Reviews

The Shipping News by Annie Proulx

david44's review against another edition

adventurous informative 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? Yes

4.0

adrianyt's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

adholmes3's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

kathrynw12's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

The writing style is challenging at first, but once you get stuck in, it is really unique and fits well with the story.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Incest

squigglesbug's review

emotional hopeful reflective 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

5.0

Cozy comfort in the mundane. There's nothing like listening to old men prattle on about nothing to whoever will listen. I wish Quoyle was my Dad. 

valmeac's review against another edition

I don’t think there was anything I liked about this book

book_concierge's review against another edition

4.0

Pulitzer prize for fiction

I don't think I would ever have chosen this book for myself, so I'm really glad that my book club did. The first half is so bleak - Quoyle's life is so tiring. I quote from the end of Chapter 17 "Thirty-six years old and this was the first time anyone ever said he'd done it right." The story climbs from there. And while Quoyle never soars he does experience some highs and a lot of good even sailing. Definitely worth reading.

erytho's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring sad medium-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

4.0

allieboballie_8's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective relaxing slow-paced

4.0

alex_watkins's review against another edition

4.0

This book was slow to start and hard to get into. At first I thought it was going to be another book about a buffoonish fat man like A Confederacy of Dunces. However the characters quickly evolve from caricatures. The style at first I found off putting and confusing, but it became more comprehensible as I went along. An interesting read, though I was expecting more after all the awards it received.