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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
3.5 stars
The writing is beautiful and the characters were all unique and complex. Even though I have the physical copy, I ended up listening to the book and I wish I had read along with the physical copy too. There were a lot of characters to keep track of, so there were times that I found myself not tracking which character the story was following on the audio. That’s not a book problem, that was a me problem!
There were a lot of hard issues the characters were facing so it is definitely an emotional book, but that’s what I loved the most about it.
The writing is beautiful and the characters were all unique and complex. Even though I have the physical copy, I ended up listening to the book and I wish I had read along with the physical copy too. There were a lot of characters to keep track of, so there were times that I found myself not tracking which character the story was following on the audio. That’s not a book problem, that was a me problem!
There were a lot of hard issues the characters were facing so it is definitely an emotional book, but that’s what I loved the most about it.
emotional
hopeful
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death
Moderate: Child death, Violence
Was this book good? Yes. Would I ever read it again? Absolutely not. This was a heart wrenching read that I would have a hard time recommending to anyone.
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Future Alexa- I have a lot of thoughts
1. SO many characters for the size of book it was
2. I think it could make me sad if I was already a little sad?
3. So many bad things happened without being actually developed as plot devices? Like it was just unnecessarily a bummer without actually being sad?
Meh.
1. SO many characters for the size of book it was
2. I think it could make me sad if I was already a little sad?
3. So many bad things happened without being actually developed as plot devices? Like it was just unnecessarily a bummer without actually being sad?
Meh.
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A LITTLE HOPE
This book was a long awaited Christmas gift from my wife, and I read this on the flights to and from Minnesota visiting my family. This story drew me in immediately and the two hours on the plane flew by (which, for an anxious flier like me, says a lot!).
Stringing together stories from several characters in a small Connecticut community, this book reads a bit like an ensemble movie, like “Love Actually” or “The French Dispatch”. I feel like supporting multiple storylines can be hard to get right, but when it’s done well, I absolutely love following along. In this case, I thought each character was thoroughly developed and had a depth that gave the story life. I was really impressed, especially for a debut.
Despite the life changing events that each character goes through, the novel focuses on small moments - the moments of grief, of uncertainty, of reconciliation, and of hope. I loved this approach! There is so much emotion and growth in these moments, and it gives a really intimate glimpse into each character.
A Little Hope was worth the wait! A fantastic read for my holiday break and definitely left me with more than a little hope.
This book was a long awaited Christmas gift from my wife, and I read this on the flights to and from Minnesota visiting my family. This story drew me in immediately and the two hours on the plane flew by (which, for an anxious flier like me, says a lot!).
Stringing together stories from several characters in a small Connecticut community, this book reads a bit like an ensemble movie, like “Love Actually” or “The French Dispatch”. I feel like supporting multiple storylines can be hard to get right, but when it’s done well, I absolutely love following along. In this case, I thought each character was thoroughly developed and had a depth that gave the story life. I was really impressed, especially for a debut.
Despite the life changing events that each character goes through, the novel focuses on small moments - the moments of grief, of uncertainty, of reconciliation, and of hope. I loved this approach! There is so much emotion and growth in these moments, and it gives a really intimate glimpse into each character.
A Little Hope was worth the wait! A fantastic read for my holiday break and definitely left me with more than a little hope.
Unnecessarily depressing and all the characters are so similar….
Author Joella spends so much of this book trying to set you up for an emotional payoff that he ultimately forgets that he is still a storyteller. This book is the depression equivalent of a comedian who only tells punchlines, there is little to no breathing room to be found here, and it does the novel no favors. Also, everyone in this book is so white and straight (except for Ahmed, arguably the blandest character in the book), which is exceptionally disappointing for a novel with such a large cast. I understand what A Little Hope is trying to do, and I think the novel is ultimately competent, it’s just a shame it drags you kicking and screaming to finish line with no time to let the world around the (boring) characters come alive.
3.5 rounded up. This book for me was like reading episodes of a show like This is Us. We’re all just a bunch of broken people out here trying to make a connection while we muddle through life. While there were sad parts it felt like a cozy, real life-esque read