Scan barcode
plantgal_jill's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
deanashuman's review against another edition
4.0
I understand the reviewers who take issue with the fact that a man narrated this story. Can’t the women in this god-forsaken colony, who have been treated as nothing but sex objects by some of their “brothers” and abused in horrific ways, at last have a voice?! But I also found the narrator to be a deeply touching character, having been marginalized and rejected from his colony. I found his love and respect for the women touching and like a salve for their deep wounds. I really enjoyed the sparse and clear narrative, which seems to capture the asceticism of the Mennonite culture. It was also a nice peek into a culture and religion that I know nothing about, despite the fact that aspects of this were difficult to swallow.
kenziowchar's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
tanja_reads_'s review against another edition
5.0
This was such a captivating read. Yes the subject matter was difficult but the writing, the care taken with the different characters and the just the tone was amazing. Finished this in less than a week
bewonus's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
reflective
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
3.75
poopfart7734's review against another edition
4.0
Really liked this! I loved the little anecdotes woven into the women's conversations and their dynamics with each other. I understand why the story is told through August's perspective and I get the contrast between him and the women(that goes deeper than just man and women). I liked the choice of having no quotation marks as it is the minute recordings but it did require some getting used to.
morganwc's review against another edition
4.0
This was definitely a tough read in parts (just by virtue of the subject matter), but well-written and captivating for sure. I read it for my history class (this week was oral history), and the book is a great example how important oral history has been for women, who have historically been kept largely illiterate in patriarchal societies. Because of this, the whole book was narrated by a man, who was taking the minutes and translating them to English since the women meeting were all illiterate, but I think the story would have been more powerful if narrated by a women or just not narrated by a man. So overall it isn't really enjoyable to read, but it has some good nuggets of wisdom, interesting/endearing characters, and a good look into the role/treatment of women in Mennonite colonies, and how some women have dealt with and overcome it.