Scan barcode
abhicks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
jazziemango's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
mindyb33's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.5
octa's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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? Yes
4.5
jrmarr's review against another edition
3.0
Started and ended well. Dead spot in the middle which had me stalled for a while. Glad I finished it, but not as good as 'All the light we cannot see'.
sarah621's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
richytofu's review against another edition
3.0
“If he had learned anything it was that family was not so much what you were given as what you were able to maintain.”
This novel concerns a person’s self-imposed isolation due to fear of the future, and the brutal consequences of it. Somehow it happened to be the book I was reading post-breakup, mid-lockdown, pre-reaching out to friends and family, in the middle of winter. What I found in the book was the tragic tale of a cursed man who eventually learns that he too is worthy of love and redemption.
I found his struggle painful. His exile from suburban bliss to solitude on a Caribbean island full of outcasts is shocking but understandable. His anxiety for the future was so unbearable, the only option was escape. You feel the passage of time weaken his body and mind as the years pass by. The novel follows his journey, back into reality as he searches out the past that he left behind.
The metaphysical aspects of this novel appeared to be inconsistent and existed mainly to move the plot along. Also they seemed to clash with the scientific mind of the character. Perhaps this was intentional, a representation of the paradoxical duality that exists within each of us, a rational mind with an irrational soul. I personally think the fantastical elements of the story were frivolous and distract from the purpose of the story. Also I think I sometimes found it hard to relate to the main character’s plight because of both the bizarre events leading to his situation and his unique, robotic way of thinking. It takes him years of stagnation to change his circumstances. And although I loved some of the characters, like Naaliya and Felix, the strangers that David meets can be a little cringey, especially in the section when he meets many people with the same name as his daughter in an attempt to find her. They just ended up as caricatures of various American cultures. And that weird fortune teller kid creeped me out, eww.
Nevertheless the novel was written extremely well, as expected from the writer of the the incredible “All the Light We Cannot See”. It was a treat to read something so beautiful. I was reminded that the joy of reading, to me, isn’t stacking up piles of books, getting through as many as possible to increase my ‘read’ shelf, but the enjoyment of words arranged in a way that make my heart leap. The glacial pace of this novel felt like the patient thawing of a frozen Alaskan landscape. I became aware again that rebirth is part of the cycle of life and death. Winter is over, spring is coming.
I recommend you pick up All the Light We Cannot See before you read this one, it’s a little more big picture and less introspective. Also there’s a war going on in it so their problems make more sense than the self-made problem in this one.
This novel concerns a person’s self-imposed isolation due to fear of the future, and the brutal consequences of it. Somehow it happened to be the book I was reading post-breakup, mid-lockdown, pre-reaching out to friends and family, in the middle of winter. What I found in the book was the tragic tale of a cursed man who eventually learns that he too is worthy of love and redemption.
I found his struggle painful. His exile from suburban bliss to solitude on a Caribbean island full of outcasts is shocking but understandable. His anxiety for the future was so unbearable, the only option was escape. You feel the passage of time weaken his body and mind as the years pass by. The novel follows his journey, back into reality as he searches out the past that he left behind.
The metaphysical aspects of this novel appeared to be inconsistent and existed mainly to move the plot along. Also they seemed to clash with the scientific mind of the character. Perhaps this was intentional, a representation of the paradoxical duality that exists within each of us, a rational mind with an irrational soul. I personally think the fantastical elements of the story were frivolous and distract from the purpose of the story. Also I think I sometimes found it hard to relate to the main character’s plight because of both the bizarre events leading to his situation and his unique, robotic way of thinking. It takes him years of stagnation to change his circumstances. And although I loved some of the characters, like Naaliya and Felix, the strangers that David meets can be a little cringey, especially in the section when he meets many people with the same name as his daughter in an attempt to find her. They just ended up as caricatures of various American cultures. And that weird fortune teller kid creeped me out, eww.
Nevertheless the novel was written extremely well, as expected from the writer of the the incredible “All the Light We Cannot See”. It was a treat to read something so beautiful. I was reminded that the joy of reading, to me, isn’t stacking up piles of books, getting through as many as possible to increase my ‘read’ shelf, but the enjoyment of words arranged in a way that make my heart leap. The glacial pace of this novel felt like the patient thawing of a frozen Alaskan landscape. I became aware again that rebirth is part of the cycle of life and death. Winter is over, spring is coming.
I recommend you pick up All the Light We Cannot See before you read this one, it’s a little more big picture and less introspective. Also there’s a war going on in it so their problems make more sense than the self-made problem in this one.
stephbond's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
liz246810's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I struggled with this book. While the prose is beautifully written, it could not help with the subject matter for me. The main character was intensely unlikeable, narcissistic, self absorbed and selfish and I could not find
myself forgiving him for what he
did early in the book. I do not think he deserved to be a parent, o matter his intentions
myself forgiving him for what he
did early in the book. I do not think he deserved to be a parent, o matter his intentions
jansbookcorner's review against another edition
3.0
Mr. Doerr has what I call a "quiet" writing style. By that I mean that I find myself slowly taking the story in. I enjoy those type stories from time to time. They make me think and reflect. The only thing I didn't like "About Grace" is that it has a lot of scientific references to weather - clouds, snowflakes, rain, etc. I know there were a lot of metaphors in these discussions, but after a while, I found myself reading the words in those sections but not really thinking about them. Otherwise, a good book.