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augie_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Abortion, Death, Sexism, Infidelity, Incest, Alcohol, Murder, Violence, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Sexual assault
lorenag5's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Dementia, Grief, Alcohol, Animal death, Car accident, Cursing, Infidelity, and Mental illness
theayeaye's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.25
While reading The Shipping News, I found myself thinking back to the themes of A Little Life by Hanya Yanigahara. And in some ways they feel like obverse sides of the same coin. In both books, the central character experiences grief, trauma and hardship, but where in Jude's story his friends and love cannot outweigh the pain and trauma he lives with, in Quoyle's case, the recurring theme is that all these hardships can be carried if he can have love.
This book is an intensely character-driven story. Most chapters are solely devoted to getting to know a person who lives in Killick-Claw, hearing their stories and how they think of the world. Slowly but surely we see Quoyle growing and changing, from the unbearably lonely man that he was in New York (always worried someone would notice his big jaw) to a self-assured man with a love-filled life in Newfoundland (who no longer reaches to cover his chin by the end).
The Shipping News is an intense read - there are a lot of traumatic events and mentions of horrible crimes that take place, but somehow it's a hopeful read. Proulx has an incredible way of turning phrases that crystalize the central thesis of the story, and it felt very worthwhile to meet all of these characters to earn the payoff of the final few chapters.
This book is an intensely character-driven story. Most chapters are solely devoted to getting to know a person who lives in Killick-Claw, hearing their stories and how they think of the world. Slowly but surely we see Quoyle growing and changing, from the unbearably lonely man that he was in New York (always worried someone would notice his big jaw) to a self-assured man with a love-filled life in Newfoundland (who no longer reaches to cover his chin by the end).
The Shipping News is an intense read - there are a lot of traumatic events and mentions of horrible crimes that take place, but somehow it's a hopeful read. Proulx has an incredible way of turning phrases that crystalize the central thesis of the story, and it felt very worthwhile to meet all of these characters to earn the payoff of the final few chapters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Abortion, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Grief, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, and Rape
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