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bobednj's review against another edition
4.0
Huge book, very informative but a bit of a textbook slog to get through. When I consider that the author was about 83 years old when he completed this work, I have to think of it as an amazing effort. The one thing I really did not like was the creation of a fictional island to describe elements of the Caribbean world. This book tried to be historically accurate but that device made me question everything too much. I am someone who prefers a book of 300 pages or so, but I was able to get thru it because each chapter was somewhat independent of the others and tended to focus on a particular island, region, or time period.
cjfon0's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
duparker's review against another edition
4.0
The informational part of the book was pretty impressive and is the Hallmark of Michener's writing. The characters are not so important, but here the plot or plots flowed well, and the last chapter wrapping it all up was a nice touch. Great book to read on vacation in the Caribbean.
kutklose302's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of my favorite books, I literally could not put it down. It's about turbulent history of the Caribbean. Excellent Read!
bekahgern's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. A sweeping historical fiction, with each chapter focusing on a different Caribbean island and characters. There were connecting threads between some of the stories and time periods but overall it still felt a bit disjointed which made it hard to really feel connected to the stories. Near the back half of the middle and into the end, it started to drag for me and I just wanted to finish it. Overall I enjoyed it but it could have been shorter.
petealdin's review against another edition
5.0
Never been able to read another Michener novel, but this one kept me interested from woe to go.
mikebarbre's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
5.0
shailendraahangama17's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
laurensands's review against another edition
3.0
Not quite as linear as some of Michener's other books but that's understandable considering the breadth of geography and culture he was trying to cover. Liked how at the end it all tied together again.
kfrig's review against another edition
4.0
As much as it makes me feel like I’m turning into my mother, it must be said, I love how James Michener’s books richen the understanding of the high points of long complicated history of place through a historical narrative. In Caribbean he does so by dedicating each chapter to a different time and place interweaving interesting fictional characters with true tales of the time. This book piqued my curiosity of the area and I will be digging further into several topics presented.