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stuckinthebook's Reviews (248)
Why Did I Read This Book?
This book has been on my ‘To Be Read’ list since seeing such great reviews of it all over my social media feeds. Call me a sheep, but I wanted to see what all the hype was about. I wanted to be part of the craze.
What Did I Think?
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of reading Homegoing by Yaa Gyasis, you will LOVE this book. Like Homegoing, the Girl, Woman, Other features interconnected tales about a group of black women.
Each character gets their own chapter and you are taken on a defining journey of different experiences, feelings, backgrounds and choices. Bernardine Evaristo grants us access to the stories of how 12 British women move through the world in various decades and ultimately learn about the repercussions of being a ‘woman’. Each complex and flawed in their own way, every character shows us how to live life to the full, despite the problems you may encounter.
Evaristo re-visits timeless questions about feminism and identity in the experiences she narrates. Feminist thinking is constantly challenged and explored through each character, whether they be rich or poor, gay or straight, sexually confident or sexually confused, fertile or infertile, loved or hated.
You may find the way it is written challenging at first, but if you persist, it will become easier and easier to read, allowing you to move through each chapter effortlessly. The book encapsulates black women of different generations, faiths, classes, politics and heritages, whose stories are marvelously intertwined with one another's.
Although this book may concentrate on the everyday struggles of black women living in modern Britain, it is safe to say that you cannot escape the fascinating tales of love, happiness and creativity that each account holds.
This book has been on my ‘To Be Read’ list since seeing such great reviews of it all over my social media feeds. Call me a sheep, but I wanted to see what all the hype was about. I wanted to be part of the craze.
What Did I Think?
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of reading Homegoing by Yaa Gyasis, you will LOVE this book. Like Homegoing, the Girl, Woman, Other features interconnected tales about a group of black women.
Each character gets their own chapter and you are taken on a defining journey of different experiences, feelings, backgrounds and choices. Bernardine Evaristo grants us access to the stories of how 12 British women move through the world in various decades and ultimately learn about the repercussions of being a ‘woman’. Each complex and flawed in their own way, every character shows us how to live life to the full, despite the problems you may encounter.
Evaristo re-visits timeless questions about feminism and identity in the experiences she narrates. Feminist thinking is constantly challenged and explored through each character, whether they be rich or poor, gay or straight, sexually confident or sexually confused, fertile or infertile, loved or hated.
You may find the way it is written challenging at first, but if you persist, it will become easier and easier to read, allowing you to move through each chapter effortlessly. The book encapsulates black women of different generations, faiths, classes, politics and heritages, whose stories are marvelously intertwined with one another's.
Although this book may concentrate on the everyday struggles of black women living in modern Britain, it is safe to say that you cannot escape the fascinating tales of love, happiness and creativity that each account holds.
This book is beautiful short story about teenage love, maturity and survival. When I first opened its pages, I didn’t know what to expect. Yet as the story transpired, I really started to feel a close connection with all the characters. It starts in a heartbreaking scenario which is probably why I feel so close and emotional with the characters. Especially Gabe and Jen. I love how we gain an insight into how Gabe is really feeling through the letters he writes to his deceased sister, that really pulled at my heart strings and enabled me to gain a better understanding of his grief and his actions. The book explores how different kinds of relationships, whether they be loving or abusive, shape people, with most of the characters moulded into what the society wants them to be. It really is a great read and a beautiful short story that will leave you thinking about it’s tale for some time after! I would recommend to anyone struggling to choose their next read!
OK, I’m not going to lie, I have previously tried to read this book but not got much further than the first couple of chapters. So this time, I was determined to make more progress. Having finally read the whole book, I now know why the book is titled Little Fires Everywhere. There are LOTS of different stories running alongside the main plot...who set fire to the Richardson’s family house? I have read a lot of books recently where the characters’ stories all intertwine with one another’s but this is different. It looks back on the characters’ history so we understand each character in more depth.
There are lots of female protagonists and I LOVE that. Yet upon finishing the book, I was sitting writing my notes and I had to question which character I felt I could relate to the most. Normally I find there’s always one standout character that I feel more closely too and can relate more to but for Little Fires Everywhere, I just couldn’t make my mind up.
