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mbpartlow's review against another edition
3.0
Elements of this book should get 5 stars; other elements should get one.
Little Bee's voice, and her observations about England, are amazing and engaging. On the other hand, sometimes she is just too wise and too knowing for her years and her experience.
The British woman who forms the other half of the story? Not so much. The scene where she begins her affair is just deplorable, and my book group summed it up as saying that's the scene in the book where you can tell it was written by a man. Some authors are brilliant at writing from the opposite sex's pov. Some are not.
The story is both touching and compelling, and I'd recommend this book, mostly based on the character of Little Bee.
Little Bee's voice, and her observations about England, are amazing and engaging. On the other hand, sometimes she is just too wise and too knowing for her years and her experience.
The British woman who forms the other half of the story? Not so much. The scene where she begins her affair is just deplorable, and my book group summed it up as saying that's the scene in the book where you can tell it was written by a man. Some authors are brilliant at writing from the opposite sex's pov. Some are not.
The story is both touching and compelling, and I'd recommend this book, mostly based on the character of Little Bee.
empyrealmelody's review against another edition
4.0
Both women in the book are strong individuals with a strong pull for hope and righteousness. Their lives are so drastically different but they find a way to help each other cope with their horrors and nightmares. I'm particularly intrigued with Little Bee, who has been through too much yet is still able to see good and want to do good. Her ability to be positive and proclivity to help others even after all she's been through is inspirational. At times I feel that her attitude is too good for her situation and I found some characters unbelievable or the book a bit naive, but I love the underlying theme of hope and perseverance the story entails.
ellipsiscool's review against another edition
4.0
Going into this book, I had almost no idea of what it was about. I really like to jump into a novel without the "trailer" occasionally and I was intrigued that this book purposely withheld details. So the story of Little Bee unfolded before me.
I was thrilled to find the story ultra-relevant, interesting, and politically charged, but also emotionally valuable with fascinating characters. I won't give away the plot because I think that not knowing makes this book so much of a page turner.
I was thrilled to find the story ultra-relevant, interesting, and politically charged, but also emotionally valuable with fascinating characters. I won't give away the plot because I think that not knowing makes this book so much of a page turner.
elspethel_'s review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
janada59's review against another edition
4.0
A wonderful and gripping story, sucked me in from the very beginning, and I had a hard time putting it down.
monicakuryla's review against another edition
4.0
Loved this original story! Very unique and interesting!
bdschepper2001's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
threegoodrats's review against another edition
4.0
Review is here: http://blog.threegoodrats.com/2009/05/little-bee-by-chris-cleave-review.html
dezdamona's review against another edition
5.0
A great book from a great author. It was great like the other books of him.
trin's review against another edition
3.0
Urgh. I have no idea how I am going to explain my complex, somewhat contradictory feelings about this novel. I guess I’ll just try to lay it out there:
1. My bosses LOVE this novel. They think it is just about the greatest novel ever. Their enthusiasm is contagious, even though:
2. I think it’s only okay. The narrative voice is great, especially at the beginning, and it’s really about something, which I appreciate. It kind of loses steam about halfway through, however—once the big secret is revealed—and there are a couple of bits of sloppy plotting that bugged me. It’s one of those books where the first chapter is the best chapter in the whole thing.
3. I’m also, maybe just intrinsically, uncomfortable at the fact that this is yet another book by a white dude from the perspective of a black woman. It may just have been that there were a lot of discussions about cultural appropriation going on at the time I read it, but I could never quite shake my awareness of that fact.
4. Major props to the author, however, who when I heard him speak, brought up this issue himself and talked about it in a really frank and honest way: he was worried about it himself, but decided this was a story he really wanted to tell and this was the best way to tell it. I really respected his thoughtfulness.
5. He was also one of those incredibly cute and enthusiastic British men that I just swoon over, and he gave an amazingly delightful reading, and, okay, in person (though not in his very generic author photo) he looks rather a lot like Rodney McKay in “I just discovered a personal shield! I’m in-vul-ner-able!” mode. HE MADE ME WANT TO PUSH HIS BOOK ON LOTS OF PEOPLE OKAY.
6. Um. The cover’s very pretty?
Anyway. Draw your own conclusions.
1. My bosses LOVE this novel. They think it is just about the greatest novel ever. Their enthusiasm is contagious, even though:
2. I think it’s only okay. The narrative voice is great, especially at the beginning, and it’s really about something, which I appreciate. It kind of loses steam about halfway through, however—once the big secret is revealed—and there are a couple of bits of sloppy plotting that bugged me. It’s one of those books where the first chapter is the best chapter in the whole thing.
3. I’m also, maybe just intrinsically, uncomfortable at the fact that this is yet another book by a white dude from the perspective of a black woman. It may just have been that there were a lot of discussions about cultural appropriation going on at the time I read it, but I could never quite shake my awareness of that fact.
4. Major props to the author, however, who when I heard him speak, brought up this issue himself and talked about it in a really frank and honest way: he was worried about it himself, but decided this was a story he really wanted to tell and this was the best way to tell it. I really respected his thoughtfulness.
5. He was also one of those incredibly cute and enthusiastic British men that I just swoon over, and he gave an amazingly delightful reading, and, okay, in person (though not in his very generic author photo) he looks rather a lot like Rodney McKay in “I just discovered a personal shield! I’m in-vul-ner-able!” mode. HE MADE ME WANT TO PUSH HIS BOOK ON LOTS OF PEOPLE OKAY.
6. Um. The cover’s very pretty?
Anyway. Draw your own conclusions.