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florante's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
alice_digest's review
3.0
I thought I'd like this more than I did. Usually I love an unreliable narrator but in this case it was quite miserable reading. The unreliability comes from Aroon's lack of experience and understanding, not through any purposeful layer of deception in her telling the story of her family.
She grew up so sheltered she can't read between the lines and see through "good behaviour", and as such reading her life of both recognised and unrecognised humiliations was more sad than entertaining.
That said she's also so snobbish in only entertaining friendship from the right class of people, really no better than her awful family, that she never held my sympathy for long.
She grew up so sheltered she can't read between the lines and see through "good behaviour", and as such reading her life of both recognised and unrecognised humiliations was more sad than entertaining.
That said she's also so snobbish in only entertaining friendship from the right class of people, really no better than her awful family, that she never held my sympathy for long.
laurenexploresbooks's review against another edition
4.0
The main character Aroon experienced many challenges in her life related to the lack of kindness, cruelty, and mean spirited behavior she experienced both as a child and as an adult. This work is full of gaslighting, hostility, and salacious events, and truly “kindness” is the greatest revenge.
catebutler's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Re-read #GreatWomenWriters buddy read on IG - November 2023
nathansnook's review against another edition
dark
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.0
Good behavior, bad behavior, who knows?
The fun is in deciphering how our protagonist Aroon deals with all the disillusioned moments at hand in a debt-escalating family that knows no bounds in keeping impressions. A very adult book in which I felt like I sat at the kid's table, knowing not the difference between dark or funny, or if they were both.
I don't know what it was about Keane's writing. Perhaps much more is happening beneath the surface, but I don't find it as entertaining as a Murdoch. Regardless, it's fine by all means.
If anything, I felt it was too long. If anything, this could've been done much like DeWitt's The English Understand Wool. What I'm saying is if you kill a damn woman at the beginning of the book, then what am I reading 300 pages for if it couldn't be done in 69?
The fun is in deciphering how our protagonist Aroon deals with all the disillusioned moments at hand in a debt-escalating family that knows no bounds in keeping impressions. A very adult book in which I felt like I sat at the kid's table, knowing not the difference between dark or funny, or if they were both.
I don't know what it was about Keane's writing. Perhaps much more is happening beneath the surface, but I don't find it as entertaining as a Murdoch. Regardless, it's fine by all means.
If anything, I felt it was too long. If anything, this could've been done much like DeWitt's The English Understand Wool. What I'm saying is if you kill a damn woman at the beginning of the book, then what am I reading 300 pages for if it couldn't be done in 69?
readymcreadleton's review against another edition
4.0
Can't say it was a joy to read but it's an impressive technical achievement with a slow, subtle progression that pays off in the end. I can't say as I was able to either discern it appreciate the so-called comedy, but this is probably more of a flaw I have as a reader than a matter of the text itself. The protagonist was hideous, but also fascinating. It wasn't an easy read, but I couldn't look away.
northerly_heart_reads's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75