Rose-Anne
I hated reading this book but I loved this book. It was a really tough read for me because so much of it takes place in the worst parts of World War 1 and I am not a war person. I could really relate to the main character, Xavier, who also had a peace loving heart.
I really enjoyed how the book was written though, and I'm so glad I slogged through the uncomfortable parts. Joseph Boyden slipped smoothly between the timelines frequently with no announcement, yet it wasn't confusing for the reader at all. The way it all came full circle at the end was perfectly done.
My next read is going to be a little lighter, but I'm sure I'll come back to read more from this author.
I know this is a much liked book in general, but it just wasn't for me. It was beautifully written, and was full of cute little stories. Maybe I'm just jealous because no one in the story seems to have to work or worry about how to pay for anything. They just have endless free time and resources. Maybe if that had been explained I wouldn't have been so distracted by always wondering how they managed that while I reading the book. :) And also, Larry...I'm not a fan and sometimes I skimmed over the parts with him talking a lot because his obnoxiousness was so annoying. Overall, sounds like fun to be Gerry.
I read this book over and over as a kid. Thanks to our wonderful school librarian who introduced our class to it. I hadn't thought of it in years, but now I think I'll get it to read to my own kids.
UPDATE : I did get it and read it to my own kids . I'm pleased that they also thought it was great and it got a 5-star rating from both.
Not a bad book. I could relate to several of the characters and sympathize with others. There was no main theme really, but by following the different characters through a day in their life it serves as a reminder that every person has their own story, their own struggles, and that sometimes, life just isn't fair. If there was a lesson, it was to nurture our interpersonal relationships more and maybe cut others some slack.
My favourite Dr. Seuss book of all time!
This was a great book to read before bed. Easy to read, witty, and charmingly eccentric. I liked it so much I asked for the authors next book for my birthday. Not every book needs to be intense and dramatic to be good. Sometimes you just want a funny story.
I chose to read this book because I got it free as ebook. After the first chapter or two I was thinking it was written for a bit of a younger audience than I had thought, but I didn't mind because it was certainly interesting enough and besides, that makes it a quicker read and that's good when I already have difficulty making time for reading. I found it well written and I really kept wanting to know what was going to happen next...what more can you ask for in a book? The only con I had was that the attitude of the main character, Rosa, frustrated me a little bit. I know people that angsty and angry and self absorbed in real life and they frustrate me too. The author did a good job of making you feel like even with her crusty shell, there is a very likeable Rosa in there somewhere though. Overall, it's a good book. You should read it. :)
So good! As an often socially inept and awkward human being, I related to the character of Eleanor a bit at first. While I'm nowhere near as aloof and unaware as she is, she was still relatable. As the book progressed, it was obvious the similarities of our life experiences were vastly different and without getting into the unfortunate dynamics of my recent ancestors, I found myself often thinking, there but by the grace of God go I. (Thank you, Mom, for breaking the cycle of dysfunctional nuclear families). I found myself being so excited and rooting so hard for Eleanor, wanting to hug her every time she made progress in the intricacies of human interactions and discoveries of the surprisingly good ways these interactions make us feel at times. I can understand how you may not know what you're missing if you've never lived it, and really, how sad it is that some unfortunate people actually exist without these very human connections. To me, this was a story of a wonderful human soul growing and discovering the beautiful and mysterious things that make humans the social creatures that we are despite the unfairness she had lived with in her formative years. The book took me on a journey onward and upward that I really enjoyed.