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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Read senior year in AP English - one of my favorite required-reading books
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-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
slow-paced
DNF. 60% and I just cannot force myself to finish this book! I know I am in the minority by far but I just can't. I only made it this far as my book club friends loved it.
I found it incredibly boring - the political segments go on and on and on. I find the daughters incredibly annoying and the father is just absolutely horrible. I can't handle the mother just doing ... nothing. Nothing at all. Her daughter is dying and .... nothing. Nobody cares about anybody else in the slightest and I need to be done :)
I found it incredibly boring - the political segments go on and on and on. I find the daughters incredibly annoying and the father is just absolutely horrible. I can't handle the mother just doing ... nothing. Nothing at all. Her daughter is dying and .... nothing. Nobody cares about anybody else in the slightest and I need to be done :)
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
I really went back and forth on this book. I have always been fascinated by Africa, and have studied colonialism's impact on the DRC. Kingsolver does a great job of staying fairly true to history while delivering a fresh story with interesting characters.
At times, the prose in this book is nothing short of amazing - absolutely beautiful. I rarely become totally engrossed in passages of a book, but I had several such moments reading this book.
But then I'd get bored. The first 2/3 of the book were entirely too long, and the next 1/3 or so - how the experience actually shaped the lives of the girls - in my opinion should have been the focus, but it went way too fast (or maybe the first 2/3 went way too slow). By the end of the book, some characters (Rachel, Orleanna) were too flat and predictable. The voices of Rachel and Adah, which were very strong early in the book, became less convincing as the story went on.
If I could give it a 3.5, I would.
At times, the prose in this book is nothing short of amazing - absolutely beautiful. I rarely become totally engrossed in passages of a book, but I had several such moments reading this book.
But then I'd get bored. The first 2/3 of the book were entirely too long, and the next 1/3 or so - how the experience actually shaped the lives of the girls - in my opinion should have been the focus, but it went way too fast (or maybe the first 2/3 went way too slow). By the end of the book, some characters (Rachel, Orleanna) were too flat and predictable. The voices of Rachel and Adah, which were very strong early in the book, became less convincing as the story went on.
If I could give it a 3.5, I would.
This falls into my favorite category of book: “long story about a family, usually mothers and their children, over the years, and the relationships are complicated but you get to see people grow”. After the dream-like start to the book, something clicked and I was flying through. Loved the Price girls’ perspectives and observations. I think Adah’s chapters were always my favorite. And I loved how infuriating Rachel could be/usually was.
Rain, oranges, ants, a pink sunset and a snake’s skyblue mouth. Drew me right in, but felt too tidied/didactic.