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matt_and_cheez's Reviews (493)
I knew this would be my favorite read of the year the moment I saw the cover and read the synopsis. I'm a sucker for everything viking and Norse. Seeing that it was written from the perspective of an Inuit, and explored the historical period of conquest in the "new world" really hooked me.
Omat, who is presented as both male and female, is a refreshing protagonist unlike any other I've read. Her journey gave a really gripping insight into the Inuit culture and experience with the European invaders. The fantastical element was subtle at times, and really blew up at the climax- showing gods and spirits of both cultures and the magic that faith and belief can bring.
I did find the romance aspect a bit predictable, as well as the major "twist," but that's okay. The story was exciting from start to finish and I felt emotionally invested the entire time. Truly a great fantasy tale. I'll be reading it again for sure.
Omat, who is presented as both male and female, is a refreshing protagonist unlike any other I've read. Her journey gave a really gripping insight into the Inuit culture and experience with the European invaders. The fantastical element was subtle at times, and really blew up at the climax- showing gods and spirits of both cultures and the magic that faith and belief can bring.
I did find the romance aspect a bit predictable, as well as the major "twist," but that's okay. The story was exciting from start to finish and I felt emotionally invested the entire time. Truly a great fantasy tale. I'll be reading it again for sure.
Second read: somehow more beautiful than I remembered. Now with life experience tied to the foundations of this novel, I found it more profound, emotional, and unforgettable.
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This is by far one of the most beautiful, well-written books I've read. It's certainly one of the best books I've read in a long time. Cunningham flawlessly weaves together the lives of 3 seemingly separate women from different eras. Laura lives in the post WWII era and struggles with thoughts of suicide while trying to make the perfect birthday cake for her husband, while Clarissa plans a party for her friend/former lover who is dying of AIDS. These narrations are filled with haunting symbolism and connections to the third character, author Virginia Woolf. Opening with the author's suicide, the book tells three narratives that seem very simple and ordinary, but share powerful emotion and culminate in a very surprising connection in the closing pages. Now I have to read more of this author's work.
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This is by far one of the most beautiful, well-written books I've read. It's certainly one of the best books I've read in a long time. Cunningham flawlessly weaves together the lives of 3 seemingly separate women from different eras. Laura lives in the post WWII era and struggles with thoughts of suicide while trying to make the perfect birthday cake for her husband, while Clarissa plans a party for her friend/former lover who is dying of AIDS. These narrations are filled with haunting symbolism and connections to the third character, author Virginia Woolf. Opening with the author's suicide, the book tells three narratives that seem very simple and ordinary, but share powerful emotion and culminate in a very surprising connection in the closing pages. Now I have to read more of this author's work.
