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mrsbooknerd 's review for:
Bitter Orange
by Claire Fuller
'Bitter Orange' was an immersive novel. Full to bursting with richly painted scenes, I often felt that I was the one sitting by the water in suffocating heat, that the dust from the road to town was clinging to my sweaty skin or that I was sat in a sparse room dizzy on wine.
I couldn't help but comparing it to 'The Great Gatsby' as I read. (Does anybody enjoy that book? I'm thinking no.) But it is so rich with literary details that are vibrant and memorable. The colours of Gatsby's shirts, that steadfast green light, the constant ticking of time. 'Bitter Orange' felt reminiscent of these memorable elements.
It was also super atmospheric. I spent the whole book a bit on edge trying to work out if there was some creepy old woman skulking around and watching from secreted peepholes.
The plot for me really let this book down. Mainly because, there was no plot. The whole book was just three not overly likeable/trustworthy characters sitting around, getting drunk and generally just doing nothing. Despite the building tension about the possible creepy old woman / something being up with the house, the actual plot was so slowwww. Like wading uphill through treacle in skis. I kept with it because I genuinely enjoyed the writing style and atmosphere, but golly gosh did I want it to move on.
When it finally did move on, and there was a sudden rush of drama, it felt as though it was all squeezed into the last few chapters. I felt that it could have been explored far more. Stop with the endless drinking and storytelling and instead give me some DRAMA.
The characters were all a bit unlikable and untrustworthy which added to the general feeling of doom and gloom and foreshadowing. I also hated that we didn't get clarification on some of the relationships and stories that were told within the novel. I reached the end with 654551515415 questions - approximately - but there was no one to answer them so I will never know. That rubs me the wrong way. I like neat little bows on my story lines.
Overall, this was an atmospheric and immersive novel with a lot of foreshadowing but the plodding plot and flat ending took away my enjoyment.
I couldn't help but comparing it to 'The Great Gatsby' as I read. (Does anybody enjoy that book? I'm thinking no.) But it is so rich with literary details that are vibrant and memorable. The colours of Gatsby's shirts, that steadfast green light, the constant ticking of time. 'Bitter Orange' felt reminiscent of these memorable elements.
It was also super atmospheric. I spent the whole book a bit on edge trying to work out if there was some creepy old woman skulking around and watching from secreted peepholes.
Spoiler
I was really disappointed that there wasn't by the way. These elements just fizzled out. Was there even an explanation given as to why there was a peephole? I can't remember reading one. The plot for me really let this book down. Mainly because, there was no plot. The whole book was just three not overly likeable/trustworthy characters sitting around, getting drunk and generally just doing nothing. Despite the building tension about the possible creepy old woman / something being up with the house, the actual plot was so slowwww. Like wading uphill through treacle in skis. I kept with it because I genuinely enjoyed the writing style and atmosphere, but golly gosh did I want it to move on.
When it finally did move on, and there was a sudden rush of drama, it felt as though it was all squeezed into the last few chapters. I felt that it could have been explored far more. Stop with the endless drinking and storytelling and instead give me some DRAMA.
The characters were all a bit unlikable and untrustworthy which added to the general feeling of doom and gloom and foreshadowing. I also hated that we didn't get clarification on some of the relationships and stories that were told within the novel. I reached the end with 654551515415 questions - approximately - but there was no one to answer them so I will never know. That rubs me the wrong way. I like neat little bows on my story lines.
Overall, this was an atmospheric and immersive novel with a lot of foreshadowing but the plodding plot and flat ending took away my enjoyment.