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A review by marybo01
The Last Summer of Reason by Tahar Djaout
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Despite not quite vibing with this book, I respect that it is a very interesting premise and a good story. A very short novel following the downfall of a country into religious extremism through the perspective of a bookstore owner, refusing to accept this new way of life as easily as those around him. The story was thought provoking and complex, but I struggled to connect with it due to the omniscient, distant narrative voice. I personally feel like this story would have been more compelling with a deeper emotional connection to our main character.
The slow pace and lack of loud, violent plot points originally caught me off guard, but I soon understood that was the point of the story. Something slow, lurking in the background until it's too late. A subtle take on the serious situation.
Was on the whole a nice change of pace to the books I normally read, but I definitely didn't appreciate it as much as I should have.
The slow pace and lack of loud, violent plot points originally caught me off guard, but I soon understood that was the point of the story. Something slow, lurking in the background until it's too late. A subtle take on the serious situation.
Was on the whole a nice change of pace to the books I normally read, but I definitely didn't appreciate it as much as I should have.