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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
I received a copy of "Love and Other Consolation Prizes" from NetGalley for an honest review. I wish to thank NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Jamie Ford for the opportunity to read this book.
There is just something about Jamie Ford's that move me and speak to me in deep and meaningful ways. I do not give 5 stars on Goodreads often, but this is the second book by this author that deserved this! Unbelievable!!
The story line of the book is really simple - a boy is auctioned off at the first Seattle World's Fair. It is told from his point of view during the first Seattle World's Fair and the second Seattle World's Fair. The juxtaposition of the time periods is beautiful and amazing.
The use of language, the time period, and the story were just spectacular! Please read this book if you like historical fiction, good writing, Asian-American history, Seattle, or just want to read a book - make it THIS one!!
This is a STRONG recommend!! I read this book within 24 hours and stayed up until 2:00am to finish it - it was THAT good!!
There is just something about Jamie Ford's that move me and speak to me in deep and meaningful ways. I do not give 5 stars on Goodreads often, but this is the second book by this author that deserved this! Unbelievable!!
The story line of the book is really simple - a boy is auctioned off at the first Seattle World's Fair. It is told from his point of view during the first Seattle World's Fair and the second Seattle World's Fair. The juxtaposition of the time periods is beautiful and amazing.
The use of language, the time period, and the story were just spectacular! Please read this book if you like historical fiction, good writing, Asian-American history, Seattle, or just want to read a book - make it THIS one!!
This is a STRONG recommend!! I read this book within 24 hours and stayed up until 2:00am to finish it - it was THAT good!!
Beautiful writing about a topic and aspect of history I didn’t know about. Well developed characters, highly recommend.
This was my first book by Jamie Ford. I really enjoyed the writing, the characters, and the storytelling. I will definitely read more of his books.
While I enjoyed this book, the ending was underwhelming and the plot felt a bit underdeveloped.
I won't lie--I live in Seattle, and when other authors make it a huge point that their characters live in Seattle but only describe the city as "gray and wet" with traffic on "the I-5" (NO ONE local calls it "the" 5!) and an occasional reference to the Space Needle, it drives me insane, because clearly little research went into getting to know the city that readers are supposed to believe these characters exist in.
This novel isn't like that at all. Jamie Ford is well acquainted with Seattle and isn't afraid to name-drop streets like Yesler and Second Avenue in his books, giving it a sense of authenticity. I know where King Street Station is and I know what a pain it is to walk uphill from downtown to First Hill, so these little references make it far more believable that the characters in the story really and truly live in the city so central to the plot. It's also an interesting look into racism and women's suffrage in the early 1900s; I honestly had no idea that some places had given then taken away women's right to vote long before the Constitution was amended. I'll be looking for more of Jamie Ford's books soon.
This novel isn't like that at all. Jamie Ford is well acquainted with Seattle and isn't afraid to name-drop streets like Yesler and Second Avenue in his books, giving it a sense of authenticity. I know where King Street Station is and I know what a pain it is to walk uphill from downtown to First Hill, so these little references make it far more believable that the characters in the story really and truly live in the city so central to the plot. It's also an interesting look into racism and women's suffrage in the early 1900s; I honestly had no idea that some places had given then taken away women's right to vote long before the Constitution was amended. I'll be looking for more of Jamie Ford's books soon.
– He missed her terribly, even when he was by her side - he ached for who she used to be. He longed for who he used to be as well. –
– Some people collect pennies or feathers. Others collect commemorative ribbons or stamps of the world. I collect first kisses. –
– 'My theory,' Maisie said, 'is that the best, worst, happiest, saddest, scariest, and most memorable moments are all connected. Those are the important times, good and bad. The rest is just filler. –
– He left the paper in the typewriter like a loaded gun with the safety off, an unlocked cage with something big moving around inside, a lit fuse. –
– You can buy a body, but the heart...The heart, you can't even rent. –
– Sometimes you need to feel the sadness, you need to feel everything to finally leave it behind, to have peace. –
Two stories alternate between 1910 and 1962, detailing the lives of Ernest Young, Fahn and Maisie. As a Chinese child immigrant, Ernest has a tough early life, ending up in a brothel in Seattle. He meets Fahn, another cast off, and Maisie, the daughter of the madam of the brothel. I found the history interesting, but I felt the book dragged a bit in the middle.
Loved the story. You'll enjoy it if you liked Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.
This book's unique time and place in history is its greatest strength. I was fascinated to learn more about Seattle's former red light district, especially since I didn't know that high class brothels existed. And while the book didn't dwell too much on it, I was equally horrified and interested by the treatment of East Asian kids who were brought over to North America during this time period. I wish that the story had spent more time detailing Ernest's evolution into the English-speaking, Americanized boy that we spend most of the book with.
The story was mostly slowed down by the time jumps and did not benefit from a dual timeline. The "reveal" towards the end was pretty obvious and I would have preferred some kind of epilogue instead of the snoozy mid-century filler throughout the book.
3.5 stars rounded up for a great premise and sweet characters.
The story was mostly slowed down by the time jumps and did not benefit from a dual timeline. The "reveal" towards the end was pretty obvious and I would have preferred some kind of epilogue instead of the snoozy mid-century filler throughout the book.
3.5 stars rounded up for a great premise and sweet characters.