Take a photo of a barcode or cover
softandtired 's review for:
The Borrower
by Rebecca Makkai
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"You think you can't go home again? It's the only place you can ever go" (301).
The Borrower is an exploration of the concept of home and how it shapes us, even though we attempt to resist and defy home's influence. Lucy's character is shaped by her run-away Russian-father and Ian by his homophobic Evangelical overbearing parents. Through Lucy's and Ian's charming (though unrealistic) adventure, we see a desire to save the kids that cannot be saved, although this is ultimately futile; people can only be given the tools to save themselves (as Lucy realizes in the end). However, the book could have benefitted from strong revision. Lucy's stream of consciousness and lack of forethought were irritating at times and I grew frustrated with her character. Some of the places visited became monotonous and made me lose steam and focus. The book could have benefitted by delving more into Ian's own character development. Despite being the catalyst for the plot, he gets a frustratingly shallow dive into his relationship with his parents that could have benefitted from a deeper analysis.
The Borrower is an exploration of the concept of home and how it shapes us, even though we attempt to resist and defy home's influence. Lucy's character is shaped by her run-away Russian-father and Ian by his homophobic Evangelical overbearing parents. Through Lucy's and Ian's charming (though unrealistic) adventure, we see a desire to save the kids that cannot be saved, although this is ultimately futile; people can only be given the tools to save themselves (as Lucy realizes in the end). However, the book could have benefitted from strong revision. Lucy's stream of consciousness and lack of forethought were irritating at times and I grew frustrated with her character. Some of the places visited became monotonous and made me lose steam and focus. The book could have benefitted by delving more into Ian's own character development. Despite being the catalyst for the plot, he gets a frustratingly shallow dive into his relationship with his parents that could have benefitted from a deeper analysis.