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susanbrooks's review against another edition
Not grabbing me, so I’m letting it go.
kimkelly80's review against another edition
1.0
Slow, boring and I lost interest so often I completely lost the plot of the story. Love story to a camel?
livlovelit's review against another edition
3.0
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.
Obreht is undoubtedly a beautiful writer, but I just could not figure out what was going on in this book. It’s written from two perspectives, both of which reveal more through time. Just when I felt like I was starting to get my bearings in the story it would switch to a totally different character and setting in a way I just couldn’t follow. I liked The Tiger’s Wife, and I’ll certainly read future books by Obreht, but this was was just not my favorite.
Obreht is undoubtedly a beautiful writer, but I just could not figure out what was going on in this book. It’s written from two perspectives, both of which reveal more through time. Just when I felt like I was starting to get my bearings in the story it would switch to a totally different character and setting in a way I just couldn’t follow. I liked The Tiger’s Wife, and I’ll certainly read future books by Obreht, but this was was just not my favorite.
balletbookworm's review against another edition
3.0
Finally finished, which I had to since I’m the book club leader tonight.
Téa Obreht’s lovely sentences saved this “novel” - which was comprised of two drastically different, cheaply foreshadowed, novellas that converged (finally) at the end of the book. In my opinion, she should have chosen either Nora’s story or Lurie’s story and developed an emotionally compelling, complete story. As it is, I found neither compelling. I would like to talk to her editor.
Content warning for racism toward non-white people on the page, particularly Native Americans (extremely to-period but it isn’t easy to read).
Téa Obreht’s lovely sentences saved this “novel” - which was comprised of two drastically different, cheaply foreshadowed, novellas that converged (finally) at the end of the book. In my opinion, she should have chosen either Nora’s story or Lurie’s story and developed an emotionally compelling, complete story. As it is, I found neither compelling. I would like to talk to her editor.
Content warning for racism toward non-white people on the page, particularly Native Americans (extremely to-period but it isn’t easy to read).
jrenouard's review against another edition
4.0
Richly written story, not your classic Western tropes told through two characters, a middle eastern immigrant, orphaned as a child in the mid-west, joins a camel train - a woman struggling with loss, drought, family and survival in the Arizona territory. Through it all, themes of water and scarcity, death and ghosts, hanging onto the past vs moving forward.
ddale's review against another edition
4.0
Pop sugar reading challenge prompt a western. I loved this book! Perhaps it was the strong female character, but I enjoyed it more than Lonesome Dove.
dontpanic42's review against another edition
2.0
I really love the piece of history—camels in the old west—that inspired this book. And Obreht writes lovely sentences that work best when read slowly and carefully. Sadly for me, the storylines here just never quite captured me. There are two storylines that will, of course, eventually intersect. But within the stories I found the narrative wanting, with vagaries in the plot and somewhat one-dimensional or archetypical characters. And I found the ultimate intersection of the stories was anticlimactic. In the end, I’m left with a novel that never quite fulfilled its promise.
jesassa's review against another edition
3.0
I remember loving THE TIGER’S WIFE. This novel didn’t grab me like that one did and it certainly didn’t keep my attention as much as I expected. This was very well written and beautiful in parts, but not what I expected.
dhar7's review against another edition
1.0
I powered through this book for B&N book club. I did not enjoy this read at all. Was the plot was slow? Yup. Was the story engaging? Nope. Were the characters likable and relatable? No. Did the ending make sense? Nope. Was I glad when I finished this book? Yup!! Did I return this book to the store? You betcha!
akennedy772's review against another edition
4.0
Communicates the brutality of westward expansion and living at that time. Great characters, well written