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A review by frogggirl2
The Big Green Tent by
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This book is dense - optimally the reader would have an extensive grasp of Russian literature and history. I do not, so I always felt like I was missing some larger context.
Experiencing a character's death and then going back to various points in their life after having followed completely different characters through the first section of the book - it all feels very messy and disjointed. Narrative cohesion deteriorates throughout the book. As with any multi-POV book, not every POV is equally interesting/valuable/connected.
The constant lists of names and the inability to affix just one name to one character makes this book sometimes a bit tedious to get through (this is exacerbated by the point of view and time shifts). The occasionally odd sexual content, like everyone (including the mother) taking the occasion of an injured teenage boy coming to their house for help as a chance to oggle his large cock, took me aback.
On the plus side, this book is very evocative and truly has a sense of time and place. I finished this book feeling like I had a greater understanding of the Russian experience. The first section of this, the one with a cohesive story, was very compelling and I was interested in the lives of those characters.
Experiencing a character's death and then going back to various points in their life after having followed completely different characters through the first section of the book - it all feels very messy and disjointed. Narrative cohesion deteriorates throughout the book. As with any multi-POV book, not every POV is equally interesting/valuable/connected.
The constant lists of names and the inability to affix just one name to one character makes this book sometimes a bit tedious to get through (this is exacerbated by the point of view and time shifts). The occasionally odd sexual content, like everyone (including the mother) taking the occasion of an injured teenage boy coming to their house for help as a chance to oggle his large cock, took me aback.
On the plus side, this book is very evocative and truly has a sense of time and place. I finished this book feeling like I had a greater understanding of the Russian experience. The first section of this, the one with a cohesive story, was very compelling and I was interested in the lives of those characters.