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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
A very good book. I liked the first half more than the second half. Aka I liked when Alexandra was busting ass to be the best farmer in the land more than I liked exploring her social relations after she's made it. Also, I really want to know what happens to Amedee Chavelier's widow and infant son after he suddenly dies. I understand the book needs to follow what happens with Emil, but it's curious we never see what happens with them. (I was rooting for Emil to step up and provide for Amedee's family, but nope).
I underestimated the quiet power of this book. Cather sprinkles her human drama with small but vivid farmsteading details, weaving an emotionally rich, slice-of-life tapestry of European settlers in untamed Nebraska. With the exception of Alexandra’s oddly eager forgiveness of Frank’s crime, Cather’s characters were cultivated similarly to Bergson farmland – the potential at first felt shallow and hidden, but it later blossomed into satisfying complexity under a deft hand.
It was an interesting book, not actually what I was expecting but it treats upon the subject of life’s unexpected turns quite well!
Easily a new favorite author. This book has carried me through memories of life on the Plains (though not the Nebraska ones and not a farm, I can still relate). Cather both uses and rejects the conventions of stories in her time and suggests the fond and forgiving nature of human relationships in her "first" true novel
Omg so good. Is it just because I’m a prairie girl or is this really really REALLY GOOD?!
I have always been a fan of Cather's writing. I reread O Pioneers! for the wonderful character portrayal and beautifully descriptive writing. She delves into the motivations, longings and self-deception of the human condition so well that her works hold up over time and resonate still.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
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:
No
sad
medium-paced
This is the first novel I've read of Willa Cather, and I definitely was pleasantly surprised with it! I initially wasn't expecting to love it, especially since the plot of the a story didn't sound too interesting at first.
The story is about the life and struggles of a Swedish farming family who reside in Nebraska. I really enjoyed the two main female characters Willa Cather portrayed in this book, particularly Alexandra. Alexandra is the oldest of her family of brothers. Her father on his deathbed, specifically sets her in charge to look over the land and her brothers. Not a lot really happens through most of the book, but the way the characters are portrayed and how the story is told is what really drew me in.
It was a fast and easy read for me! I really look forward to reading the other Great Plain trilogy books, as well as more of Willa Cather's other novels.
The story is about the life and struggles of a Swedish farming family who reside in Nebraska. I really enjoyed the two main female characters Willa Cather portrayed in this book, particularly Alexandra. Alexandra is the oldest of her family of brothers. Her father on his deathbed, specifically sets her in charge to look over the land and her brothers. Not a lot really happens through most of the book, but the way the characters are portrayed and how the story is told is what really drew me in.
It was a fast and easy read for me! I really look forward to reading the other Great Plain trilogy books, as well as more of Willa Cather's other novels.
I enjoyed "My Antonia" more, but this was still an enjoyable read that captured the open loneliness of the prairie. The ending felt a little sensationalist. I decided to forgive Willa Cather because her prose is so beautiful.