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carsonelainee's review against another edition
2.0
Elizabeth Acevedo is one of my favorite authors of all time. I have read every book she has every written so when I heard she had an adult debut coming out, I about lost my mind. The concept of Family Lore is such an interesting one and I love books that I would describe as familial epics. I want to read a book that covers years of someone's life with sweeping and interconnected narratives. Since this book covers the slightly magical lives of the women of this family, it seemed like the perfect book for me.
Sadly, it didn't end up working out for me. The things that I thought I would love are actually what I think killed the book. The many different POVs for all the women in the family were hard to keep straight and of the many characters, only one of them was actually a standout character. It was hard to keep the events of the story straight in my head and the whole thing felt very muddled.
What I did love, however, was the writing style. I still think, even after not enjoying Family Lore as much as her previous works, that Elizabeth Acevedo is one of the voices of a generation. She has such a distinct and beautiful writing style.
Thank you to Netgalley for this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
Sadly, it didn't end up working out for me. The things that I thought I would love are actually what I think killed the book. The many different POVs for all the women in the family were hard to keep straight and of the many characters, only one of them was actually a standout character. It was hard to keep the events of the story straight in my head and the whole thing felt very muddled.
What I did love, however, was the writing style. I still think, even after not enjoying Family Lore as much as her previous works, that Elizabeth Acevedo is one of the voices of a generation. She has such a distinct and beautiful writing style.
Thank you to Netgalley for this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
claudianhi's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
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
3.0
I love Acevedo's writing style and will continue to read everything she writes, but this was my least favorite work of hers. It was still good don't get me wrong, but it wasn't easy to follow most of the plot and character storylines. This could be because I listened to the audiobook, so keeping track of all the characters was difficult, but I love hearing her read it. I feel like listening to her perform her work allows the lyricism of her writing to really come through.
buttercupita's review against another edition
5.0
I just love her books -- I do them all on audio. She reads them herself, and I find myself immersed in and moved by her characters and their struggles to live fully. This is her first novel for adults, and she is not shy about centering issues of sex and death (if talk of vulvas makes you squeamish, this book might not be for you....). The narration shifts frequently among sisters and their daughters in this family tale, and almost every chapter starts in the present and contains a flashback, so you do have to pay a little more attention. It's definitely worth it.
theyjet's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
lambchops814's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I absolutely love Acevedo's YA books, so I went into her first adult novel very excited. It didn't hold my attention. I was bored and uninvested in the characters.
larebe's review against another edition
3.75
Really love the writing style and lyricism, hard to follow a lot of the plot and character storylines. But overall really beautiful and powerful!
jayco's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
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
4.0
leahta11's review
3.0
This was a decent story but I found it difficult to care about what was going on or any of the characters.