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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
Good read, youthful, curious, and you definitely get more invested .. not a fan of the ending
Read as a Jane and Fi book club book. After reading The God of Small Things the writing style was very jarring. Apparently this was written for a creative writing piece and unfortunately you can tell in places. I was however taken into the story in places, and I really felt the oppressiveness of the summer heat. But overall there were too many underdeveloped/two-dimensional characters which detracted from the story.
A portrait of a small community. A street. Where very ordinary people and their very ordinary habits actually hide deep secrets. I like the structure of the book- from the point of view of young girls, who are going around door to door looking for god. Some of the childish observations were LOL worthy. Some poetic. By going to each neighbor’s house, the girls discover damaged sad and stuck realities. What is there to look forward to?
My favorite part was when they visited the gardener. But then- there was the ending that didn’t fit the book. Sadly, many wonderful books end up with a slapped on ending.
My favorite part was when they visited the gardener. But then- there was the ending that didn’t fit the book. Sadly, many wonderful books end up with a slapped on ending.
A mystery packaged inside a satirical social commentary and coming of age story. It's a little bit of many things, and it suffers a bit for it as it gets bogged down toward the end, but I enjoyed the clear and clever writing. Different than anything else I've read, and enjoyable for that alone.
I really enjoyed The Trouble with Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon. Set in England during the summer of 1976, the story is told from the perspective of two girls, Grace and Tilley. After the disappearance of their neighbor, Mrs. Creasy, the girls decide to go look for God because they believe once they find God, they’ll also find Mrs. Creasy. After visiting all their neighbors, many long-covered secrets are revealed. But as the girls, their neighbors and we, the readers, learn oftentimes what is thought buried in memory comes back to light, and we never really know the people around us, and whether they are sheep or goats.
Read all of my reviews at: bit.ly/PageBedtime
The Trouble with Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon - I learned about this little gem on NPR's book review section this summer, and librarian Nancy Pearl did not let me down! The focal point of this fiction novel is, Margaret Creasy, who goes missing during the 1976 heat wave in England and two little girls (Grace and Tilly) who set out to find her by searching for God. While Margaret Creasy is the nexus of the book, we never hear from her directly. The book is about her community and its reaction to her disappearance. This book is filled with mystery, suspense, and a dose of spirituality. And there's a little plot twist at the end - but no spoilers here, friends!
The author provided a little bit of everything in this story. There was humor, love, compassion, and more. She created a great sense of tension for the reader in the journey of what happened to Margaret Creasy and why. I also appreciated the relationship between the two little girls. This book took me back to my childhood summers and friendships. I also appreciated Cannon's prose. I made nearly 20 highlights in my Kindle copy. She certainly has a way with words! And as Ms. Pearl noted, there's a cute and touching scene in the book featuring the two girls and a trip to their local library. This was much appreciated by the librarian and also this avid reader!
There are a lot of characters in this book. Putting them together and learning what role they play takes a bit of work. And I will warn you, it takes a little bit to get into the book, but once you're in the meat of the story, I don't think it will let you go. You'll find yourself thinking of the residents of this little community for some time after finishing the book. Many thanks to my local Fort Worth Library for the digital loan!
Recommendation: This is a fun summer read that I think just about anyone would enjoy.
Until next time ... Read on!
Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.
Read all of my reviews at: bit.ly/PageBedtime
The Trouble with Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon - I learned about this little gem on NPR's book review section this summer, and librarian Nancy Pearl did not let me down! The focal point of this fiction novel is, Margaret Creasy, who goes missing during the 1976 heat wave in England and two little girls (Grace and Tilly) who set out to find her by searching for God. While Margaret Creasy is the nexus of the book, we never hear from her directly. The book is about her community and its reaction to her disappearance. This book is filled with mystery, suspense, and a dose of spirituality. And there's a little plot twist at the end - but no spoilers here, friends!
The author provided a little bit of everything in this story. There was humor, love, compassion, and more. She created a great sense of tension for the reader in the journey of what happened to Margaret Creasy and why. I also appreciated the relationship between the two little girls. This book took me back to my childhood summers and friendships. I also appreciated Cannon's prose. I made nearly 20 highlights in my Kindle copy. She certainly has a way with words! And as Ms. Pearl noted, there's a cute and touching scene in the book featuring the two girls and a trip to their local library. This was much appreciated by the librarian and also this avid reader!
There are a lot of characters in this book. Putting them together and learning what role they play takes a bit of work. And I will warn you, it takes a little bit to get into the book, but once you're in the meat of the story, I don't think it will let you go. You'll find yourself thinking of the residents of this little community for some time after finishing the book. Many thanks to my local Fort Worth Library for the digital loan!
Recommendation: This is a fun summer read that I think just about anyone would enjoy.
Until next time ... Read on!
Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.
Read all of my reviews at: bit.ly/PageBedtime
What a fantastic debut novel. What I liked most about this story was the characterization. Very beautifully written which I would definitely recommend
Bad conceit, bad structure, bad characters, bad story. It gets one star because it seems like all these terrible people will get what's coming to them in the end.
They assumed I didn't understand the conversation, and it was much easier to let them think that. My mother said I was at an awkward age. I didn't feel especially awkward, so I presumed she meant it was awkward for them.
'You'll understand as you get older. You can spot them a mile off, You'll learn to cross the street.' [...] 'Perhaps that's why they don't mix,' said Tilly, 'because everyone else is on the other side of the street?'I really enjoyed this. This novel is warm, funny and lighthearted, set in a 1970s cul-de-sac. At it's a heart the book is about intolerance, sharing out some painful truths about a close-minded group of neighbours. Perhaps some of the religious allegories are a little heavy-handed, but honestly this didn't irk me too much. The children, Grace and Tilly, were adorable and I loved how often their thoughts seemed much more wise than those of the adults around them. A fun and easy read with a good message, especially recommended if you like coming-of-age stories.