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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
medium-paced
emotional
informative
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Rape
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-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:
No
This book does two things. First, it provides a glimpse into the life of famed photographer Dorothea Lange. Secondly the author describes life in early San Francisco. Darznik weaves the two so that each reflects the other. Lange went to San Francisco to start a new life for herself. San Francisco was attempting to come back to life after the devastating fire of 1906. The atmosphere, the fluid lifestyles, the laissez faire attitude towards life was all indicative of starting over and rediscovery. The author does an excellent job at reflecting how the attitude of San Francisco impacted Dorothea's decisions in her life. Lange was able to define herself as a society photographer and establish her mark on photography through her later photos of life during the Depression. A very good read.
I received a copy of this title via NetGalley.
I received a copy of this title via NetGalley.
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
informative
slow-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:
Yes
3.5 ⭐️. I didn’t know much about documentary photographer, Dorothea Lange before reading this book except for her famous photo “ The Migrant Mother”. The story starts where we read about Dorothea, who finds herself broke in 1918, and who ends up in San Francisco where she wants to be a portrait photographer. She is drawn into a community of “bohemians”who are artists, writers, musicians, and photographers in a part of San Francisco. Many famous people make cameos such as Angel Adams and Frida Karloff. So many events and themes are covered in the book like a city rebuilding after the devastation of the 1906 earthquake; the pandemic of the Spanish Flu; racism against Chinese Americans; and the Great Depression. It’s also a story about friendship and love. I always have a little trouble with fiction based on real characters because I feel like I don’t get a real picture of someone as much asI get an author’s speculation of how someone felt or thought- so that’s why I can’t give it 4or 5 stars. But as far as fiction goes I enjoyed the story
Enjoyable easy read that was a great companion to my time here in San Francisco. Was lovely to find out more about the city, documentary photographer Dorothea Lange, and the more nuanced forms of racism that Chinese people faced here 100 years ago.
Sometimes though it felt a little like reading a history assignment. While I appreciate the plot points, the writing didn’t quite elevate the novel to be what I would consider a real favorite. It was utilitarian.
There was also a tendency to name drop with the most flimsy of reasons - oh look there goes Great American painter Maynard Dixon, oh hi Frieda Kahlo, well wouldn’t you just look over there and see Ansel Adams?
Sometimes though it felt a little like reading a history assignment. While I appreciate the plot points, the writing didn’t quite elevate the novel to be what I would consider a real favorite. It was utilitarian.
There was also a tendency to name drop with the most flimsy of reasons - oh look there goes Great American painter Maynard Dixon, oh hi Frieda Kahlo, well wouldn’t you just look over there and see Ansel Adams?
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes