Reviews

Swamp Angel by George Bowering, Ethel Wilson

readytogo's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

hermit_essa's review

5.0

"A first meeting. A meeting in the desert, a meeting at sea, meeting in the city, meeting at night, meeting at a grave, meeting in the sunshine beside the forest, beside water. Human being meet, yet the meetings are not the same. Meeting partakes in its very essence not only of the persons but of the place of meeting. And that essence of place remains, and colors, faintly, the association, perhaps forever."

A fine novel. I'm ashamed that I had never heard of Ethel Wilson until someone sent me this book in a blind book exchange last year. It sat collecting dust on my bookshelf until, through some serendipity (and the praises of one Mr. Shawn Mooney), it floated back up into my awareness. I love it when you find the perfect book at the right time in your life. This novel is barely 200 pages but it speaks volumes about marriage, loss, transitions, the healing power of being true to oneself, nature as a spiritual force. I cannot sing its praises enough so I will conclude my review with another quotation, the one that best expresses my feeling for this novel: "No one can write about perfect love because it cannot be committed to words by those who know about it."

rochelles_reading_journal's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

5.0

trishtalksbooks's review against another edition

dark hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

magiclantern's review

emotional reflective relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

bookishfaye's review

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

Had to read this for school & I didn’t care about it in the slightest

sawyerbell's review

5.0

Gripping, contemplative and beautiful. I'm so glad to have discovered Ethel Wilson and look forward to reading her other books.

raaahella's review against another edition

4.0

What a great Canadian novel.

tayjah22's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

wordsobsessed's review against another edition

4.0

Ethel Wilson is a great author, a lost treasure of Canadian Fiction, and her novels are always wonderfully penned. This one was no exception, and it was a pleasure to read.