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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
sad
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
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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:
Complicated
3.5/5 stars
It’s been a while since I read a historical, contemporary fiction but this was an easy reintroduction to the genre. The Frequency of Us is a poignant story that follows two main characters - Will and Laura - alternating chapters with their point of views, past and present. We open with Will’s perspective during a bomb raid in his neighborhood where he discovers that his was completely wiped from his life. Cut to the present where Will is now a 90 year-old man living in solitude, Laura finds herself assigned with evaluating him for social services. Laura, with her own set of secrets, decides to help Will reconnect the pieces from his past.
Ultimately the story is about grief, trauma and healing.
I do enjoy stories that feature two timelines weaved together, as one of the characters slowly uncover some mystery of the other. This was similarly enjoyable, though I did feel more invested in one pov for majority of the book (Laura), so non Laura pov chapters felt a little bit of a bore but the prose was smooth so they were still easy to get through.
Both characters were great but Laura stood out more to me, I love how her struggles with mental illness and medication were shown. The author really wrote these characters with care and you can tell, there were several more subtle, mellower moments that somehow hit harder due to how relatable they are. Will in the past did not interest me as much, his personality felt a little monotonous compared to older, present Will. His grumpy yet compassionate personality bounces off Laura’s anxious yet stern personality really well.
Overall, the book was a quick and nice read. It might drag a little bit but still a lovely story for people who are looking for a heartwarming, historical fiction.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a honest review.
It’s been a while since I read a historical, contemporary fiction but this was an easy reintroduction to the genre. The Frequency of Us is a poignant story that follows two main characters - Will and Laura - alternating chapters with their point of views, past and present. We open with Will’s perspective during a bomb raid in his neighborhood where he discovers that his was completely wiped from his life. Cut to the present where Will is now a 90 year-old man living in solitude, Laura finds herself assigned with evaluating him for social services. Laura, with her own set of secrets, decides to help Will reconnect the pieces from his past.
Ultimately the story is about grief, trauma and healing.
I do enjoy stories that feature two timelines weaved together, as one of the characters slowly uncover some mystery of the other. This was similarly enjoyable, though I did feel more invested in one pov for majority of the book (Laura), so non Laura pov chapters felt a little bit of a bore but the prose was smooth so they were still easy to get through.
Both characters were great but Laura stood out more to me, I love how her struggles with mental illness and medication were shown. The author really wrote these characters with care and you can tell, there were several more subtle, mellower moments that somehow hit harder due to how relatable they are. Will in the past did not interest me as much, his personality felt a little monotonous compared to older, present Will. His grumpy yet compassionate personality bounces off Laura’s anxious yet stern personality really well.
Overall, the book was a quick and nice read. It might drag a little bit but still a lovely story for people who are looking for a heartwarming, historical fiction.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a honest review.
A lovely story told in two time frames - did occasionally find myself getting muddled but the dates at the top of each chapter helped me to work out whose time frame I was in.
Laura is a carer, given a job to find out if Will is able enough to live in his house he has lived in on his own for 60 years, or if he is suffering from dementia and needs residential care. However, Laura finds Will to be very reluctant and she soon finds herself researching things about his life so she can find something in common between them.
I enjoyed this book very much, it went along at a steady pace, making me want to turn the pages to see what was happening. Then the ending - I expected something totally different and was left feeling rather confused when I turned the final page. Hence the 4 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Laura is a carer, given a job to find out if Will is able enough to live in his house he has lived in on his own for 60 years, or if he is suffering from dementia and needs residential care. However, Laura finds Will to be very reluctant and she soon finds herself researching things about his life so she can find something in common between them.
I enjoyed this book very much, it went along at a steady pace, making me want to turn the pages to see what was happening. Then the ending - I expected something totally different and was left feeling rather confused when I turned the final page. Hence the 4 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Plot - 4/5
The plot was very engaging. I cannot claim to know the scientific accuracy behind the concepts mentioned in this book (It's not very heavy, don't worry) but I liked the plot and the story. It made sense to me. It also served the purpose of feeding me a good, entertaining, heartwrenching, and satisfying story. Am good with that.
