband & her’s relationship & while Hanna resolves to tell the truth or have him tell it, Jazz’s reaction is neither shown nor really considered
Especially recommended for: library lovers, people who love a good setting, and people planning to either throw a revolution or run away to live in a cottage by the sea (or both! don’t limit yourselves)
As a librarian I really wanted to like this book but I just couldn't. Most of the characters are flawed to the point of being unlikeable. The story itself was actually interesting and the setting was wonderfully rich but the characters made it a real slog to get through. I basically skimmed the last 100 pages because I just wanted to be done.
It took me a long time to get into this one. I had it as my back-up night time read. I'd read a few pages here and when going to bed if I had nothing else to read. I really wasn't too sure how I felt about it or the characters so it was easy for me to put it down for weeks at a time.
At some point I got drawn in. I started to care about what happened to the people of the peninsula. I never did really care much for the main character, Hanna, though. She was honestly an Irish version of a Celeste Ng character.
At some point I got drawn in. I started to care about what happened to the people of the peninsula. I never did really care much for the main character, Hanna, though. She was honestly an Irish version of a Celeste Ng character.
I cannot say enough amazing things about this book. It is full of vividly described settings that bring the communities in which the story takes place to life as almost a character of its own, and draws on the tension between the modern, disconnected world and the social bonds that give community their strength to weave a story that is deeply relate-able for anyone who has taken time to reflect on the state of modern communities and the ways that money and efficiency have taken the place of time and connection. And as an introvert, a book lover, and a person who is deeply uncomfortable with being "known", I found myself deeply sympathetic to Hanna's position and to her eventual realization that she needed to let go of her own comfort zone for the sake of the community she serves and, ultimately, for herself as well.
Enjoyable read that’s sort of a secular, Irish version of the Mitford series with the library as a central hub instead of a church. The main character is a grouchy librarian who never seems that grouchy. But it was nice to see a town come together and new friendships develop.
A decently written book but found it to be really slow at points. The audio book helped!
First chapter or two seemed a little dull. I'm moving on so I don't lose my momentum.
Read for library book discussion group
I thought I would enjoy this more. It felt slow, and I couldn't connect with the characters--they were all prickly.
I thought I would enjoy this more. It felt slow, and I couldn't connect with the characters--they were all prickly.