I think what is really interesting is the town in which they live, Shaker Heights. The town was one of the first to be planned out so meticulously by its founders, along with set rules on how each house should look and how the families living there should behave.
So once we understand this, it’s easier to understand how each character is conditioned by the town they live in. Mia, a mother who’s haunted by her past and constantly on the move so she can never fit in anywhere; Pearl (her daughter) is a teenager coming to terms with being in a brand new high school and by default finds herself part of the popular group, Lexie is one of the most popular girls at school and part of a prestigious family with strict morals to abide by, Izzy is an outcast and thought to be ‘strange’ by everyone who meets her and Mrs Richardson is a middle-class woman who has a reputation to uphold. Now, what I admire is how Celeste Ng focuses on how each character struggles with what society thinks and expects from them and this is perhaps what makes the story so interesting.
I did thoroughly enjoy this read and I found myself forgetting what had happened in the first chapter, with the title reminding me that ‘oh yeah, we’re on the path to finding out who did it’. I love how Celeste Ng keeps you guessing until the very end to find out who did it and I think that’s what makes this book so gripping. It could be any one of the characters because they all have their own motives. I’m just glad it ended like it did, with the novel proving there’s always two sides to one story.
There are lots of female protagonists and I LOVE that. Yet upon finishing the book, I was sitting writing my notes and I had to question which character I felt I could relate to the most. Normally I find there’s always one standout character that I feel more closely too and can relate more to but for Little Fires Everywhere, I just couldn’t make my mind up.
I think what is really interesting is the town in which they live, Shaker Heights. The town was one of the first to be planned out so meticulously by its founders, along with set rules on how each house should look and how the families living there should behave.
So once we understand this, it’s easier to understand how each character is conditioned by the town they live in. Mia, a mother who’s haunted by her past and constantly on the move so she can never fit in anywhere; Pearl (her daughter) is a teenager coming to terms with being in a brand new high school and by default finds herself part of the popular group, Lexie is one of the most popular girls at school and part of a prestigious family with strict morals to abide by, Izzy is an outcast and thought to be ‘strange’ by everyone who meets her and Mrs Richardson is a middle-class woman who has a reputation to uphold. Now, what I admire is how Celeste Ng focuses on how each character struggles with what society thinks and expects from them and this is perhaps what makes the story so interesting.
I did thoroughly enjoy this read and I found myself forgetting what had happened in the first chapter, with the title reminding me that ‘oh yeah, we’re on the path to finding out who did it’. I love how Celeste Ng keeps you guessing until the very end to find out who did it and I think that’s what makes this book so gripping. It could be any one of the characters because they all have their own motives. I’m just glad it ended like it did, with the novel proving there’s always two sides to one story.
OK, I L-O-V-E-D this book! I’ve not read a romance novel in a long time and I have to say they aren’t usually my go-to but I have to admit I do enjoy a good romance here and there. And with the current lockdown separating me from my beloved boyfriend, I’m in need of some romance in my life.
The short, quick chapters are great and I think that’s why I was able to polish off this book in under two days. I would find myself reading a chapter here and there whilst going about my daily quarantine business. Before you know it you’re halfway through and we all love a good book like that don’t we? It does become quite difficult though when you know the chapters are short so you tell yourself ‘oh, just one more chapter’...and 30 minutes later you’re still sitting in the same place. Guilty AF.
I loved how the narrative of Tiffy compared to Leon’s was so different because you can tell immediately who is narrating. The chapters alternate between the two, helping the story to really advance and provide a great sense of how each character lives and thinks. Tiffy is such a quirky character compared to Leon who is often considered to be a man of few words, and I love how that as the book progresses, Leon seems to come more and more out of his shell. I felt a strong connection to Tiffy, with her clumsiness and awkwardness and also because she perhaps reminded me of my time at Cath Kidston, where like her, I was constantly up to my neck in crafts I didn’t have a clue about.
One of the things that most people disliked about this book is that they found it too hard to believe that people would flatshare (and bed share). This was one of the things discussed with the author when Beth from Beth’s Book Club held a live discussion with her and it was so amazing to find out that people had contacted the author to tell her their stories of when they had done the same thing as Tiffy and Leon. I suppose in big cities like London etc, room is scarce so people have to find what accommodation they can afford.
