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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
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.
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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:
No
I've written this review for Really Into This
Check out all of our reviews at https://reallyintothis.com
Happy Reading, friends!
Love and Other Consolation Prizes by Jamie Ford Book Review
One of my favorite books is The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. I really enjoyed hearing all about the Chicago World's Fair. When I saw the premise of Love and Other Consolation Prizes, I knew it had to give it a go.
A Raffle for a Baby
Did you know a baby was raffled off at the Seattle World's Fair? I sure didn't. I found it hard to believe & so did the author, Jamie Ford. Check out this interview with Bookpage to learn more about his inspiration in writing this novel. Reading is more enjoyable when I learn about an author's thought process behind the words.
Love and Other Consolation Prizes follows an imagined version of the raffled child, Ernest. Readers learn all about him. We travel with Ernest on his way to America. As Ernest makes his way through life in Seattle, he experiences hurt, love, loss & hope.
A Span of Fifty Years
I love how Jamie Ford switches between the past & the present. This writing style gives the story a bit more mystery, which I quite enjoy. We know the older Ernest is taking care of his wife, but I wasn't sure who exactly he married. It also seems like there is a great deal of information Ernest doesn't want his daughter to find out. Of course, this means my nosy self wants to know every juicy detail!
True story- I read half of his book & set it down for months. There's no good reason why other than I got tied up and distracted. The thing is, Ernest and Seattle stayed with me during the time I was waiting to finish Love and Other Consolation Prizes. As soon as I picked the story back up, I was again transported to Ernest's story. I think that speaks to Jamie's talent as a storyteller.
THE VERDICT
I am Really Into This book! If you're looking for a great book club read, Love and Other Consolation Prizes is a winner! The story is filled with history & a beautiful story. Readers can't ask for much more.
Special thanks to Jamie Ford, Random House - Ballantine Books & NetGalley for providing my copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.
Check out all of our reviews at https://reallyintothis.com
Happy Reading, friends!
Love and Other Consolation Prizes by Jamie Ford Book Review
One of my favorite books is The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. I really enjoyed hearing all about the Chicago World's Fair. When I saw the premise of Love and Other Consolation Prizes, I knew it had to give it a go.
A Raffle for a Baby
Did you know a baby was raffled off at the Seattle World's Fair? I sure didn't. I found it hard to believe & so did the author, Jamie Ford. Check out this interview with Bookpage to learn more about his inspiration in writing this novel. Reading is more enjoyable when I learn about an author's thought process behind the words.
Love and Other Consolation Prizes follows an imagined version of the raffled child, Ernest. Readers learn all about him. We travel with Ernest on his way to America. As Ernest makes his way through life in Seattle, he experiences hurt, love, loss & hope.
A Span of Fifty Years
I love how Jamie Ford switches between the past & the present. This writing style gives the story a bit more mystery, which I quite enjoy. We know the older Ernest is taking care of his wife, but I wasn't sure who exactly he married. It also seems like there is a great deal of information Ernest doesn't want his daughter to find out. Of course, this means my nosy self wants to know every juicy detail!
True story- I read half of his book & set it down for months. There's no good reason why other than I got tied up and distracted. The thing is, Ernest and Seattle stayed with me during the time I was waiting to finish Love and Other Consolation Prizes. As soon as I picked the story back up, I was again transported to Ernest's story. I think that speaks to Jamie's talent as a storyteller.
THE VERDICT
I am Really Into This book! If you're looking for a great book club read, Love and Other Consolation Prizes is a winner! The story is filled with history & a beautiful story. Readers can't ask for much more.
Special thanks to Jamie Ford, Random House - Ballantine Books & NetGalley for providing my copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.
As a native Seattlite, I obviously loved the setting and enjoyed learning more history of the place I grew up. Unsurprisingly, my early childhood education did not include the story of children being raffled off at the Seattle Worlds Fair. I like this one much more than other books by Ford, but would have preferred a little more in the present day, or none at all, because it didn't add as much to the story as I'd hoped it would until the very end.
“There are people in our lives whom we love, and lose, and forever long for. They orbit our hearts like Halley’s Comet, crossing into our universe only once, or if we’re lucky, twice in a lifetime. And when they do, they affect our gravity.”
I loved The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet and Songs of Willow Frost’, so I was thrilled to snag an ARC Jaime Ford’s latest novel Love and Other Consolation Prizes. Once again Seattle is the vivid backdrop for the tale that travels between the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific exposition in 1909 and the World's Fair of 1962. Three rich characters take the reader on a journey that pulls at your heartstrings. How coming-of-age choices impact a lifetime. Complete with love and intrigue, this expertly written historical fiction shines light on a little-known period in time. Read this book - your heart will thank you.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.
I loved The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet and Songs of Willow Frost’, so I was thrilled to snag an ARC Jaime Ford’s latest novel Love and Other Consolation Prizes. Once again Seattle is the vivid backdrop for the tale that travels between the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific exposition in 1909 and the World's Fair of 1962. Three rich characters take the reader on a journey that pulls at your heartstrings. How coming-of-age choices impact a lifetime. Complete with love and intrigue, this expertly written historical fiction shines light on a little-known period in time. Read this book - your heart will thank you.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.
There is a lot of sadness in this book. And like it is said in the book for every sad event there is a happy event to counter balance the sad. I loved how the author kept the identity of Gracie hidden. Was she Fahn or Maisie? It wasn't much of a mystery but it did keep me alert for clues.
I really enjoyed this story. Ford has such a captivating way of telling the story (and I’ve thought that about other books as well), and you really feel as though you know the characters. I also thought the “mystery” of who Gracie was was an interesting plot point. As you learn about Earnest and his time at the Tenderloin, in the back of your mind, you’re wondering which young lady Gracie is. I’d recommend!
“We all have things we don’t talk about, Ernest thought. Even though, more often than not, those are the things that make us who we are.”
Sweet, tender, poignant—a good listen.
Sweet, tender, poignant—a good listen.
Jamie Ford has a formula and it works, I guess. I found "Hotel on the Corner..." sweetly charming, but it's much less so the second go-round as "Love and Other Consolation Prizes". The dialogue is schlocky, plagued with weird pacing, and flat, cliche characters (with not just one but a whole brothel of hookers with hearts of gold!). Still, I can see this being a hit -- after all, it works.