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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Hmm. Not sure what I think about this one. I liked it mostly, but, the story itself was a bit convoluted and the part about the darkening land and the “game” just got really confusing. I get if the author was trying to blur the line of what’s real and what’s a native story or allegory, but, I still don’t know if that whole part of the book was supposed to have even actually happened.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
The fact that this was one of my most anticipated reads from 2021 and it turns out to be a book I wish I had DNFd...
I found multi generational, multi POV story to be too messy and not connected enough. I wanted more of Edgar's story because he seemed to be the only person in the family with any personality.
Nothing screams "I can't write women" more like a man making a woman's entire personality about her dead son and obsessing over a foster kid so much that she thinks his grandparents aren't good enough for him. Which is scary because there are so many indigenous children being taken from their families and placed with "well meaning" people.
What would've made this successful for me:
More Edgar. Less Maria. Rewrite of the magical disappearance of the Alzheimers, that was so random.
I found multi generational, multi POV story to be too messy and not connected enough. I wanted more of Edgar's story because he seemed to be the only person in the family with any personality.
Nothing screams "I can't write women" more like a man making a woman's entire personality about her dead son and obsessing over a foster kid so much that she thinks his grandparents aren't good enough for him. Which is scary because there are so many indigenous children being taken from their families and placed with "well meaning" people.
What would've made this successful for me:
More Edgar. Less Maria. Rewrite of the magical disappearance of the Alzheimers, that was so random.
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm so baffled by the low rating for this. This was beautiful, the kind of book that makes reading a joy. I don't even have any dumb nitpicky criticisms, there isn't anything I'd change. I'd give it 5 stars 100 times if I could. uggh it's so stupid to assign ratings to art, even stupider to believe it.
I don't know what people were hoping to find here and found lacking, but this was everything I wanted it to be. Yeah I guess it's one of those "weird" books that won't hit for everybody, but it wasn't that weird. It wasn't dense or incomprehensible, in fact I found it super readable. I really liked the easy storytelling style and all the imagery, the way the supernatural elements are woven into the modern world. It feels like a story out of time, but also timely. A story of kindness and forgiveness. If you enjoy stories about Native American experiences and myths, or just want a great book about family, give this a try. It pulled me in pretty much immediately.
I don't know what people were hoping to find here and found lacking, but this was everything I wanted it to be. Yeah I guess it's one of those "weird" books that won't hit for everybody, but it wasn't that weird. It wasn't dense or incomprehensible, in fact I found it super readable. I really liked the easy storytelling style and all the imagery, the way the supernatural elements are woven into the modern world. It feels like a story out of time, but also timely. A story of kindness and forgiveness. If you enjoy stories about Native American experiences and myths, or just want a great book about family, give this a try. It pulled me in pretty much immediately.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Initially I was really sucked into this one, but I had a bit of a tough time as it went on. The real world and spiritual realms blended a deal. And I think my lack of background in Cherokee folklore probably didn’t help. That said, the writing was beautiful. And the scenes from the point of view of the ancestors on the Trail of Tears was profound.
I don't know how I feel about this one... I really loved the Cherokee folklore and connections to the Trail of Tears.
I didn't really love the characters here which I think made the difference. There were also several parts of the book that seemed highly metaphorical and I felt like I didn't understand what was happening. I'm interested to discuss this one at the library book club tomorrow, so maybe I will be enlightened.
This was a more literary focused book. There was a lot of symbolism and extended metaphor that makes this an interesting book to discuss but not necessarily an interesting book to read and enjoy.
*Edit: Everyone else's opinions made me feel better. I could recommend others read this one because there is a lot to decipher and think about. However, this is the type of book that needs the right kind of reader.
I didn't really love the characters here which I think made the difference. There were also several parts of the book that seemed highly metaphorical and I felt like I didn't understand what was happening. I'm interested to discuss this one at the library book club tomorrow, so maybe I will be enlightened.
This was a more literary focused book. There was a lot of symbolism and extended metaphor that makes this an interesting book to discuss but not necessarily an interesting book to read and enjoy.
*Edit: Everyone else's opinions made me feel better. I could recommend others read this one because there is a lot to decipher and think about. However, this is the type of book that needs the right kind of reader.