dahlface 's review for:

Night Watch by Jayne Anne Phillips

2.0

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Night Watch was not what I expected and I am surprised it was given the Pulitzer. A slog of a book written from the points of view of several characters many emotionally and physically pummeled by the Civil War. Despite being told from so many points of view, we never fully experience these characters’ inner selves and I struggled to keep interest in their lives. The most interesting passages are told from the point of view of an orphaned six year old who has been taken in by the cook in an asylum, but I quickly realized “Weed” was more of a plot device created to witness a very important twist in the plot than a fully fleshed out character. The inner workings of the asylum were the most interesting, but underdeveloped. I would not recommend spending time reading this undeserving Pulitzer winner. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Slavery, Violence