Reviews

A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

sewerhill's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

aqeela's review against another edition

4.0

3.85 stars, rounded up

jwolflink3's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Skip the last section.

lizzyqd's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

annie_the_psycho's review against another edition

4.0

What really took this book from 5 stars to 4 was the intermittent chapters from Ruth's perspective that was really not at all as interesting as Nao's. I was so enthralled by Nao's story and what's happening to her that it felt like a real slog to read through Ruth's chapters and often found myself losing interest completely, and many times considered just skipping to the end of the chapter. Apart from that, this is an amazing book. Nao's character and story is so painfully real that it's difficult not to imagine that it actually happened and by the end you wish you could read even more about her.

If anything, this book has encouraged me to start my own journal to write about myself as a time being. Whether or not I'll leave it somewhere for a stranger to discover remains to be seen.

moviegoer's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

vivandbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Beautiful. Loved it so much. 

segue's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective medium-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

5.0

lilyfleenor's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective fast-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

5.0

buttercupita's review against another edition

3.0

This was a very interesting book, alternating between the first person voice of a Japanese teenager's diary and a third person narration of an aging writer's engagement with it when it washes up on a remote Canadian island (the writer's name is Ruth -- we are left to suspect that it is Ruth Ozeki herself) who finds it. I was completely intrigued with the structure and the metaphysical questions the book raised. However, I cannot say I "really liked it" because the middle of the book went to such a terribly dark place that "enjoy" is not a term I could use, and I'm still shaken by some of the things that befall the teenager. Overall, I recommend this book with that warning laid out!

(Funnily enough, this book was given to me by a cousin to whom I had given Emma Donoghue's Room a few years ago -- Revenge?)