well. I have been absolutely floored by this. instantly one of my favorite books of all time – some of the finest writing I've ever experienced. such well. I have been absolutely floored by this. instantly one of my favorite books of all time – some of the finest writing I've ever experienced. such a beautiful, smartly observed, tender, deeply philosophical take on the refractions of trauma, the consuming nature of love, the sharpnesses and dullnesses of grief. I might never stop thinking about this book. I don't know if I've ever so deeply wanted to turn right back to page 1 and start the whole thing again....more
Aaaaaagh!! One of the easiest most instant five-star clicks I've made in a long time.
I just absolutely melted into a big sappy puddle over this one. PAaaaaagh!! One of the easiest most instant five-star clicks I've made in a long time.
I just absolutely melted into a big sappy puddle over this one. Piranesi is such a pure, large-hearted character and I so loved the depth of setting and loveliness of this book. One of those books where the amount you know about the characters and world starts tiny, so tiny, and with each page you learn more and more till the end when you feel your head physically swelling with all the new knowledge.
I worry I will be thinking about this book forever....more
quite simply wonderful. by turns insanely hilarious and oppressively sad. i'm stunned by how fully formed all of these people are—this does not feel iquite simply wonderful. by turns insanely hilarious and oppressively sad. i'm stunned by how fully formed all of these people are—this does not feel in any way like fiction, it feels like two old friends at the end of their lives sitting down and recounting what they have lived. haven't read any other boyne novels, but i think i'm going to go back and see what i've missed....more
reading this in a thirty-two-hour span of time is kind of the emotional equivalent of being socked in the face.
what a rollercoaster. this bwhew. okay.
reading this in a thirty-two-hour span of time is kind of the emotional equivalent of being socked in the face.
what a rollercoaster. this book wrecked my entire being and tried to rebuild me with all my sad fragments. i literally--literally! sobbed at the end of this. and i am NOT a cryer. when i watched room, i cried maybe 2/3 as hard as i did at the end of this, which, i think, speaks to how real these characters felt to me.
and all i wanted to do when i finished--after i stopped my ugly loud sobbing--was turn back to the beginning and lose myself in it again.
regarding what some other goodreadsers have said--not that i'm trying to throw shade; just addressing/contesting some of the points brought up:
• some reviewers have pointed out an all-good-or-all-bad nature of the characters, which i heavily disagree with. (view spoiler)[willem, at many points in the novel, acts in quasi-abusive ways, as jude compares him to brother luke and dr. traylor. brother luke, as well, shows a fair amount of compassion to jude, part of why jude is so quick to trust him. andy is well-meaning, but also gets verbally violent. JB has a mean streak on drugs. i could go on. i don't think there's any good-vs.-evil clarity in any of these people. (hide spoiler)]
• some reviewers have pointed out/complained about jude's tendency to apologize. (view spoiler)[really? somebody who has endured as much trauma as jude has, for as long as he has, isn't allowed to apologize? i mean, free speech and all, you're allowed to gripe about whatever you want, but at least consider the fact that jude considers himself an oxygen-waster and understand where he's coming from psychologically. of course he's going to apologize all the time--he has no sense of value, only expects to disappoint. (hide spoiler)]
• some reviewers have pointed out that the novel is long. normally, i would be the first to jump on the long-book bandwagon and complain. novels as long as a little life make me roll my eyes with contempt when i pass them in bookstores. but this novel earned every word of its length. there was never a moment, never a page, i felt yanagihara overstayed her welcome, included too many characters, too much background. and that's coming from me, someone who often complains about five hundred pages.
i have more to say, i think, so i'll come back later. right now, i need to sleep. and pack! mostly sleep....more
so sad to come to the end of this—it reached its natural end, but that doesn't mean i have to be happy about it. loved it even more the second time. iso sad to come to the end of this—it reached its natural end, but that doesn't mean i have to be happy about it. loved it even more the second time. i'll be sure to read THE EMPEROR'S CHILDREN soon, which i picked up at powell's recently....more
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