As Leon and Tiffy hardly ever cross paths, they leave Post-It notes to communicate with each other and this is also something that the author relies on to help provide us with vital information about events that have happened and to move the story along. I adore this idea and I got waaaay to excited the first time that Leon puts an ‘x’ at the end of one of his notes. Can you tell I’m missing my boyfriend?
What is really touching is Tiffy’s discovery of learning that she was emotionally abused by her ex-boyfriend and I loved Beth O’Leary’s way of letting her slowly discover that what she went through during her relationship with Justin was not a normal, loving relationship. We realise from that start that the way Justin behaved and made her feel was completely wrong but we have to let Tiffy come to that realisation herself. I think the journey that Tiffy goes through is both heartbreaking and honest and because it was written by someone who had gone through the same thing, you can really feel how genuine Tiffy’s thoughts and feelings are.
I definitely enjoyed this book and I can easily see it becoming a rom-com in the not so distant future. Although it may seem unrealistic, I didn’t personally find it impossible for something like that to happen so I instantly fell in love with Tiffy and Leon. I got a (maybe too real) ‘missing’ feeling a few days after finishing the book and it's safe to say I can’t wait to read her new novel The Switch which is out soon! Not bad for a book that was written whilst commuting ey?
The short, quick chapters are great and I think that’s why I was able to polish off this book in under two days. I would find myself reading a chapter here and there whilst going about my daily quarantine business. Before you know it you’re halfway through and we all love a good book like that don’t we? It does become quite difficult though when you know the chapters are short so you tell yourself ‘oh, just one more chapter’...and 30 minutes later you’re still sitting in the same place. Guilty AF.
I loved how the narrative of Tiffy compared to Leon’s was so different because you can tell immediately who is narrating. The chapters alternate between the two, helping the story to really advance and provide a great sense of how each character lives and thinks. Tiffy is such a quirky character compared to Leon who is often considered to be a man of few words, and I love how that as the book progresses, Leon seems to come more and more out of his shell. I felt a strong connection to Tiffy, with her clumsiness and awkwardness and also because she perhaps reminded me of my time at Cath Kidston, where like her, I was constantly up to my neck in crafts I didn’t have a clue about.
One of the things that most people disliked about this book is that they found it too hard to believe that people would flatshare (and bed share). This was one of the things discussed with the author when Beth from Beth’s Book Club held a live discussion with her and it was so amazing to find out that people had contacted the author to tell her their stories of when they had done the same thing as Tiffy and Leon. I suppose in big cities like London etc, room is scarce so people have to find what accommodation they can afford.
As Leon and Tiffy hardly ever cross paths, they leave Post-It notes to communicate with each other and this is also something that the author relies on to help provide us with vital information about events that have happened and to move the story along. I adore this idea and I got waaaay to excited the first time that Leon puts an ‘x’ at the end of one of his notes. Can you tell I’m missing my boyfriend?
What is really touching is Tiffy’s discovery of learning that she was emotionally abused by her ex-boyfriend and I loved Beth O’Leary’s way of letting her slowly discover that what she went through during her relationship with Justin was not a normal, loving relationship. We realise from that start that the way Justin behaved and made her feel was completely wrong but we have to let Tiffy come to that realisation herself. I think the journey that Tiffy goes through is both heartbreaking and honest and because it was written by someone who had gone through the same thing, you can really feel how genuine Tiffy’s thoughts and feelings are.
I definitely enjoyed this book and I can easily see it becoming a rom-com in the not so distant future. Although it may seem unrealistic, I didn’t personally find it impossible for something like that to happen so I instantly fell in love with Tiffy and Leon. I got a (maybe too real) ‘missing’ feeling a few days after finishing the book and it's safe to say I can’t wait to read her new novel The Switch which is out soon! Not bad for a book that was written whilst commuting ey?
Don’t hate me...I didn’t like it. I feel so bad that I must be the only person I know that didn’t enjoy this book. Hate me all you want but it’s the truth. For some bizarre reason I thought this book was about something completely different. So when I started reading this book, I just couldn’t get rid of my expectations.
I didn’t hate all of it, there are some parts that are really thrilling and it is written so well. There are some real honest moments of what it's like to be female, especially in the 1970s. If you’re looking for some great quotes about the struggles of being a woman in a male-dominated society, then this book is what you need. I did find myself nodding along to some of Emma Cline’s wisdom throughout the book.
The cult story was something that just wasn’t for me. Although I do like weird and wonderful books that discuss all sorts of topics, I just didn’t like this one and for me it did feel a tiny bit unrealistic. I couldn’t really relate to the protagonist. I found that her narrative was boring and rather one-dimensional. She didn’t really offer anything to the story, just told us everybody else’s, so I just couldn’t feel any connection to her.
There is a real horrendous murder scene at the end which left me a little shaken up a while after reading it but other than that, nothing else in the book is worth mentioning. I did enjoy how well it was written as the scenes were very descriptive and I could imagine what the characters and the ranch looked like but I just couldn’t relate to the narrator and therefore, it just wasn’t for me.
I didn’t hate all of it, there are some parts that are really thrilling and it is written so well. There are some real honest moments of what it's like to be female, especially in the 1970s. If you’re looking for some great quotes about the struggles of being a woman in a male-dominated society, then this book is what you need. I did find myself nodding along to some of Emma Cline’s wisdom throughout the book.
The cult story was something that just wasn’t for me. Although I do like weird and wonderful books that discuss all sorts of topics, I just didn’t like this one and for me it did feel a tiny bit unrealistic. I couldn’t really relate to the protagonist. I found that her narrative was boring and rather one-dimensional. She didn’t really offer anything to the story, just told us everybody else’s, so I just couldn’t feel any connection to her.
There is a real horrendous murder scene at the end which left me a little shaken up a while after reading it but other than that, nothing else in the book is worth mentioning. I did enjoy how well it was written as the scenes were very descriptive and I could imagine what the characters and the ranch looked like but I just couldn’t relate to the narrator and therefore, it just wasn’t for me.
Earlier this year I read a book called Queenie and I thought it the best book I had read in a long time. Yet nothing prepared me for how much I would fall in love with this book and every single one of its characters. I was so heartbroken to find out that they aren’t a real band because I tell you what, if they were after this whole coronavirus lockdown is over, the first thing I would do would be to fly to America and buy a ticket to watch this band live.
I got real Fleetwood Mac/Stevie Nicks/Florence Welch/A Star Is Born vibes from this book and it was so beautifully written, how could I not fall in love with it. The song that Daisy and Billy sing together reminds me so much of the song that Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper sing in A Star Is Born. We all know the one…
What made this book so unique is that when you’re reading it, you feel like you’re watching a documentary on how the band rose to fame, with all the characters getting their own say on events that happened. I like how every character remembers things slightly different from each other, making you giggle when you read each account.
I want to be Daisy Jones. There I said it. The way she is depicted in the novel is so enchanting, no wonder everyone loved her. I love how everyone who meets her is completely astonished by her natural raw talent. I love her dress sense and I can really get behind the whole ‘no bra’ thing too.
Yet she has to fight for the right to be seen and heard. When she gets her first record deal she has to sing the songs they want her to sing, behave how they want her to behave and dress how they tell her. Could you imagine? Being so unique and beautiful in your own way and then having to change all of that just to get your music seen and heard by the public?
What is so harrowing about Daisy’s story is that it is tainted by her drug and alcohol addiction. Yeah OK, it was that time when everyone who was everyone was doing drugs, even more so if you are in a successful band, but no one really tries to help Daisy. Their manager is often questioning whether he should have done more to help her, but I guess she had to make that decision on her own. I felt sorry for her. It broke my heart that she came from a family that couldn’t give a shit about her, and she just dated and slept with men who she didn’t love because she didn’t know anything else. Perhaps Daisy’s story is the most upsetting out of them all and is a testament to the fact that fame is not everything.
Love is a well-discussed topic throughout the book and Taylor Jenkins Reid offers some really honest and genuine dialogues regarding the different experiences of love that each character goes through. Some definitely resonated with me, whereas some definitely emphasised how each character felt.
