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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Just as fast-paced as the TV show and one of the more accurate book to screen adaptations I can remember.
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Who would have thought a book about chess would be so brilliant. Beth is a flawed protagonist but one that I rooted for the whole way through. Loved the Netflix series so much but it was good to read this book to see the differences and similarities.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol
*4.5
this story is so carefully crafted and i could see it so vividly (probably because i had seen the absolutely PERFECT netflix adaption which is very close to the original text). there were many things to love, which is somewhat surprising. i know nothing about chess, this is not a story i would usually read and still i liked it so much. it seems nearly flawless, it has a great number of interesting things to say. something bugs me, however, and it is hard to put my finger on it. there sure is an aspect of male gaze, but it is hard to describe. beth's view on her sex life, her lack of investment and passiveness seem somehow unnatural, but also very accurate, as she obviously IS a woman living under the influence of the internalized male gaze. the character if jolene is very interesting, especially the hint towards childhood sexual abuse (both as an abuser and a victim) in the beginning. i do wish that was put into perspective and talked about more. also, i like that the book tries to talk about racism (even systemic racism! and this eas the 80ies!) but i wish it had gone deeper, anyway. maybe i'm unfair. i really have a hard time expressing what i feel right now.
i really like the historical aspects of this and i cannot help but wonder whether the author has quite a lot of sympathies for the udssr. the thing with the evangelical christian organisation comes quite out of nowhere though. beth seems so uninterested and preoccupied and stoic in every other moment but this one when it comes to the outer world.
i cannot really say whether the depiction of addiction is very accurate, but i certainly felt her pain and the nagging urge. however, the whole exercising-with-jolene thing to come out of it was a little strange and maybe oversimplified?
i think i liked the tv series better but it was very interesting and i can see myself reading other books by this author.
this story is so carefully crafted and i could see it so vividly (probably because i had seen the absolutely PERFECT netflix adaption which is very close to the original text). there were many things to love, which is somewhat surprising. i know nothing about chess, this is not a story i would usually read and still i liked it so much. it seems nearly flawless, it has a great number of interesting things to say. something bugs me, however, and it is hard to put my finger on it. there sure is an aspect of male gaze, but it is hard to describe. beth's view on her sex life, her lack of investment and passiveness seem somehow unnatural, but also very accurate, as she obviously IS a woman living under the influence of the internalized male gaze. the character if jolene is very interesting, especially the hint towards childhood sexual abuse (both as an abuser and a victim) in the beginning. i do wish that was put into perspective and talked about more. also, i like that the book tries to talk about racism (even systemic racism! and this eas the 80ies!) but i wish it had gone deeper, anyway. maybe i'm unfair. i really have a hard time expressing what i feel right now.
i really like the historical aspects of this and i cannot help but wonder whether the author has quite a lot of sympathies for the udssr. the thing with the evangelical christian organisation comes quite out of nowhere though. beth seems so uninterested and preoccupied and stoic in every other moment but this one when it comes to the outer world.
i cannot really say whether the depiction of addiction is very accurate, but i certainly felt her pain and the nagging urge. however, the whole exercising-with-jolene thing to come out of it was a little strange and maybe oversimplified?
i think i liked the tv series better but it was very interesting and i can see myself reading other books by this author.
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-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
the tv adaption might actually be better than the original but i still found the book very compelling
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
fast-paced
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes