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elleneuc's review against another edition
5.0
one of the best and most creative, poetic yet quick to read books I've read in a long time! A totally unique style that had echoes of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Junot Diaz, Haruki Murakami, Tea Obreht and Mark Helprin all in one.
It would be impossible to try to summarize the plot or pin down the characters or social commentaries of the book, most of the time I wasn't entirely sure I was understanding it correctly but some how by the end it all flows together and, though doesn't really resolve itself, somehow makes sense. If you're not into surreal or magical realism genres, you'll probably hate it but if those are your kind of thing, this is an amazing work of art.
It would be impossible to try to summarize the plot or pin down the characters or social commentaries of the book, most of the time I wasn't entirely sure I was understanding it correctly but some how by the end it all flows together and, though doesn't really resolve itself, somehow makes sense. If you're not into surreal or magical realism genres, you'll probably hate it but if those are your kind of thing, this is an amazing work of art.
mish_ren's review against another edition
I share the opinion of many other reviewers as far as it concerns this book. Discussing it in my class, I can see all the connections she was trying to make and the arguments she was trying to touch on. However, in the end, it felt overdone and it wasn't a satisfactory read.
askoda's review against another edition
4.0
Tropic of Orange probably deserved more attention than I could truly give. I found myself lost a few times with the changing P.O.V. I’m sure some of the story was lost on me.
Yet, Yamashita did an excellent job weaving allusions and multiple cultures together. Using her in depth research Yamashita carefully depicted how people from her own heritage are viewed, treated, and interact with the world. In addition, readers are able to see multiple cultures and see how connected we all are.
Through symbolism, allusions, and the human desire to inspire and survive, Yamashita created an intense storyline that was hard to ignore.
Add in some magical realism, it was clear what a beautifully chaotic and corrupt world we all live in. Her word choice was exquisite and poetic which kept me wanting to read more.
maxreads1720's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Something about this book did not stick with me. At the end I was all kinds of confused. Maybe I’m just stupid and didn’t understand the symbolism. Either way, I got bored a little halfway through the book and sort of forced myself to finish it. Maybe one to go back to eventually, but this first read through was not my favorite.
dani_nzd's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
tracyrose10's review against another edition
5.0
Amazing. A story of 7 different characters who stories and lives somehow intertwine into an amazing story of magical realism and the mixing of cultures. A must read
deyi's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0