I couldn’t believe that this band wasn’t real and when I found this out, all I could think about was how much hard work, dedication and sleepless nights must have gone into the making of this book. Obviously writing a novel is never going to be easy and I celebrate ANYONE who does, but to write a book the way Daisy Jones & The Six is written and to make us believe that this band is so real, Taylor Jenkins Reid must be so, so proud of the work of art she has produced.
I loved this book with all my heart and to be honest, not a day goes by since reading this where I don’t think about the story and the characters. I can no longer listen to Fleetwood Mac without picturing this band. And the fact that the song lyrics to all their songs are at the back of the book, it just adds the icing to the top of the cake!
Thank you, Taylor Jenkins Reid.
I got real Fleetwood Mac/Stevie Nicks/Florence Welch/A Star Is Born vibes from this book and it was so beautifully written, how could I not fall in love with it. The song that Daisy and Billy sing together reminds me so much of the song that Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper sing in A Star Is Born. We all know the one…
What made this book so unique is that when you’re reading it, you feel like you’re watching a documentary on how the band rose to fame, with all the characters getting their own say on events that happened. I like how every character remembers things slightly different from each other, making you giggle when you read each account.
I want to be Daisy Jones. There I said it. The way she is depicted in the novel is so enchanting, no wonder everyone loved her. I love how everyone who meets her is completely astonished by her natural raw talent. I love her dress sense and I can really get behind the whole ‘no bra’ thing too.
Yet she has to fight for the right to be seen and heard. When she gets her first record deal she has to sing the songs they want her to sing, behave how they want her to behave and dress how they tell her. Could you imagine? Being so unique and beautiful in your own way and then having to change all of that just to get your music seen and heard by the public?
What is so harrowing about Daisy’s story is that it is tainted by her drug and alcohol addiction. Yeah OK, it was that time when everyone who was everyone was doing drugs, even more so if you are in a successful band, but no one really tries to help Daisy. Their manager is often questioning whether he should have done more to help her, but I guess she had to make that decision on her own. I felt sorry for her. It broke my heart that she came from a family that couldn’t give a shit about her, and she just dated and slept with men who she didn’t love because she didn’t know anything else. Perhaps Daisy’s story is the most upsetting out of them all and is a testament to the fact that fame is not everything.
Love is a well-discussed topic throughout the book and Taylor Jenkins Reid offers some really honest and genuine dialogues regarding the different experiences of love that each character goes through. Some definitely resonated with me, whereas some definitely emphasised how each character felt.
I couldn’t believe that this band wasn’t real and when I found this out, all I could think about was how much hard work, dedication and sleepless nights must have gone into the making of this book. Obviously writing a novel is never going to be easy and I celebrate ANYONE who does, but to write a book the way Daisy Jones & The Six is written and to make us believe that this band is so real, Taylor Jenkins Reid must be so, so proud of the work of art she has produced.
I loved this book with all my heart and to be honest, not a day goes by since reading this where I don’t think about the story and the characters. I can no longer listen to Fleetwood Mac without picturing this band. And the fact that the song lyrics to all their songs are at the back of the book, it just adds the icing to the top of the cake!
Thank you, Taylor Jenkins Reid.
Now as much as I did enjoy this book, I did find it slow to start. To the point where I was going to give up on it (gasp) but then things really started to kick off, so I’m extremely glad I carried on. It could have just been because I started reading this over the weekend and I was feeling a bit down and overwhelmed by everything going on at the minute so you may not find it as slow to start as me. I promise, by chapter 20 you will not be able to put the book down.
What I loved most about this book was the concept, Anthony spent his whole life collecting items that people had lost, carefully nurturing them in the hope that one day they will be returned to their owner. It made me realise it is truly amazing what people lose without knowing. Each item gets its own back story, which makes each lost thing that little bit more interesting.
There are two stories running alongside each other and I did find myself repeatedly questioning how the two were connected, with Ruth Hogan keeping me guessing until the very end. It is definitely a ‘feel good’ book and does restore your faith in humanity a little. Maybe I shouldn’t be revealing this much, but I definitely didn’t expect it to turn into a kind of ghost story...but I’ll leave you to enjoy that little surprise storyline on your own.
