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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
Movies constantly make me cry; books rarely do. I shed tears reading this one - several times!
Although I hadn't read this book until recently (in my late 20s) I always had this faint understanding that is was a book about Apartheid, and I was surprised, after reading it, that the focus of this story was much less clear. While the issues with civil rights and the treatment of your fellow human being are based on Apartheid, the book deals with broader issues that this. It was hard not to apply a lot of the thoughtful quotes in the book to issues of unequal treatment to similar issues we deal with in the world today.
However, being the reader who is picky about formatting, I found it frustrating to read at times, because Paton's writing of dialogue made it difficult to distinguish which characters were speaking. Come on otherwise extremely talented authors, can we get some paragraphs and quotation marks?
However, being the reader who is picky about formatting, I found it frustrating to read at times, because Paton's writing of dialogue made it difficult to distinguish which characters were speaking. Come on otherwise extremely talented authors, can we get some paragraphs and quotation marks?
challenging
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-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
Slow start, but wonderful - if unfullfilling - ending. Kleenexes needed for sure.
Was never that engaged with it. The writing was very stilted and in some sections hard to follow. And now that the LoC book club has met and I missed it, I feel no need to continue.
Really enjoyed reading this book. Had first come across it many years ago, when friends were reading it in college for class... Glad I finally got to it. Great.
This is truly a beautiful book. I loved it almost as soon as it began, and I never changed my mind. Kumalo is a wonderful hero. I loved him and cried with him throughout the entire story.
I feared this book would be depressing, but it wasn't. A lot of the story is sad, but there is always hope. A lot of the story is full of fear, but there is always someone brave enough to overcome the fear and act rightly.
The book is also very lyrical. It has poetic sentences and paragraphs, and entire sections. I really enjoyed the dialogue even though it breaks with traditional punctuation.
I think my favorite moment came between Kumalo and Jarvis at the end.
My favorite quote came on page 127: "And he would nod as though he too were saying, Yes, it is nothing, I am old and do nothing but forget? But who would know that he said, I do nothing but remember?"
I feared this book would be depressing, but it wasn't. A lot of the story is sad, but there is always hope. A lot of the story is full of fear, but there is always someone brave enough to overcome the fear and act rightly.
The book is also very lyrical. It has poetic sentences and paragraphs, and entire sections. I really enjoyed the dialogue even though it breaks with traditional punctuation.
I think my favorite moment came between Kumalo and Jarvis at the end.
My favorite quote came on page 127: "And he would nod as though he too were saying, Yes, it is nothing, I am old and do nothing but forget? But who would know that he said, I do nothing but remember?"
Slow start. At first, i wasn't sure where this was headed but it was worth making it through. This is a story of forgiveness and redemption. The story is mainly told from the point of a small town, poor parson. It beautifully brings in other points of view and quietly allows the reader to digest the strong story line and powerful emotions.
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated