Reviews

Echoes by Maeve Binchy

alliem81's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

3.75

ciiku's review against another edition

3.0

I'm pretty sure it is not only me who felt

1. This book was super long
2. Some sub stories were unnecessary.

hidingoutinwords's review against another edition

dark hopeful mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

3.5

shinydiscoballx's review against another edition

3.0

Well then. I really enjoyed (most of) this book, but the end... wow. Really disappointing. The strong, likable characters turned into weak little things, and there was no satisfying resolution to the major conflict that appeared in that last section. Like, what the hell? THAT'S IT? I actually finished the book in bed and I couldn't sleep for another hour afterward because I was so bothered by the conclusion.

That said, I would have given 4 stars if I had rated it before finishing.

factandfables's review against another edition

3.0

The good: I like to see a fiery couple instead of a placid one (although this seems to be a mark against Clare and David according to the author). I LOVE a good seaside setting, and the beginning of the book, which is about David and Clare growing up, is great! Also everything to do with Angela O'Hara.

The bad: In the last 15% of the book, it feels like some of the characters had a personality transplant, and in the last half of the book I just wasn't engaged. Don't spend 400 pages introducing me to characters just to have them do and be terrible people! Anyone having to give up their dreams (and not be supported by their partner).

Overall, not my favorite of Binchy's novels, but one of my favorite settings.

booksrock63's review against another edition

5.0

I loved it! Maeve Binchy never lets me down when I'm just craving a great family story.

hattietr's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

gracer's review against another edition

3.0

I really enjoyed this book - I think I had sort of low expectations, and then was really surprised. The first part reads a bit like an Irish counterpart to A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. It wasn't the most original book, but it was almost impossible to put down.

tina_feaster's review against another edition

4.0

This book has been sitting on my TBR pile for quite some time. The synopsis on the back of the book really drew me in, and thats why I originally bought it. I have never read anything else by the author, but I definitely will now! I really enjoyed Binchy's writing style: so simplistic, yet so detailed. That might sound a bit odd, but her she didn't use overly big words to try to make the story more elegant or classy; she simply wrote her story and it came across beautifully. I really enjoyed the main characters, Clare and David. Clare was a sympathetic character and I felt for her struggles. She was such a sweet girl who wanted more out of her simple life than just getting married off. She worked so hard to get her scholarships and become an independent woman. David, on the other hand, didn't have to work too hard to earn his way to university. He came from an affluent family of the town doctor. Yet he didn't come across as being snobbish or entitled. He enjoyed what he had, but still made the most out of his life. I also really enjoyed the two personalities of Clare and David.
I was a little disappointed with the ending, however. There isn't a clear ending of what happens in the lives of Clare or David. There are some hints throughout the last third of the book, but I was still unsure of what happened. I can probably guess at the ending, but sometimes I like being more certain as to what occurred. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I can't wait to read more from Maeve Binchy!

maraudererin's review against another edition

1.0

I just could not get into this book. I tried, I really did, but I was bored out of my mind!