Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.11 AVERAGE
3.11 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I found this book to be so depressing. I listened to it, and when it was finished I just bawled. I was so disturbed by just how depressing it was. I gave it 3 stars because a book that can evoke such an emotional reaction has it's merits. I'm just not sure I would recommend it to anyone.
The author does a tremendous job of bringing the isolation and struggle of the farm wife to life, and her characters are finely drawn. There was an indirectness to the unfolding of the story that I didn't care for, and that in another book probably would have led me to just put the book down unfinished.There is one decision in the book that doesn't seem psychologically true for the character making it, but I didn't want to re-read to find out if I'd missed something that would have made it fit.
Listened to this book while knitting. Thought it was one recommended by a friend but that is a different Quickening that takes place in Alaska....
Enidina (husband Frank) & Mary (husband Jack) are Iowa farmwives living on neighboring farms in early 1900's. Life is so hard and their conflicting perspectives & lack of communication make it even harder. Sad.
Enidina (husband Frank) & Mary (husband Jack) are Iowa farmwives living on neighboring farms in early 1900's. Life is so hard and their conflicting perspectives & lack of communication make it even harder. Sad.
This book snuck up on me. At first I hated it - so depressing! I thought, "Oh here we go! Another 'deep, dramatic, artist' author with the prose of perfect pain.. blah, blah, blah." But as the story continued I wanted to know what the hell was going to happen to everyone and I got caught up in it. There were a lot of times where the author completely lost me. The story would be going on about one topic and then all of a sudden it would seem to reference something else that had nothing to do with the moment or an event in the story that you could remember. Ex: "He grabbed another roll from the stove top. The room was warm from baking the dinner. She heard the verse in her head." What? What verse? What the hell are you talking about? What about the rolls? But outside of being completely lost every now and then, it ended up being a far more interesting story then I thought it was going to be... though I'm still confused about some of it.
I think I missed something reading this book. My gut feeling is that there is a deep message embedded in this book...but I didn't get it.
It was an okay read...no real plot, no real story. Not my cup of tea.
It was an okay read...no real plot, no real story. Not my cup of tea.
I always find it tricky to say I “really liked” a book this bleak.
I have a category in my head of books that, while excellent, are also so horrible I can’t in good conscience recommend them to anyone (Little Bee, I’m looking at you).
This does not hit that mark of horrible, at all, but is quietly disturbing. In an excellent sort of way.
I have a category in my head of books that, while excellent, are also so horrible I can’t in good conscience recommend them to anyone (Little Bee, I’m looking at you).
This does not hit that mark of horrible, at all, but is quietly disturbing. In an excellent sort of way.
I loved this story of rural life before and during the depression. It is really the story of two women and the intertwining of their sometimes tragic stories.
Dark and stark ... I wouldn't say I "enjoyed" it, but I am glad I read it.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse