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thebacklistborrower's Reviews (570)
Excellent as always. The plot picks up, but so much is packed into it that you barely realize a major plot point (explained in the hardcopy jacket) hasn't happened yet. Keeps you guessing, and laughing.
I may update this once I've had some time to ponder the book, but I didn't like it at all. I recognize Vonnegut is a great author; I rather enjoyed Slaughterhouse 5, but I just couldn't get over whatever it was in BoC that bothered me so much.
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I expected more. This book got a lot of hype, but all I really got out of it was Bella Swan(Twilight)'s doppelganger with the stereotypical "dangerous" man. I did not read anything unique in this book that I would not expect in a stereotypical Harlequin novel. The main character: plain, shy, and booky, swept into a world that was alien, yet appealing, to her. It was entertaining, for sure, but not as "wow" as I expected for a best-seller. I will look into the others though.
dark
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I read this book for the first time during my first break-up just over a decade ago. It was fairly drawn-out and I remember, at the time, feeling a lot of sympathy for Tess, but also getting a lot of strength from her. I’m happy to say that in retrospect, those feelings were definitely new adult melodrama, but even in my re-read, I found Tess a very inspirational character.
Published in 1891, I expected this book to be drawn out and dry, but it wasn’t. Even spanning years, it felt fast-paced and exciting. Tess Durbeyfield is the oldest daughter of a poor family in rural England. When her father learns that they are descended from a rich d’Urberville bloodline, he sends her to claim family with a d’Urberville family in the next valley over, not realizing that they claimed the name for the influence, without any family ties. While there, Tess is harassed by Alec d’Urberville and eventually assaulted. She leaves, but later finds out she is pregnant.
Tess, throughout the book, does her best to act according to her morals. No longer a pure woman, she vows to never marry a man. She avoids lying and is good-natured. But over and over, she is put up against the wills of society, and men, causing trouble and heartache.
I found Tess inspirational because she stands up for others, her values, and herself. She speaks her mind plainly and communicates her feelings, even if it costs her socially or romantically. She is cast down repeatedly, but after every setback, she comes back to seek a new life for herself.
I’m so happy I finally re-read this book. The story is better than I ever remembered, full of all the twists and turns of any modern romance novel, with gorgeous imagery, interesting characters, and twists that will leave you on the edge of your seat. And the ending… I had flashbacks to the first time I read it.
August 2012 - A terribly depressing novel, but very lovely.
The novel was much more political than I expected, and I loved it. Asimov did a fantastic job of trapping the reader in the intrigue and complexity of the politics and disasters. The use of a "leaping" time line makes it an even more rewarding read.
On an aside, it was very interesting to see what Asimov made of nuclear energy-- a very new energy in his time.
On an aside, it was very interesting to see what Asimov made of nuclear energy-- a very new energy in his time.
