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4.17 AVERAGE
4.17 AVERAGE
Too bleak for me. There wasn’t a single ray of joy in the first half of the book
A book that envisions a life well and truly lived alone. Disturbing in parts, provocative in others, but overall quite forgettable.
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
a physically and emotionally sweeping odyssey that follows the life of an immigrant relentlessly isolated and pushing against the brutal force of western expansion. bleak, brutal and violent but with the most compelling prose and vivid characters i’ve read in a long time. i was completely absorbed
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Violence
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Rape
This book was about as bad as it could be and still be good enough for me to finish it. The prose was totally overwrought, and I felt like the author was trying to copy Cormac McCarthy. The story was full of implausibilities and skimmed-over opportunities for action or plot development. I kept reading out of a curiosity for finding out what happened to the brother, but when I realized there wasn’t going to be any arc to the story, I just skimmed the rest.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
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:
No
Easily one of the best books I've read this year (or any other). Gorgeous language, unique uses of form, and just plain fantastic. Highly recommended! I've not been this gripped by a book for a while. Especially worth reading if you enjoy the Western, both film or literature. Diaz is an astonishing writer. I'll be thinking about "In the Distance" for a very long time.