Scan barcode
jen_jacob's review against another edition
5.0
This isn't the first time that I've read this book and I'm sure it won't be my last. I have always been a fan of Anita Diamant and we both share a love of Cape Ann. Both this book and Good Harbor always take me back there even when I'm not actually there.
annie_hodgson's review against another edition
hopeful
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jwilliams1284's review against another edition
3.0
New book review is up paired with some yummy Malbec from Wine Chateau!
http://booksandbarrels.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-last-days-of-dogtown-anita-diamant.html
http://booksandbarrels.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-last-days-of-dogtown-anita-diamant.html
mg_in_md_'s review against another edition
3.0
This was really a 3.5-star rating for me. I loved the vivid writing, as I felt like the characters and setting were brought to life. I could imagine the sights and sounds of Dogtown very easily and felt like I learned about what early American life must have been like in that time and place. I also liked the Author's Note, which explained the real-life inspiration behind the story, and Reading Group Guide that was included in the edition I read. In some ways, this read like a collection of inter-connected short stories that focused in each chapter on different Dogtown inhabitants who sometimes played supporting roles in chapters that focused on other characters.
Since the story focuses on a dying town, it had a bit of a melancholy tinge, which made it a little difficult to connect fully to the story for me. I felt compassion towards many of the characters, but the town seemed on the verge of exploding at any time, which kept me on guard as I read each chapter. I liked how the characters cared for each other and tried to find ways around societal norms of the time to support one another. But there was still something that held me back a bit from the story and I can't quite put my finger on why.
Since the story focuses on a dying town, it had a bit of a melancholy tinge, which made it a little difficult to connect fully to the story for me. I felt compassion towards many of the characters, but the town seemed on the verge of exploding at any time, which kept me on guard as I read each chapter. I liked how the characters cared for each other and tried to find ways around societal norms of the time to support one another. But there was still something that held me back a bit from the story and I can't quite put my finger on why.
rachel_smrt's review against another edition
3.0
old timey Massachusetts living! things were gross! times were hard! people ate some dubious foods and were so lonely their only friends were dogs that only came by occasionally! kind of a downer tbh! but I learned some stuff.
barbaraskalberg's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Great character development -- loved all the different personalities and idiosynchaeies. Good story telling. Characters to root for. Characters to hate.
maryehavens's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this book but it was alright, not amazing. It helped to look up some information about Dogtown as it was a real place and some of the characters in the book were real people.
I loved The Red Tent but this was not the caliber of that book. Still, I will read more of Diamant's work with the exception of how to do everything Jewish. If anyone has read that stuff, I'm interested in how good/bad it is, just for curiosity's sake.
I loved The Red Tent but this was not the caliber of that book. Still, I will read more of Diamant's work with the exception of how to do everything Jewish. If anyone has read that stuff, I'm interested in how good/bad it is, just for curiosity's sake.
leahreadsalot's review against another edition
2.0
I think this novel was probably better than the number of stars I gave it. When I marked it as "read" I just couldn't really remember what it was about. For that reason, I gave it 2 stars.