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aidamaria_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Maggie O’Farrell knows her grief and how to spin it into print. The descriptions of pain and agony are almost poetic and yet so clear, so moving, that you have no trouble imagining just how the characters feel. I almost cried at times, wanted to slap certain characters straight into tomorrow had they not all been dead yet, and enjoyed the beauty of this work of historical fiction tremendously.
I can’t put my finger on why it’s not entirely a five-star read for me, but I see how the author received the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2020 for this book.
Moderate: Child death and Grief
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Pregnancy, and Pandemic/Epidemic
bluelilyleest's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Child death and Grief
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Infidelity
sophiestasyna's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child death and Terminal illness
Moderate: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, and Pregnancy
hjb_128's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Infidelity and Classism
Minor: Sexual content
pikkumarja's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Rakastin monitasoista ja -näkökulmaista kerrontaa. Etenkin Agnesin nuoruus oli kuvattu kiinnostavasti. Inho Johnia ja Joania kohtaan oli suurta kirjan alusta asti, mutta Marysta tuli kirjan edetessä lähes rakas hahmo.
Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Mental illness, Blood, Vomit, and Pregnancy
gingervandorsten's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I've seen some people comment on the fact that very little actually happens in the story, and the narrative style and language of it cover this up. I get this, but personally this was actually one of my favourite parts about the book - the way that O'Farrell was able to pick out such exquisite detail in everything that you don't realise until you take a step back that not very much has actually happened.
This book was so lush and it's going to take me. a while. to recover. Really recommend this.
Graphic: Child death, Terminal illness, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Domestic abuse
grboph's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, Pregnancy, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Gore, Infidelity, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content and Abandonment
abibc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Domestic abuse
szuum's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Child death, Misogyny, Grief, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity
gabefiction's review against another edition
4.75
The last couple chapters absolutely wrecked me, I had to pause and put down the book before pressing on, mainly because tears were making it difficult to read. Dealing with death and its aftermath in all its raw vividness was tough. My only gripe is that there were more of Hamnet’s perspective to saturate the narrative, it would’ve added even more emotional depth to an already great story.
Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Pandemic/Epidemic