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raoionna's review
4.0
Lovely book about love and longing centered around different years and places that comets were visible. I found the boom gently moving.
mrsmeganrose's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
thoughtsfromapage's review
4.0
3.5 stars
The Comet Seekers is beautifully written. I was so excited to read it based on the summary and other reviews I had read. Somehow, I just did not totally connect with the story. There are SO many characters that I found it hard to keep up with them all. I also just did not love the story line. Sedgwick’s prose is lyrical, and I truly enjoyed reading her writing so after several days of thinking about the book after I finished it, I decided to give it 3.5 stars.
Her descriptions of Antarctica are very descriptive, and I felt like I was being transported there. She conveys the isolation, the darkness, and the ice and cold phenomenally well. That was my favorite part of the book by far (and the cover which is spectacular). Thanks to BookBrowse for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Comet Seekers is beautifully written. I was so excited to read it based on the summary and other reviews I had read. Somehow, I just did not totally connect with the story. There are SO many characters that I found it hard to keep up with them all. I also just did not love the story line. Sedgwick’s prose is lyrical, and I truly enjoyed reading her writing so after several days of thinking about the book after I finished it, I decided to give it 3.5 stars.
Her descriptions of Antarctica are very descriptive, and I felt like I was being transported there. She conveys the isolation, the darkness, and the ice and cold phenomenally well. That was my favorite part of the book by far (and the cover which is spectacular). Thanks to BookBrowse for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
ksangabriel15's review
3.0
3.5 stars
So, I was not expecting the more...fantastical elements in this book but that didn’t really detract from the story. I really enjoyed seeing François and Róisín’s stories slowly merge together. However, I was a bit confused about Brigitte... I would’ve liked to have gotten at least a little bit more information about her. (Actually, the family tree could’ve been clearer in general.)
I liked the shift in timelines as well as the astronomy lessons, but admittedly I was a bit taken aback by Róisín and Liam’s relationship. And of course, I’d have loved to see more of Róisín’s relationship with François once they are finally together. (That’s not a spoiler, I promise!) At least the ending was satisfying in that I didn’t have any lingering questions.
I think this would be an interesting movie, but I’m not exactly sure how to categorize this enough to recommend it to anyone in particular.
So, I was not expecting the more...fantastical elements in this book but that didn’t really detract from the story. I really enjoyed seeing François and Róisín’s stories slowly merge together. However, I was a bit confused about Brigitte... I would’ve liked to have gotten at least a little bit more information about her. (Actually, the family tree could’ve been clearer in general.)
I liked the shift in timelines as well as the astronomy lessons, but admittedly I was a bit taken aback by Róisín and Liam’s relationship. And of course, I’d have loved to see more of Róisín’s relationship with François once they are finally together. (That’s not a spoiler, I promise!) At least the ending was satisfying in that I didn’t have any lingering questions.
I think this would be an interesting movie, but I’m not exactly sure how to categorize this enough to recommend it to anyone in particular.
purelykara's review against another edition
4.0
The comets trace the story of Róisín and François crossing their paths until they come together. A story of connection, of love, of loss; when we find ourselves broken then remade. Two people will stitch each other back together across time and space. Chapters jump back and forth between past and present, but always when a comet is in the sky. Beautiful and magical; the only thing I struggled with was the lack of quotation marks when characters are talking, but that's always been hard for me. Basically just forces me to read slower. This was a great read to have while everyone was preparing for the eclipse, which just enveloped me in the awe of sky.
wrdtrvlr's review against another edition
4.0
This is a beautiful book about things and people that leave and reappear, or seem to reappear.
The clever analogy of the comet's orbit is also in the details. Sedgwick writes to satisfy a scientific or practical mind. Here's an example: When Roisin asserts to Francois that people can't be satisfied with a meaningful relationship with just one person and says, "You need more. Everyone needs more." Sedgwick's outer world agrees, "There is a gust of wind that makes the taut fabric of the tent resonate like a string; ripple with harmonics."
It took me a while to allow the snippets of story to piece together into a novel. I'm glad I gave the author the time she needed. After all, comets take long journeys before they come round right.
The clever analogy of the comet's orbit is also in the details. Sedgwick writes to satisfy a scientific or practical mind. Here's an example: When Roisin asserts to Francois that people can't be satisfied with a meaningful relationship with just one person and says, "You need more. Everyone needs more." Sedgwick's outer world agrees, "There is a gust of wind that makes the taut fabric of the tent resonate like a string; ripple with harmonics."
