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jillprior's review against another edition
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Death of parent
mkmason's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Pregnancy
bookscoffeehayley's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Child death, Death of parent, and Grief
internationalreads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Car accident, Child death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Self harm, Sexual content, and Xenophobia
kiwidesign78's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Beautifully written and very attuned to 2021.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Death of parent
Minor: Animal cruelty, Car accident, and Infidelity
scocco32's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Child death, Grief, and Mental illness
rynicolereads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This was my first time reading anything by Powers, but I now understand why many praise his writing. I wanted to flag or underline nearly every line because his words capture nature's magic in such stunning ways.
"Through the circle of trees, so sharp it seemed within easy reach, the Milky Way spilled out—countless speckled placers in a black streambed. If you held still, you could almost see the stars wheel."
I was nervous that I wouldn't connect with the science fiction part of the story, but I ended up enjoying those moments. This book feels more literary than SciFi, which is likely why it worked so well for me. I had a few qualms with some of the character's actions and decisions, but I don't personally need to love a character to love a book. Overall, I found Bewilderment to be incredibly moving and so beautifully written.
"Through the circle of trees, so sharp it seemed within easy reach, the Milky Way spilled out—countless speckled placers in a black streambed. If you held still, you could almost see the stars wheel."
I was nervous that I wouldn't connect with the science fiction part of the story, but I ended up enjoying those moments. This book feels more literary than SciFi, which is likely why it worked so well for me. I had a few qualms with some of the character's actions and decisions, but I don't personally need to love a character to love a book. Overall, I found Bewilderment to be incredibly moving and so beautifully written.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness
Minor: Animal cruelty
emmagrace's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
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
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Mental illness, Animal cruelty, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal death, Car accident, and Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity and Self harm
alexhaydon's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Grief
deedireads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.
TL;DR REVIEW:
Bewilderment is a gorgeously written, heartbreaking, highly consumable novel. I didn’t think it was perfect, but I definitely did enjoy it.
For you if: You like sentimental literary fiction, themes about climate change
FULL REVIEW:
Bewilderment was one of the most anticipated books of 2021, and it has been both shortlisted for the Booker Prize and longlisted for the National Book Award. I haven’t read The Overstory (yet), so this was my first Powers, but I’m here now! I didn’t think this book was perfect but I definitely enjoyed it a lot.
The story is set in an eerie (I might say slightly dystopian) near-future United States. It’s about a man named Theo and his son, Robin, who does not have a diagnosis but is certainly neurodivergent. Theo’s wife recently died, and he’s doing his best to juggle his work in astrobiology and single parenthood. Eventually he agrees to allow Robin to try a new type of cognitive therapy that involves him learning the emotional patterns of his optimistic mother’s mapped mind. Robin also becomes increasingly obsessed with environmental activism.
So, first things first: This book is absolutely beautifully written, heartbreaking, with gorgeous prose. It’s very sentimental. Its vignettes/short chapters propelled me to inhale it in a single evening, one night when I just needed to shut out my own world and get lost in a story.
One thing that left me a bit unsettled, though, was Theo’s attitude toward seeking treatment for Robin, which I found surprising given the heavy focus on science, environmentalism, and biology. We’re obviously biased, given that it’s written in Theo’s first person (yes, of course Robin is just misunderstood!!), and I understand proceeding with caution when it comes to medication and kids, but when your child’s school is threatening to call CPS because he’s struggling so much and you refuse to get him diagnosed (“No doctor can diagnose my son as well as I can”) — AND the fact that Robin completely despaired of his return to his “former self” when the experimental treatment had to pause? I’m just not sure. It felt strange and a little preachy for the book to take such a tough stance that way in light of all the other themes.
One other thing: There is a reference toward the beginning of the book that I know told a lot of readers exactly how the story was going to end. I didn’t know the work being referenced, myself. But I’ve heard competing thoughts on whether that soft spoiling was additive or detrimental to others’ experiences.
Ultimately, though, I really enjoyed this one. I know a lot of people were surprised it didn’t get shortlisted for the National Book Award, but that feels okay for me. It was shortlisted for the Booker, which I think tracks better anyway.
TL;DR REVIEW:
Bewilderment is a gorgeously written, heartbreaking, highly consumable novel. I didn’t think it was perfect, but I definitely did enjoy it.
For you if: You like sentimental literary fiction, themes about climate change
FULL REVIEW:
Bewilderment was one of the most anticipated books of 2021, and it has been both shortlisted for the Booker Prize and longlisted for the National Book Award. I haven’t read The Overstory (yet), so this was my first Powers, but I’m here now! I didn’t think this book was perfect but I definitely enjoyed it a lot.
The story is set in an eerie (I might say slightly dystopian) near-future United States. It’s about a man named Theo and his son, Robin, who does not have a diagnosis but is certainly neurodivergent. Theo’s wife recently died, and he’s doing his best to juggle his work in astrobiology and single parenthood. Eventually he agrees to allow Robin to try a new type of cognitive therapy that involves him learning the emotional patterns of his optimistic mother’s mapped mind. Robin also becomes increasingly obsessed with environmental activism.
So, first things first: This book is absolutely beautifully written, heartbreaking, with gorgeous prose. It’s very sentimental. Its vignettes/short chapters propelled me to inhale it in a single evening, one night when I just needed to shut out my own world and get lost in a story.
One thing that left me a bit unsettled, though, was Theo’s attitude toward seeking treatment for Robin, which I found surprising given the heavy focus on science, environmentalism, and biology. We’re obviously biased, given that it’s written in Theo’s first person (yes, of course Robin is just misunderstood!!), and I understand proceeding with caution when it comes to medication and kids, but when your child’s school is threatening to call CPS because he’s struggling so much and you refuse to get him diagnosed (“No doctor can diagnose my son as well as I can”) — AND the fact that Robin completely despaired of his return to his “former self” when the experimental treatment had to pause? I’m just not sure. It felt strange and a little preachy for the book to take such a tough stance that way in light of all the other themes.
One other thing: There is a reference toward the beginning of the book that I know told a lot of readers exactly how the story was going to end. I didn’t know the work being referenced, myself. But I’ve heard competing thoughts on whether that soft spoiling was additive or detrimental to others’ experiences.
Ultimately, though, I really enjoyed this one. I know a lot of people were surprised it didn’t get shortlisted for the National Book Award, but that feels okay for me. It was shortlisted for the Booker, which I think tracks better anyway.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Grief
Moderate: Death of parent