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serpentskirtt 's review for:
The Book of Lost Friends
by Lisa Wingate
This book was incredibly slow to start. I had to scour the internet to see if I could find a free version of the audiobook to help me through it - and then surprisingly my audiobook hold from the library came up with availability the day after I placed the hold - even though it advised a two-week wait! Anyway, I digress - I needed the audio to immerse me in this.
When it picked up, it really picked up. That climax! GAH!
Keeping this at 4 stars for a few reasons.
1. That sluggish, sluggish beginning
2. Clumsiness of the symmetry between the two stories - sometimes the mirroring worked well, but connecting past and present characters was left to the end and I would have liked a little more from that
3. Some weird tone was coming through that felt very boomer - the "work hard" attitude, the "go to college" attitude - all in the 1987 story. Multiple times I was rubbed the wrong way by something that felt vaguely preachy
4. 1987 didn't feel much like 1987 to me. THE YEAR OF MY BLESSED BIRTH - and then the 1870s story at times felt over-detailed
5. Waning interest in either story - sometimes one grabbed my attention more than the other
A couple other things. But OMG once I was in, I was in. I was listening to the audiobook while reading all day. And at times, Wingate just writes so, so beautifully. I even cried a bit at one part.
When it picked up, it really picked up. That climax! GAH!
Keeping this at 4 stars for a few reasons.
1. That sluggish, sluggish beginning
2. Clumsiness of the symmetry between the two stories - sometimes the mirroring worked well, but connecting past and present characters was left to the end and I would have liked a little more from that
3. Some weird tone was coming through that felt very boomer - the "work hard" attitude, the "go to college" attitude - all in the 1987 story. Multiple times I was rubbed the wrong way by something that felt vaguely preachy
4. 1987 didn't feel much like 1987 to me. THE YEAR OF MY BLESSED BIRTH - and then the 1870s story at times felt over-detailed
5. Waning interest in either story - sometimes one grabbed my attention more than the other
A couple other things. But OMG once I was in, I was in. I was listening to the audiobook while reading all day. And at times, Wingate just writes so, so beautifully. I even cried a bit at one part.