A review by libbyhb
The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai

emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved this book so much. It's one of those books where there are slight issues here and there, but I loved it enough to give it 5 stars regardless. One funny thing that drew me in immediately was the fact that Yael works in development (which I do, too!) and the main story related to that involved a donor in Wisconsin (where I live!). I would say the main issue for me was that at certain points, the two narrative threads felt a little too separate from each other, but I think that was overcome by the points where they came together really beautifully. I felt so emotionally invested in Yael's story throughout - the work saga, his relationship and friendship issues, and of course the way HIV/AIDS epidemic seeped into his life and affected every part of it. All of the characters were really well-illustrated and unique to me, especially Yael, Fiona, Cecily, Julian, and even Nico. Fiona's story with her daughter was a little less interesting to me (and the daughter felt a little flat), but the parts where she encountered her past (with the surprise guest and the art show) made up for it. Loved this and it's hard to articulate all of the reasons why, but I'm so glad I read it.
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