Scan barcode
megelizabeth's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
"But one never knows. Very wonderful and beautiful things do happen, don’t they? And we live most of our lives in the hope of them."
I'm glad I finally read this and I enjoyed it overall, although it didn't have as much emotional impact on me as I was expecting it to. I loved getting to know each of the siblings and the relationships they have with each other, and I thought that childhood and adventure were depicted just brilliantly. I also found the narrative voice really interesting and unique, which added an element to the reading experience that I hadn't been anticipating. There are lots of interesting topics and themes in here and I can see why it's become a classic.
I found one element towards the end slightly odd, as generally this seemed fairly ahead of its time but then there's a load of misogyny suddenly thrown in without any real exploration or explanation. Maybe that was also part of why this one didn't hit as hard for me. It was still an enjoyable read though and definitely interesting to think about in its cultural and historical context and also, of course, in terms of the impact it's had.
I'm glad I finally read this and I enjoyed it overall, although it didn't have as much emotional impact on me as I was expecting it to. I loved getting to know each of the siblings and the relationships they have with each other, and I thought that childhood and adventure were depicted just brilliantly. I also found the narrative voice really interesting and unique, which added an element to the reading experience that I hadn't been anticipating. There are lots of interesting topics and themes in here and I can see why it's become a classic.
I found one element towards the end slightly odd, as generally this seemed fairly ahead of its time but then there's a load of misogyny suddenly thrown in without any real exploration or explanation. Maybe that was also part of why this one didn't hit as hard for me. It was still an enjoyable read though and definitely interesting to think about in its cultural and historical context and also, of course, in terms of the impact it's had.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Misogyny
Minor: Xenophobia, Death of parent, Death, Torture, Ableism, and Racism
mangopassion555's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Misogyny
Moderate: Medical content, Classism, and Sexism
freckled_frog_boi's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
I fucking adored these kids, and the stuff they'd say made me laugh aloud quite a few times. The author definitely got sibling dynamics down to a science. Also, the very specific type of bond between older daughters and their mothers felt very realistically portrayed here. And every adult turned out to be a total sweetheart with the children.
There are two moments I feel deserve a warning.
There's one scene regarding an Eastern European stranger, and one of the community members explains why distrust of foreigners "comes down to politics." In this scene, he calls Japanese people a slur. This scene is so unrelated to the rest of the book, I'm not sure why it was included tbh.
There's one scene towards the end where an older male figure tells the brother that his sisters are the weaker sex and a lot of misogynist wish-wash. It affects his treatment of his siblings for a few pages until the sisters straighten him out.
There are two moments I feel deserve a warning.
There's one scene towards the end where an older male figure tells the brother that his sisters are the weaker sex and a lot of misogynist wish-wash. It affects his treatment of his siblings for a few pages until the sisters straighten him out.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Minor: Racial slurs, Xenophobia, and Misogyny
sam_fielder_137's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
This is a very sweet little book. I kind of loved just getting a glimpse into a child's life in the early 1900's.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
More...