You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by crypticmeg
The Thief of Time by John Boyne
medium-paced
1.0
*Deep breath (because this book made me very cross)*.
What was the point in that? I only persevered to the end to discuss it at book group, and I'm still none the wiser about why it was written.
Why was the central premise never explored? Him living forever just seemed a vehicle to have him be in lots of unrelated historic events and locations. I had *so* many questions about the practicalities of how and why he could live like that (which would have been really interesting - but he/the author just had no curiosity about it whatsoever).
"Toxic masculinity" is also a phrase that kept springing to mind. The narrator/author was *awful* about women - they were so transitory and caricatured.
Some chapters seemed particularly poorly written - a lot of repetition, inconsistent characterisation, and unnatural dialogue.
The overarching plot was very predictable.
I thoroughly disliked the protagonist and didn't care what happened to him.
What was the theme? What was the message? I gained nothing except increasing frustration. A complete dud for me.
What was the point in that? I only persevered to the end to discuss it at book group, and I'm still none the wiser about why it was written.
Why was the central premise never explored? Him living forever just seemed a vehicle to have him be in lots of unrelated historic events and locations. I had *so* many questions about the practicalities of how and why he could live like that (which would have been really interesting - but he/the author just had no curiosity about it whatsoever).
"Toxic masculinity" is also a phrase that kept springing to mind. The narrator/author was *awful* about women - they were so transitory and caricatured.
Some chapters seemed particularly poorly written - a lot of repetition, inconsistent characterisation, and unnatural dialogue.
The overarching plot was very predictable.
I thoroughly disliked the protagonist and didn't care what happened to him.
What was the theme? What was the message? I gained nothing except increasing frustration. A complete dud for me.