garlinds's reviews
124 reviews

This Must Be the Place by Maggie O'Farrell

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I always forget how much I love family sagas until I pick one up. In this novel, Maggie O'Farrell weaves together the relationship between Daniel and Claudette in such a beautiful and heartbreaking way. 

I fell in love with the characters and their complexities, despite the frustration they caused. I enjoyed how the chapters of this book read like a series of interwoven short stories as each character crossed paths with one another, offering a fresh perspective to the story. And though I got a bit mixed up as the story jumped back and forth in time, I liked how the book explored how our pasts are linked to our futures.

Thank you to @fictionmatters for selecting this as the May book club pick! As always, last weekend's discussion took my reading of this book to a whole new level.

This was my first Maggie O'Farrell, and it certainly won't be my last!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Alcoholism, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Gun violence, Infertility, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal cruelty, Infidelity, and Miscarriage

March: Book One by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin

challenging emotional informative fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

emotional funny hopeful sad tense fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Drug abuse

Intimations by Zadie Smith

inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

5.0

Widow Basquiat: A Love Story by Jennifer Clement

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Racism, Toxic relationship, Hate crime, Domestic abuse, Death, and Addiction

Moderate: Infidelity and Infertility

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

adventurous dark emotional tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Once Upon a Time in the North by Philip Pullman

adventurous tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler

emotional funny lighthearted fast-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? Yes

3.0

On Such a Full Sea by Chang-rae Lee

adventurous dark emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll

adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0