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kmuttschall's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
"She supposes there will be nothing. She supposes each of us destroys the world. We close our eyes and snuff out all that has existed, all that will ever be. But if she could choose, she would ask for a lift. She would want to rise from her body and have it be like when she'd first gone up with Trout, as though she were being held aloft by pure possibility, as though she were about to see everything."
This book is a combination of all of my favourite books (Milkman, Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, East of Eden) while still managing to be its own distinct entity.
Graphic: Rape and Sexual violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Death, Incest, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and War
Minor: Abortion
ms_gouldbourne's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I did find it interesting to note that several reviewers gave up before the 20% mark, because the beginning was definitely the weakest part of the novel for me. I didn't particularly enjoy Shipstead's depiction of female sexuality, with multiple assaults and rapes happening within the first few chapters. However, I persisted, and ultimately I'm glad I did.
Great Circle tells the story from birth to death of female pilot Marian Graves, from her early disastrous marriage to gangster Barclay Mcqueen to her final flight attempting to circumnavigate the globe in the 1950s. This covers about 80% of the novel, but it's interspersed with chapters told from the modern-day perspective of troubled actress Hadley, who has been cast as Marian in a biopic about her life.
Like other reviewers, I didn't feel that Hadley's perspective added much to the novel, except for a few interesting juxtapositions between the truth of Marian's life and the warped way it had been interpreted for the modern-day film. I found Hadley's voice irritating for the most part! However, I have to admit that Marian wasn't much better. Although I absolutely loved the writing and the flow of the narrative, I found most of Shipstead's characters fairly annoying.
It may be that this style of novel just isn't for me; I don't tend to enjoy deeply tragic stories in which a group of tragic characters are depicted following tragic narratives and coming to tragic ends. It feels very literary and beautiful, but ultimately I prefer a happy ending. However, Maggie Shipstead is undoubtedly a wonderful writer, so I would read her again.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and War
Moderate: Animal cruelty
Minor: Alcoholism and Abortion
beatriks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I‘m pretty sure this will be on top of my List for 2023.
The story is everything I want, characters are so complex and well-explained, the plot is so carefully planned and built up.
The writing is superb. There is no book so far with so many highlighted sentences and passages.
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Homophobia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and War
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Abortion, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
janelleaimi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Abortion, and War
lols_cat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Violence, and War
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
laboettcher's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Abortion, and War
cecereads__'s review against another edition
4.0
However, it is a very good story, it’s heavy and intense at times, it’s well-crafted and I enjoyed Jamie’s storyline the most tbh. Also, Marian is a pretty wonderful kind of main character.
My big book fear came out though as I thought it dragged a little here and there but I also had high expectations for it. The two timelines/mc’s weren’t always equally intriguing to read about but it does all make sense in the end.
Sounds like I didn’t really enjoy it but I did and I thought it was done very well. What a task it must have been to put this all together - so much happens!!
Very glad I read it and think it’s defo worth a read if the premise interests you.
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Incest, Abortion, Abandonment, Alcohol, and War
toothpastefairy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Marian is someone who you desperately want to hug and throttle at the same time. Devastating and heartwarming, the novel's end is poignantly built in a way you could not predict from the start. Each character is crafted with care and depth, their lives reach across the pages to brush each other and arrest the reader's heart.
Overall, brutal and tender.
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, War, and Classism
tiche22h's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Abortion
jazhandz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and War
Moderate: Confinement, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
Minor: Animal cruelty, Hate crime, Homophobia, and Dementia