It took me a while to allow the snippets of story to piece together into a novel. I'm glad I gave the author the time she needed. After all, comets take long journeys before they come round right.
ktmomma's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The Comet Seekers tells a story of two people whose fate seems intertwined. But not convincingly. It’s a romance, but without the burn. Overall, I enjoyed the writing style. The story flowed well. The writing and the supporting cast kept me engaged. The two main characters fell a little flat. There was a Wuthering Heights/tragic first love element that seemed to hobble one character. The other never found his voice. At the end it seemed like everyone but the main characters found their peace, but we can’t really tell if the main characters found peace or just each other or neither.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Incest, Mental illness, Suicide, and Death of parent
missbear's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Reading The Comet Seekers was a deliberate experiment. It was the first book recommended to me by the fantastic algorithm at the Storygraph and I could immediately see why based on what I said I loved to read about: the natural sciences and scientists, ensemble casts and books that cover large periods of time, books that capture a sense of wonder and a strong sense of place, books that weave together different plotlines. BUT, there was one problem: the book had a 3.54 rating, well below my self-imposed threshold of 3.7.
The Storygraph says this shouldn't be a problem. Part of the idea of their algorithm is to stop people from putting too much stock in ratings: after all, many books have niche audiences that love them, even if many people don't, and wouldn't it be sad if you passed up on a book that would be perfect for you just because thousands of people with whom you share no reading tastes in common at all didn't like it? I'm pretty convinced by this argument, so I gave it a chance.
Reader, I loved it. I know exactly why this book has such a low rating. It is written in a strange (yet beautiful and lyrical) way, without quotation marks, something I'm sure many readers hate. It is focused pretty closely on an incestuous relationship between cousins that is presented as romantic and tragic, not criticized or condemned, something I'm sure many readers found off-putting. It is magical realism, but in an extremely odd and entirely unexplained way, something I'm sure many readers found baffling. I understand all of this. But for me, the atmosphere, the skill with which Sedgwick wove her disparate plotlines together, the emotion, the lyrical prose, the science - it just sparkled.
The Storygraph says this shouldn't be a problem. Part of the idea of their algorithm is to stop people from putting too much stock in ratings: after all, many books have niche audiences that love them, even if many people don't, and wouldn't it be sad if you passed up on a book that would be perfect for you just because thousands of people with whom you share no reading tastes in common at all didn't like it? I'm pretty convinced by this argument, so I gave it a chance.
Reader, I loved it. I know exactly why this book has such a low rating. It is written in a strange (yet beautiful and lyrical) way, without quotation marks, something I'm sure many readers hate. It is focused pretty closely on an incestuous relationship between cousins that is presented as romantic and tragic, not criticized or condemned, something I'm sure many readers found off-putting. It is magical realism, but in an extremely odd and entirely unexplained way, something I'm sure many readers found baffling. I understand all of this. But for me, the atmosphere, the skill with which Sedgwick wove her disparate plotlines together, the emotion, the lyrical prose, the science - it just sparkled.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest
odettebrethouwer's review against another edition
4.0
Dit boek kwam ik in Oxford in een van de prachtige boekhandels daar tegen. ik had er nog nooit van gehoord, maar de titel en de cover spraken me meteen aan. Ik heb heel lang alleen veilig gekocht (schrijvers die ik al kende, boeken waar ik al een stukje in had gelezen van de bieb etc.), maar op vakantie ging ik in de boekhandels een beetje los. Wel spannend, maar de prijzen liggen daar iets lager, dat scheelt ook haha!
En toen ik in ons idyllische huisje was en begon in dit boek, vloekte ik even in mezelf ohnee wacht hardop. Het is HEEL ERG wennen om dit boek te lezen, want er staan geen aanhalingstekens om wat er gezegd wordt. Dat leest echt heel lastig. Gelukkig bleek dat vrij snel te wennen.
Dan het verhaal. Het begin vond ik erg tof, maar toen werden het daarna vage stukken uit het verleden over dingen met geesten van verloren familieleden, en een verliefdheid op een neef bij het andere hoofdpersonage en dacht ik even okéééé.
Als ik dit boek uit de bieb of op mijn ereader had, zou ik na een aantal bladzijdes misschien wel gestopt zijn. Misschien ook niet, misschien triggerde de rol die kometen in dit boek spelen me ook wel genoeg. ik zal het niet weten, want ik heb hem uitgelezen omdat ik hem gekocht heb.
