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mariebrunelm's review against another edition
lighthearted
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
4.0
On est en novembre, en Islande, non loin du jour le plus court de l’année. La narratrice est décidée à rompre avec son amant, mais c’est lui qui la quitte le premier, puis son mari. Elle est suffisamment détachée de lui pour ne pas ressentir une peine immodérée. C’est alors qu’elle gagne successivement deux loteries et se trouve avec un chalet et beaucoup d’argent. Quand sa meilleure amie, confinée à l’hôpital jusqu’à son accouchement, confie à la narratrice son garçon de quatre ans, cette dernière décide de partir faire le tour de l’île avec lui. Qui sait? Peut-être que la réponse à toutes ses questions - et celles de l’enfant - se trouve de l’autre côté de l’Islande.
Voici le troisième livre de cette autrice que je lis. Sa prose me charme par la tendresse qui s’en dégage et le mélange de quotidien et d’inattendu qui peuple ses romans. Elle a le chic pour rendre extraordinaires les moments les plus banals. Cette fois-ci, j’ai été un peu moins charmée. Je n’étais peut-être pas dans le bon état d’esprit, ou bien c’est l’insistance un peu plus marquée que d’habitude sur la vie sexuelle de l’héroïne et le leitmotiv des animaux morts, qui m’ont empêchée de vraiment me détendre et de profiter du voyage. Je recommande en priorité Rosa Candida et Miss Islande, mais L’Embellie n’est en aucun cas un mauvais roman.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Minor: Infidelity
cynthiareads's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Very strange book about a newly divorced woman who goes an a road trip around Iceland with her friend’s 4 year old son. Alternates between present and memories of her past. Content warning - a number of animals are killed.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death
grace_r3ads's review
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Minor: Homophobia
12dejamoo's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
There was so much I loved here but also a lot that I found to be tedious. The narrator is so unemotional about everything in a way that is initially charming and eventually frustrating. I struggled with this particular itteration of an unreliable narrator text, and found it difficult to fathom what was going on. The flashbacks to the past were also pretty confusing - I couldn't work out how they related to the plot. There were so many things that seemed out of place.
I did love the character of Tumi and even the narrator's friend, Auður was a charming side character. I found it funny, and to be full of fun and rich details which really tied it together.
I did love the character of Tumi and even the narrator's friend, Auður was a charming side character. I found it funny, and to be full of fun and rich details which really tied it together.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Sexual content, Pregnancy, Death, and Death of parent
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