Reviews

A meditation on passion, obsession, and betrayal that's majorly moody but doesn't cohere as elegantly as some of O'Farrell's later works. There's some amazing lines and imagery and a bit of a fever dream haze that sweeps the reader up. It's also interesting to see her play with perspectives and timelines in a way that she does masterfully in her later work, like This Must Be the Place, but I finished this one feeling a little unsettled and unsatisfied.

katewutz's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

5.0

izzy_o8's review

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funny inspiring mysterious relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

timna_wyckoff's review against another edition

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2.0

Hmm. This is the one book by O'Farrell that I haven't loved. The first part is in O'Farrell's great writing and seems to be setting something up........that never seems to happen by the end. I found myself skimming to end, trying to find out what happened, but, no dice.

sarakins4's review

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“And he feels as though she is holding on to the end of one of his essential fibers and that every step he takes away from her is, but by bit, unraveling him”

rachelisreading_'s review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

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