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nadia's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I really liked this book! I knew the sound of a novel in interconnected short stories set in a fictional town would be right up my alley. I love how all of the stories fit together but can be enjoyed standalone and I appreciated the variety of perspectives on the same characters and the different scenarios each story presented. I got a little confused with some of the relationships between the characters and also got a little confused with one of the plot points but overall I had a great time with this book. It got me tense and on edge quite a few times too!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Gun violence, and Murder
caribbeangirlreading's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Unputdownable. Riveting. Heart-wrenching. Pleasantview is a novel-in-stories set in a fictional town in Trinidad and told from multiple points of view. Although each story stands individually it does not read like a short story collection because the stories, and many of the characters, are intertwined with each other. This is six degrees of separation, Caribbean edition. It may sound like too much, but itβs the complete opposite. Each story built upon the prior one but never felt confusing or overwhelming. Each and every character had a clear and distinct voice. The character development is top notch. The writing is impeccable. All I can say is . . . BRAVA!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Trafficking, Rape, Blood, Classism, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Murder, Gun violence, Abortion, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Pedophilia
ambi_reads's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Pleasantview is a #ReadCaribbean novel published in May 2021. How do I describe this book to everyone? Think of movies like Love Actually, New Year's Eve, Christmas Eve and Valentine's Day where you follow individual stories which are then interwoven at the end and you marvel seeing how everyone's lives are interconnected. Pleasantview is that but in a Caribbean setting. π
This was definitely NOT a bad book by any means. I read it out so quickly because I wanted to know more BUT I also don't understand the big hype surrounding it either if this makes any sense. I felt and still feel like something was missing to truly bring the novel together but what that is, I cannot put my finger on it. π
I was really excited about reading this one because the author did such a marvelous job of bringing to life her stories in her reading sessions. I adored listening to her storytelling abilities! π Reading it myself though, it wasn't as awe-striking or intriguing. Maybe this was part of me not liking it? π€ I think this story would be better received if read aloud. π£
The one critique I have is that I wish the epilogue tied together better. I would have loved to see where all the characters ended up/more balance in emphasizing how things played out for everyone we grew attached to. Instead, some characters were more focused upon while others were mentioned in passing.
Some warning signs that you should be aware of in venturing into this book are abuse, miscarriage, murder and gang violence to name a few.
All in all, it is a book you should check out if interested but for me, it wasn't all that excellent as others seem to portray it to be either.
This was definitely NOT a bad book by any means. I read it out so quickly because I wanted to know more BUT I also don't understand the big hype surrounding it either if this makes any sense. I felt and still feel like something was missing to truly bring the novel together but what that is, I cannot put my finger on it. π
I was really excited about reading this one because the author did such a marvelous job of bringing to life her stories in her reading sessions. I adored listening to her storytelling abilities! π Reading it myself though, it wasn't as awe-striking or intriguing. Maybe this was part of me not liking it? π€ I think this story would be better received if read aloud. π£
The one critique I have is that I wish the epilogue tied together better. I would have loved to see where all the characters ended up/more balance in emphasizing how things played out for everyone we grew attached to. Instead, some characters were more focused upon while others were mentioned in passing.
Some warning signs that you should be aware of in venturing into this book are abuse, miscarriage, murder and gang violence to name a few.
All in all, it is a book you should check out if interested but for me, it wasn't all that excellent as others seem to portray it to be either.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage and Murder
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