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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
I picked this up while in Maine at a used book store. By the end of the book, I found that I had an autographed copy and Louisa had torn of the cover. Hrmph...
I enjoyed the book though, and found it a little obsessive. I wanted to find out what happened in this sleepy town! A good quick read, definitely.
I enjoyed the book though, and found it a little obsessive. I wanted to find out what happened in this sleepy town! A good quick read, definitely.
I suppose I have to accept that I will never find another Alice Hoffman book that I love as much as "The Rules of Magic". I thought I would with "Practical Magic", but that was disappointing, maybe because I love the film adaptation so much.
"The River King" is the story of a scandal surrounding a boarding school in Haddan, Massachusetts. The scenery and writing is beautiful, but it takes many pages to get to the root of the story. I don't typically do well with books when the chapters are very long. Sure, I can finish a book in a day, no problem, but I like chapters to break it up. I just slowly made it through the beginning half of this book and sometimes couldn't even remember what I read. I gave it 3 stars because once the story actually gets started, it gets good. Who doesn't love a good murder mystery? However, the ending of the book was not as satisfying as I hoped it would be. Hoffman did a good job of getting the reader to dislike the protagonist, as I did, however, I hoped for more in the end. I didn't feel satisfied enough with the resolution. I do love how she incorporates magic and romance in her novels.
All in all, I could go either way with this book, take it or leave it. I'm not sure it's one I would recommend, but it still wasn't bad or great. Just mediocre.
"The River King" is the story of a scandal surrounding a boarding school in Haddan, Massachusetts. The scenery and writing is beautiful, but it takes many pages to get to the root of the story. I don't typically do well with books when the chapters are very long. Sure, I can finish a book in a day, no problem, but I like chapters to break it up. I just slowly made it through the beginning half of this book and sometimes couldn't even remember what I read. I gave it 3 stars because once the story actually gets started, it gets good. Who doesn't love a good murder mystery? However, the ending of the book was not as satisfying as I hoped it would be. Hoffman did a good job of getting the reader to dislike the protagonist, as I did, however, I hoped for more in the end. I didn't feel satisfied enough with the resolution. I do love how she incorporates magic and romance in her novels.
All in all, I could go either way with this book, take it or leave it. I'm not sure it's one I would recommend, but it still wasn't bad or great. Just mediocre.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I just finished this book, and I have to say I was thoroughly disappointed. The book started off intriguingly enough with the story unfolding with the tragic local legend of Annie Howe and her untimely death. Her death somewhat relates to another character in the story, and sets the stage to create a misty sad atmosphere. The tension between the town folk and the Hadden School is briefly explained in the begining of the novel, and far less interesting than it promises.
Based on other reviews it does seem like the author holds the wealthy and the priviliged in contempt, either because she believes them to be spoiled or because she believes that the poor less fortunate characters are more interesting. Either way I wasn't particularly enamored with any of the characters. Every character that is part of the main focus of the story has had a tragic past or something terribly sad happen to them. While this does prove to be interesting and emotional this became frustrating and even annoying to read after a while. There is only so much sadness an individual can absorb after all. The characters are also self-destructive some self-harming and others facing harsh bullying, while others deprive themselves of love in favor of choosing the safer path. I found myself wanting to face palm myself every time I read about Gus skipping classes, Carlin's defiance, and Betsy and Abe. I just could not relate to or understand these characters.
While I enjoyed being privy to so many character's thoughts and feelings, sometimes it became too confusing. Sometimes it's just nicer to zero in on one or two characters otherwise the story begins to lose its focus. In fact I think that was the problem. There were too many elements going on at once, and depressing ones at that. Heartbreak in its many forms, love sickness, suicide, murder, self-harm, bullying, death, among many other sad themes. This book manages to pack them all in. The ending was alright, but not worth sitting through so much trajedy. I just felt that the ending should have been more emotional, but much of the book felt like it was painted in shades of grey, black ,and white. There was just no vibrancy. It was well written, but it really was not for me.
Based on other reviews it does seem like the author holds the wealthy and the priviliged in contempt, either because she believes them to be spoiled or because she believes that the poor less fortunate characters are more interesting. Either way I wasn't particularly enamored with any of the characters. Every character that is part of the main focus of the story has had a tragic past or something terribly sad happen to them. While this does prove to be interesting and emotional this became frustrating and even annoying to read after a while. There is only so much sadness an individual can absorb after all. The characters are also self-destructive some self-harming and others facing harsh bullying, while others deprive themselves of love in favor of choosing the safer path. I found myself wanting to face palm myself every time I read about Gus skipping classes, Carlin's defiance, and Betsy and Abe. I just could not relate to or understand these characters.
While I enjoyed being privy to so many character's thoughts and feelings, sometimes it became too confusing. Sometimes it's just nicer to zero in on one or two characters otherwise the story begins to lose its focus. In fact I think that was the problem. There were too many elements going on at once, and depressing ones at that. Heartbreak in its many forms, love sickness, suicide, murder, self-harm, bullying, death, among many other sad themes. This book manages to pack them all in. The ending was alright, but not worth sitting through so much trajedy. I just felt that the ending should have been more emotional, but much of the book felt like it was painted in shades of grey, black ,and white. There was just no vibrancy. It was well written, but it really was not for me.
Sad. Sad. Sad. Not bad, but sad. If you're depressed, know someone who is depressed, want to not be depressed or have a kid in school away from home...don't read this.
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I would like to give this book a higher rating as some of the symbolism, themes and general ideas are really strong, but as a whole it just feels unfinished, like it's an unedited draft. It's a shame because some bits are so good but others just don't work or don't make sense.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Self harm, Excrement
Alice Hoffman's writing is, as always, luminous rich, and engaging. Perhaps, however, it was not the best time for me to read The River King, as it only reinforced my (probably hormonally induced) sense of melancholy. The underlying tension in this book runs as consistently and as relentlessly as the river that is as much a character in this book as the people in the fictional town of Haddam, MA.