A review by liesbethvv
Learned by Heart by Emma Donoghue

emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I'm pretty sure the fact that I read this with a bookclub helped tremendously in the rating. I went into it blindly, without knowing anything about the main characters, so I just enjoyed the story for what it was: a coming of age story with a historical background and a teenage discovery of love and sex, where a tomboy falls for a dainty Indian 'princess' at boarding school. I admire Emma Donoghue's writing talent, as I was fully immersed in the boarding school setting and was actively wishing the story along. It could have been a tad quicker for me and the letters did little for my enjoyment, as they made me read the boarding school story less innocently (except for
the angry one
, loved that one). I did really love the repetition of bits of prose from classes, literature,... All in all, a highly recommended bookclub read!
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