Ik schrijf dit nu wel alsof het heel spannend is maar jullie hebben allang gezien dat ik dit boek 4* heb gegeven. Inmiddels snappen jullie wel waarom het er geen 5 zijn denk ik zomaar (: Maar waarom dan wel die vier? Nou, omdat ik erg van dit verhaal en de personages ben gaan houden, er erg om ben gaan geven. En ik weet niet precies op welk punt dat gebeurd is of wat daar voor zorgde.
Wat ik heel mooi vind aan de loop van het verhaal is dat het heel echt en rauw aanvoelt wat er gebeurt. het gaat gewoon niet altijd allemaal goed, het is soms moeilijk en zwaar, maar op een manier die niet overkomt alsof het verzonnen is om het personage te laten lijden, maar het komt heel echt over.
En het idee met de rol van de kometen in dit boek is toch wel erg gaaf. Ook is het erg tof dat het niet echt een liefdesverhaal is (wat je op basis van de buitenkant en de omschrijving misschien wel denkt), het is meer een levensomschrijving.
Ik raad hem aan als je houdt van Dani Atkins. Als je niets hebt met een vleug (dit is geen vleugje meer) magie of bovennatuurlijke dingen in een boek, dan raad ik dit niet aan.
En toen ik in ons idyllische huisje was en begon in dit boek, vloekte ik even in mezelf ohnee wacht hardop. Het is HEEL ERG wennen om dit boek te lezen, want er staan geen aanhalingstekens om wat er gezegd wordt. Dat leest echt heel lastig. Gelukkig bleek dat vrij snel te wennen.
Dan het verhaal. Het begin vond ik erg tof, maar toen werden het daarna vage stukken uit het verleden over dingen met geesten van verloren familieleden, en een verliefdheid op een neef bij het andere hoofdpersonage en dacht ik even okéééé.
Als ik dit boek uit de bieb of op mijn ereader had, zou ik na een aantal bladzijdes misschien wel gestopt zijn. Misschien ook niet, misschien triggerde de rol die kometen in dit boek spelen me ook wel genoeg. ik zal het niet weten, want ik heb hem uitgelezen omdat ik hem gekocht heb.
Ik schrijf dit nu wel alsof het heel spannend is maar jullie hebben allang gezien dat ik dit boek 4* heb gegeven. Inmiddels snappen jullie wel waarom het er geen 5 zijn denk ik zomaar (: Maar waarom dan wel die vier? Nou, omdat ik erg van dit verhaal en de personages ben gaan houden, er erg om ben gaan geven. En ik weet niet precies op welk punt dat gebeurd is of wat daar voor zorgde.
Wat ik heel mooi vind aan de loop van het verhaal is dat het heel echt en rauw aanvoelt wat er gebeurt. het gaat gewoon niet altijd allemaal goed, het is soms moeilijk en zwaar, maar op een manier die niet overkomt alsof het verzonnen is om het personage te laten lijden, maar het komt heel echt over.
En het idee met de rol van de kometen in dit boek is toch wel erg gaaf. Ook is het erg tof dat het niet echt een liefdesverhaal is (wat je op basis van de buitenkant en de omschrijving misschien wel denkt), het is meer een levensomschrijving.
Ik raad hem aan als je houdt van Dani Atkins. Als je niets hebt met een vleug (dit is geen vleugje meer) magie of bovennatuurlijke dingen in een boek, dan raad ik dit niet aan.
samantical's review
3.0
I really enjoyed the prose and structure of this book. It’s mostly-linear timeline for the main characters and storylines, but is contrasted with intermittent flashbacks to decades and centuries before the main story. Each chapter takes place during the passing of a different comet. I loved that, and all the space science, and it was truly beautifully written.
I couldn’t get over how terrible Liam is, though, so I had the same problem with this that I have with the Star Wars prequel trilogy: the entire emotional impact of the plot is reliant on the logic of an amazing woman loving a really shitty guy, and I just can’t get into that. Also probably because he’s so much the worst, I couldn’t get past the cousin incest, but I do think their relationship would be toxic even without that factor.
Overall a very beautiful book but, god, Liam just sucked so much.
I couldn’t get over how terrible Liam is, though, so I had the same problem with this that I have with the Star Wars prequel trilogy: the entire emotional impact of the plot is reliant on the logic of an amazing woman loving a really shitty guy, and I just can’t get into that. Also probably because he’s so much the worst, I couldn’t get past the cousin incest, but I do think their relationship would be toxic even without that factor.
Overall a very beautiful book but, god, Liam just sucked so much.