Pacing - 4.5/5
The pacing was excellent. I was thinking, like other historical fiction novels, this too will sag in the middle and pick up in the end. But I am surprised and happy to say that this book didn't have the lagging middle problem. The author has maintained an even and steady pacing throughout the story, like a good cup of coffee that's warm from the beginning to finish.
Characters - 4/5
I didn't get attached to any of the characters. I probably might even forget all about them by next week but I still found the characters to be very well thought out and written about. Especially the relationship between Laura & Will, Will & Elsa, and Laura and her mother were heartwarming, good models that let me sink slowly into the story.
Setup - 4/5
I am not a huge set-up person. I couldn't care less for descriptions of places, monuments, etc. My brain generally just casually skips over any such descriptions, be it about people, places, architecture, or weather. I cannot be bothered to read it with any interest. So I cannot judge the set-up accurately in this case, but whatever was there in the book worked for me and was not overdone.
Writing style - 4.5/5
Writing is very approachable and good. I didn't have any trouble following through the timelines nor did I find the characters' names or stories confusing. I am surprised I haven't read this author before. An author with excellent potential indeed.
Review, Recommendation, and Rating
Rating - 4.2
Invest grade - Book worth investing and adding to your collection
Star Rating - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The plot was very engaging. I cannot claim to know the scientific accuracy behind the concepts mentioned in this book (It's not very heavy, don't worry) but I liked the plot and the story. It made sense to me. It also served the purpose of feeding me a good, entertaining, heartwrenching, and satisfying story. Am good with that.
Pacing - 4.5/5
The pacing was excellent. I was thinking, like other historical fiction novels, this too will sag in the middle and pick up in the end. But I am surprised and happy to say that this book didn't have the lagging middle problem. The author has maintained an even and steady pacing throughout the story, like a good cup of coffee that's warm from the beginning to finish.
Characters - 4/5
I didn't get attached to any of the characters. I probably might even forget all about them by next week but I still found the characters to be very well thought out and written about. Especially the relationship between Laura & Will, Will & Elsa, and Laura and her mother were heartwarming, good models that let me sink slowly into the story.
Setup - 4/5
I am not a huge set-up person. I couldn't care less for descriptions of places, monuments, etc. My brain generally just casually skips over any such descriptions, be it about people, places, architecture, or weather. I cannot be bothered to read it with any interest. So I cannot judge the set-up accurately in this case, but whatever was there in the book worked for me and was not overdone.
Writing style - 4.5/5
Writing is very approachable and good. I didn't have any trouble following through the timelines nor did I find the characters' names or stories confusing. I am surprised I haven't read this author before. An author with excellent potential indeed.
Review, Recommendation, and Rating
Rating - 4.2
Invest grade - Book worth investing and adding to your collection
Star Rating - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
mysterious
reflective
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:
Complicated
I have such mixed feelings about this book! It was not at all what I was expecting, but I loved the mystery element to the story. In this book, we follow Laura, a young woman dealing with anxiety and her childhood trauma, who has returned home to live with her mum and has just taken a job as a carer. As part of this job, she meets Will - a grumpy, elderly man still trying to uncover the mystery of Elsa, the Austrian refugee he fell in love with before she disappeared without a trace when Bath was bombed during WWII, who no one else remembers.
This is a perfectly enjoyable read, and I found the writing style quick and easy to read. The characters are really interesting to read about, and I felt really invested in both Laura's life and Will's story. There were a few different, slightly creepy moments that really kept me guessing as to what was going on, but I ultimately didn't love the conclusion - particularly how it pulled Laura's dad into the story and the impact of the conclusion on Laura's family. I would definitely recommend this book if enjoy multiple POVs and a real combination of different genres mixed together really well.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for letting me read this book!
This is a perfectly enjoyable read, and I found the writing style quick and easy to read. The characters are really interesting to read about, and I felt really invested in both Laura's life and Will's story. There were a few different, slightly creepy moments that really kept me guessing as to what was going on, but I ultimately didn't love the conclusion - particularly how it pulled Laura's dad into the story and the impact of the conclusion on Laura's family. I would definitely recommend this book if enjoy multiple POVs and a real combination of different genres mixed together really well.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for letting me read this book!
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Antisemitism, Dementia