I also really liked the link to the Patron Saint of lost things, whose name happens to be St. Anthony of Padua. I love how Ruth Hogan’s quirky play on this and the references to old folk tales really add an exciting spin on well, hoarding basically. She actually admitted in an interview that she got her inspiration from her neighbour who was famous in the community for hoarding.
It was a lovely, quick ‘feel good’ read and I’m glad I can (finally) tick it off my list. What is even more special about this read is that Ruth Hogan actually set up her own Instagram account dedicated to advertising the lost things she found whilst writing this novel in the hope, like her main character Anthony, that they will be eventually reunited with their owner! Have a look for yourselves!
What I loved most about this book was the concept, Anthony spent his whole life collecting items that people had lost, carefully nurturing them in the hope that one day they will be returned to their owner. It made me realise it is truly amazing what people lose without knowing. Each item gets its own back story, which makes each lost thing that little bit more interesting.
There are two stories running alongside each other and I did find myself repeatedly questioning how the two were connected, with Ruth Hogan keeping me guessing until the very end. It is definitely a ‘feel good’ book and does restore your faith in humanity a little. Maybe I shouldn’t be revealing this much, but I definitely didn’t expect it to turn into a kind of ghost story...but I’ll leave you to enjoy that little surprise storyline on your own.
I also really liked the link to the Patron Saint of lost things, whose name happens to be St. Anthony of Padua. I love how Ruth Hogan’s quirky play on this and the references to old folk tales really add an exciting spin on well, hoarding basically. She actually admitted in an interview that she got her inspiration from her neighbour who was famous in the community for hoarding.
It was a lovely, quick ‘feel good’ read and I’m glad I can (finally) tick it off my list. What is even more special about this read is that Ruth Hogan actually set up her own Instagram account dedicated to advertising the lost things she found whilst writing this novel in the hope, like her main character Anthony, that they will be eventually reunited with their owner! Have a look for yourselves!
I enjoyed this book because I warmed to the narrator and her story straight away. I managed to fly through this one but I know that others had difficulty warming up to her and her personality. This book has a strong ‘Eleanor Oliphant’ vibe, as I would say that Susan’s behaviours are very similar to those of Eleanor. That is perhaps why I adored the character of Susan so much.
I loved how people during the book club discussion were referring to the main character, Susan, as ‘prickly’ because it coincides brilliantly with the title of the book, but I can 100% see what they mean. Susan likes things done a particular way and everything is set in stone. She doesn’t really enjoy interacting with other people and keeps herself to herself. That’s how she likes it and that’s how she has got by for years without any problems.
Yet she falls pregnant unexpectedly and this really puts a spanner in the works for our Susan, who has only ever had to look after herself. As the pregnancy and the book progresses, we gradually learn more about our narrator’s history and this slowly begins to provide clarity on why she behaves like she does. I think the way that the author, Sarah Haywood, introduces Susan’s background through little memories is a really great way of developing both the character and the story and by the end, I was totally in awe.
Family is a theme that runs throughout the book and is one that is explored through many different relationships. I love how we have so many examples of different families running through this book and I think that’s what makes this book just that extra bit special.
Susan has an unbearable younger brother. I mean, I thought I had the most annoying younger brother in the world but it turns out there are worse out there. Her relationship with her brother is tarnished from the start and events transpire, we go on a journey with our narrator to learn about the secrets of their family’s history.
I really did enjoy this book and even more so because I got to discuss it with other readers and book fanatics over at Beth’s Book Club. If you haven’t checked it out yet, I would wholeheartedly recommend doing so as it is a fantastic community of book lovers.
I loved how people during the book club discussion were referring to the main character, Susan, as ‘prickly’ because it coincides brilliantly with the title of the book, but I can 100% see what they mean. Susan likes things done a particular way and everything is set in stone. She doesn’t really enjoy interacting with other people and keeps herself to herself. That’s how she likes it and that’s how she has got by for years without any problems.
Yet she falls pregnant unexpectedly and this really puts a spanner in the works for our Susan, who has only ever had to look after herself. As the pregnancy and the book progresses, we gradually learn more about our narrator’s history and this slowly begins to provide clarity on why she behaves like she does. I think the way that the author, Sarah Haywood, introduces Susan’s background through little memories is a really great way of developing both the character and the story and by the end, I was totally in awe.
