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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
This maybe wasn't the best choice to listen to whilst trapped inside on several somewhat bleak afternoons during quarantine.
It's very much the sort of classic that is fundamentally a tragedy with some scenes that throw you a bone of hope only to crush that bone to dust a few pages later.
Ok, so obviously this is about northern European settlers in the American west. More specifically it follows the teen & adult children of a farmer as they try and nurture the inhospitable land and build a living. On his deathbed, the farmer leaves his daughter, Alexandra, to run the family affairs and instructs his older sons to defer to her judgment.
That's the setup. The first part of the book is mostly just Alexandra making decisions & figuring out how to grow the farm into a profitable business. We also get to know that she is a calm and intelligent leader who values her staff, even if they do things that inspire distrust in other people, e.g. not wearing shoes.
The second half of the book is much more interesting that the first as some actual conflict is introduced. I enjoyed how steadfastly Alexandra stuck to her guns again and again despite the overwhelming opposition both home and abroad. But it did get tiresome that she was just always correct about everything.
Her one weakness, it turns out, is emotional intelligence in romance but even that sort of washes away in the end.
There's a bit of pleasant nature writing to break up the d r a m a but mostly the book follows one sad story to the next. Interestingly I feel that much of this drama would exist happily in a different setting and didn't hear as much as I would have expected about that settler lifestyle.
I found the writing functional but a bit twee. It is a bit of an older book but some of the language was positively Victorian. So much so that for a while I was convinced it was for children but then the 2nd half happens..
If you like the idea of this remote, naturalist setting I'd much sooner recommend [b:The Unseen|31936168|The Unseen|Roy Jacobsen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1473520085l/31936168._SX50_.jpg|25879684], which is about Norwegian islanders living on the fringes of society.
This is a 2-star read for me based on writing and content but because of its later themes about working women in relationships and age it gets an extra star.
It's very much the sort of classic that is fundamentally a tragedy with some scenes that throw you a bone of hope only to crush that bone to dust a few pages later.
Ok, so obviously this is about northern European settlers in the American west. More specifically it follows the teen & adult children of a farmer as they try and nurture the inhospitable land and build a living. On his deathbed, the farmer leaves his daughter, Alexandra, to run the family affairs and instructs his older sons to defer to her judgment.
That's the setup. The first part of the book is mostly just Alexandra making decisions & figuring out how to grow the farm into a profitable business. We also get to know that she is a calm and intelligent leader who values her staff, even if they do things that inspire distrust in other people, e.g. not wearing shoes.
The second half of the book is much more interesting that the first as some actual conflict is introduced. I enjoyed how steadfastly Alexandra stuck to her guns again and again despite the overwhelming opposition both home and abroad. But it did get tiresome that she was just always correct about everything.
Her one weakness, it turns out, is emotional intelligence in romance but even that sort of washes away in the end.
There's a bit of pleasant nature writing to break up the d r a m a but mostly the book follows one sad story to the next. Interestingly I feel that much of this drama would exist happily in a different setting and didn't hear as much as I would have expected about that settler lifestyle.
I found the writing functional but a bit twee. It is a bit of an older book but some of the language was positively Victorian. So much so that for a while I was convinced it was for children but then the 2nd half happens..
If you like the idea of this remote, naturalist setting I'd much sooner recommend [b:The Unseen|31936168|The Unseen|Roy Jacobsen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1473520085l/31936168._SX50_.jpg|25879684], which is about Norwegian islanders living on the fringes of society.
This is a 2-star read for me based on writing and content but because of its later themes about working women in relationships and age it gets an extra star.
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Atmospheric to the nth degree; I just want to live in this book's snowy, wind-blown pages.
A new favorite. Beautiful pastoral scenery. Subtle yet vivid character development and prose that reads like poetry in parts
This is my first Cather book, yes it is and I adored it. Wow, terrific!
I am in love with Alexandra Bergson's character! What a powerful and fascinating female character! Thank you Willa Cather!
listened to this as an audiobook which re-confirmed that i can't do audiobooks
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The last time I read anything by Willa Cather was more than five years ago. I said that Death Comes to the Archbishop was a quiet book. I did not think that O Pioneers was quiet, but I do think that it is a slow paced book. For me, that slow pace was wonderful.
Cather published this novel in 1913. It is hard for me to believe that the book is only 100 years old. The world that Alexandra Bergeson lives in seems much much older, I felt like I traveled back to a place that was centuries old. There has been so much change in the world since Cather wrote.
This novel made me think about two things in particular. One was the fact that I would have been totally unprepared for the life of an immigrant in the early 1900's. I just can't imagine putting myself on the prairies.
Secondly, I was very taken aback by Alexandra Bergeson's reactions to Marie Shabata, another female character. Without giving away the plot, I can't imagine feeling as Alexandra does about another woman. I don't know if this is the change in times or just my personal reaction, but I was not expecting this reaction. Maybe I will talk my book group into reading this book so that I can discuss this with someone.
I found my way to this novel because I was looking for an audiobook and I know Cather is an author with whom I should be more familiar.
I recommend this book to anyone wanting to experience a very different world than ours, to readers who like books that make them think about the human condition and how we get to be who we are and to anyone who has not read Willa Cather.
Cather published this novel in 1913. It is hard for me to believe that the book is only 100 years old. The world that Alexandra Bergeson lives in seems much much older, I felt like I traveled back to a place that was centuries old. There has been so much change in the world since Cather wrote.
This novel made me think about two things in particular. One was the fact that I would have been totally unprepared for the life of an immigrant in the early 1900's. I just can't imagine putting myself on the prairies.
Secondly, I was very taken aback by Alexandra Bergeson's reactions to Marie Shabata, another female character. Without giving away the plot, I can't imagine feeling as Alexandra does about another woman. I don't know if this is the change in times or just my personal reaction, but I was not expecting this reaction. Maybe I will talk my book group into reading this book so that I can discuss this with someone.
I found my way to this novel because I was looking for an audiobook and I know Cather is an author with whom I should be more familiar.
I recommend this book to anyone wanting to experience a very different world than ours, to readers who like books that make them think about the human condition and how we get to be who we are and to anyone who has not read Willa Cather.
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes