Promising at first, this really went nowhere; I'm finishing for plot. The writing was way too full of overblown and jarring metaphors, and although inPromising at first, this really went nowhere; I'm finishing for plot. The writing was way too full of overblown and jarring metaphors, and although initially I was getting into the (well-signposted)romance between the appealing protagonists, they proved to be pretty uninteresting characters, under-fleshed.. The various 'issues' re identity politics that the 'expats' are 'learning' about modern life could have been handled more imaginatively and fully--those parts felt like a lot of tell and no show. And the Frankling Artic expedition interludes--and I usually adore a Polar explorer!--were simply boring. The audio reader was good, but I had to speed this up towards the end as it was just so tedious when the 'action' happens....more
One of the most interesting, odd, funny, bleak, compelling books I've read recently. The 4 great sisters and so individualized, with their quirks and One of the most interesting, odd, funny, bleak, compelling books I've read recently. The 4 great sisters and so individualized, with their quirks and issues (the fantastic audio reading gives them to different readers) but even the minor characters are fully fleshed out and charming. The audio was great, and this book was so good and full of ideas that I went back and forth to enjoy it at least twice, in in written as well as audio form....more
Unconvincing and certainly no Secret History; full of tedious philosophizing, banal religious disquisitions and moral handwringing, tedious and clicheUnconvincing and certainly no Secret History; full of tedious philosophizing, banal religious disquisitions and moral handwringing, tedious and clicheed teen angst among indistinguishable spoiled bratty rich kid characters and the 鈥減oor kid鈥� protagonist who is more good looking than he thinks (naturally) and soooo much smarter than everyone else realizes and, unbelievably, despite his frum Brooklyn upbringing manages to be immediate friends with aforementioned rich Floridians. Most tedious of all is the drug fueled trip (encounter with god, or whatever) leading - shocker! - to tragedy, towards the end. Despite the fact that I was skimming more and more, this book was interminable. Even more cardboard-caricatures were the female characters....more
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