Family is a theme that runs throughout the book and is one that is explored through many different relationships. I love how we have so many examples of different families running through this book and I think that’s what makes this book just that extra bit special.
Susan has an unbearable younger brother. I mean, I thought I had the most annoying younger brother in the world but it turns out there are worse out there. Her relationship with her brother is tarnished from the start and events transpire, we go on a journey with our narrator to learn about the secrets of their family’s history.
I really did enjoy this book and even more so because I got to discuss it with other readers and book fanatics over at Beth’s Book Club. If you haven’t checked it out yet, I would wholeheartedly recommend doing so as it is a fantastic community of book lovers.
Firstly, let me just say that I have not read a book like this one before. Ever. Diane Setterfield deserves more recognition than I could ever give her alone. This masterpiece could make those who had never dreamt of writing before, want to pick up a pen or open a new Word document and begin. Why, you may ask. Because I have honestly never experienced storytelling like this before. Diane Setterfield does a beautiful job of setting the scene and by doing so, she makes you feel like you’ve just tucked yourself in to be told a great secret. The secret of the river and the power of the stories it holds.
The opening chapter had me hooked from the start and the fact that it could be based on the river Thames makes it even more closer to home. The overall story, without ruining it for you, is that a little girl is pulled from the river banks and she could belong to any one of the three families who had recently lost their little girl. The mystery of her appearance uncovers the secrets held by the community surrounding the river and the discovery leaves you holding the book closer to you, afraid of missing a single moment.
I’m struggling to put this book into a specific genre as it has elements of Gothic, fantasy and historical fiction running through it and to put it in a category would be to take away its magic. What I can say is that it reminds me of folklore. One that perhaps is heard by many who journey up and down the river.
Diane Setterfield also plays upon this folklore theme by writing perfectly about the power of storytelling and how stories develop from the very first telling to the most recent. There are some compelling quotes in this book, that once you’ve read them, you just have to take a moment and think, wow...what a sentence!
I would say that even though I was hooked from the start and that the story is magnificent, I would not particularly class this read as a ‘page-turner’. The chapters are longer than I would normally like and it does take a while for things to begin to unfold. However, don’t let that stop you from delving into this book. It may not be a ‘page-turner’ but something else keeps you reading on. Something truly spell-binding. I’ll let you experience that one for yourself.
I do get quite sad when I finish magical books like this one. I felt like I went on a real journey with this book and as I was reading it, I was transported onto the very banks of the river, watching events unfold and helping to solve the mystery. It truly was an amazing experience and one I shall never forget. It deserves every single star I give it. And more.
The opening chapter had me hooked from the start and the fact that it could be based on the river Thames makes it even more closer to home. The overall story, without ruining it for you, is that a little girl is pulled from the river banks and she could belong to any one of the three families who had recently lost their little girl. The mystery of her appearance uncovers the secrets held by the community surrounding the river and the discovery leaves you holding the book closer to you, afraid of missing a single moment.
I’m struggling to put this book into a specific genre as it has elements of Gothic, fantasy and historical fiction running through it and to put it in a category would be to take away its magic. What I can say is that it reminds me of folklore. One that perhaps is heard by many who journey up and down the river.
Diane Setterfield also plays upon this folklore theme by writing perfectly about the power of storytelling and how stories develop from the very first telling to the most recent. There are some compelling quotes in this book, that once you’ve read them, you just have to take a moment and think, wow...what a sentence!
I would say that even though I was hooked from the start and that the story is magnificent, I would not particularly class this read as a ‘page-turner’. The chapters are longer than I would normally like and it does take a while for things to begin to unfold. However, don’t let that stop you from delving into this book. It may not be a ‘page-turner’ but something else keeps you reading on. Something truly spell-binding. I’ll let you experience that one for yourself.
I do get quite sad when I finish magical books like this one. I felt like I went on a real journey with this book and as I was reading it, I was transported onto the very banks of the river, watching events unfold and helping to solve the mystery. It truly was an amazing experience and one I shall never forget. It deserves every single star I give it. And more.