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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
Nectar in a Sieve by Kamala Markandaya is a beautifully heartbreaking piece of writing. I will start this review by saying that I am not going to pair it with any type of drink. The characters spend the story in varying levels of starvation and because of this I never felt drawn to make a cup of tea or enjoy any type snack. It didn’t feel appropriate to enjoy a creature comfort while reading about such horrible pain.
Read my full review here:
https://booksandteamoments.wordpress.com/2015/11/17/nectar-in-a-sieve-by-kamala-markandaya/
Read my full review here:
https://booksandteamoments.wordpress.com/2015/11/17/nectar-in-a-sieve-by-kamala-markandaya/
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
For a book where nothing happens, this is pretty okay. I found the ending to be beautiful and moving. The last two chapters are my favorite part.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death
2 stars…
It’s raw. It’s real. It hurts.
I hate to criticize a story that beats with the heart of real experiences; it’s invalidating to those that lived through such things, and that’s the last thing I want to do.
But this story... was so heavy. I can’t imagine how unbearable it would’ve been to live a life like that, seeing as I was struggling just reading it. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: for some, being able to experience the agony of a character like it’s your own is the mark of a great novel. I’m not saying you’re wrong. All I’m saying is that while my life may not be as tumultuous as some people’s, my life isn’t a walk in the park, either. These days, when I read, I like to practice a little escapism and just feel good for a little while.
While this may have been a remarkable story, it wore me down and haunted me for weeks afterwards. That’s not how I want to feel when I read. Maybe that makes me a hedonistic simpleton, but that’s just... how I feel at this stage of my life.
It’s raw. It’s real. It hurts.
I hate to criticize a story that beats with the heart of real experiences; it’s invalidating to those that lived through such things, and that’s the last thing I want to do.
But this story... was so heavy. I can’t imagine how unbearable it would’ve been to live a life like that, seeing as I was struggling just reading it. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: for some, being able to experience the agony of a character like it’s your own is the mark of a great novel. I’m not saying you’re wrong. All I’m saying is that while my life may not be as tumultuous as some people’s, my life isn’t a walk in the park, either. These days, when I read, I like to practice a little escapism and just feel good for a little while.
While this may have been a remarkable story, it wore me down and haunted me for weeks afterwards. That’s not how I want to feel when I read. Maybe that makes me a hedonistic simpleton, but that’s just... how I feel at this stage of my life.
The writing here is fantastic, but the storytelling lacks something. I’m not 100% sure what I needed to connect more with these characters and their plight, but whatever it is, it really prevented me from diving deep into this novel. At times, I found myself nearing boredom even. I appreciated the style, but didn’t care much for the content.