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frau_totenkinder's review against another edition
5.0
May just be the best book I have ever read. Ever.
ladyellegee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
wrentheblurry's review against another edition
3.0
I'm surprised that I was so strongly sucked into this one, at the beginning. It's pages and pages and more pages of long and graphic descriptions of the rehabilitation of a burn victim, who used to be a hard-living porn star. Not exactly my favorite genre, but still, oddly compelling.
Then enter Marianne. Shortly after her arrival some of the chapters become devoted to stories she relates to our anti-hero, the burned guy. Stories that occurred thousands of years ago, of her friends and other people she knew.
I had the opposite reaction to these tales of the past; they made me want to quit the book. Instead, I just skimmed/skipped all of them, preferring to read the stories that focused on the present. In so doing, I probably missed (if you could call it that) out on 25-30% of the book.
I liked a lot of it, but mostly the part from the beginning. Things got pretty weird as the past and present become more connected, and the ending felt a bit hokey. Glad for what I read, but I wouldn't rush out to read his next novel.
Then enter Marianne. Shortly after her arrival some of the chapters become devoted to stories she relates to our anti-hero, the burned guy. Stories that occurred thousands of years ago, of her friends and other people she knew.
I had the opposite reaction to these tales of the past; they made me want to quit the book. Instead, I just skimmed/skipped all of them, preferring to read the stories that focused on the present. In so doing, I probably missed (if you could call it that) out on 25-30% of the book.
I liked a lot of it, but mostly the part from the beginning. Things got pretty weird as the past and present become more connected, and the ending felt a bit hokey. Glad for what I read, but I wouldn't rush out to read his next novel.
ami114's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
iceberg0's review against another edition
4.0
Fantastic story about what happens when you have to rewrite the story of your life and the people who come along to help you do it.
ewanl's review against another edition
5.0
A splendid tour-de-force of a novel. Part mysterious oddity, in "A Time Traveller's Wife" kind of way, part historical novel. The deeply cynical narrator's voice is a wryly funny treat from page one. This is a romantic - small 'r' - novel and none the worse for that. I confess this deeply cynical reader was for once moved to claim a particle of dust in his eye whilst reading.
I really did enjoy this book.
I really did enjoy this book.
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
5.0
Whilst I was reading this book, someone asked me if it was a love story and I replied 'I doubt it'. Well it turned out I was mistaken because enduring love is at the very centre of the story. There are two distinct voices in the narration, so at no point was I unsure about whose story I was reading. I did prefer the narrator's prose more than Marianne's. I felt her stories rambled a bit and felt they were more like legends. However I did enjoy them more as they started to intertwine with the narrator's story and the central concept of an eternal soul.
And for all those pedants out there, Marianne does correct the narrator on the proper definition of gargoyle.
And for all those pedants out there, Marianne does correct the narrator on the proper definition of gargoyle.
plantdefacer's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Violence
Minor: Sexual violence
curlypip's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this one. The style was so different to anything else I’ve read recently that it was totally refreshing. I loved the structure, I loved Marianne’s story and I liked that our un-named hero had a great story arc.
It was long, but it flew by!
It was long, but it flew by!