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natalie_is_reading's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars. This was exactly the book I needed to read! A moving epic slightly zany historical family saga! Beautiful language, I pulled quite a few quotes out of it and thought “they get it!”. Also to me Bertha felt a little bit like Tilly from melancholy play but in an another direction so loved making some connections. Very enjoyable read! And now I know what candle pin bowling is so that’s neat!
cass_keeps_reading's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
slow-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
3.5
kelli_jean_'s review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I usually like sprawling family sagas and quirky imperfect characters but this just dragged on for me. Not terrible but not terribly interesting or engaging either.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Murder
saraanneb3's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book. Even as I was approaching the end, I thought, “I am going to read this again!”
I loved the development of family over generations, the characters, the varying points of view. It is not as supernatural as the blurb makes it sound: it is about family and secrets and how one decision or one person can change your life, and also that your life CAN change (for better and worse).
Also, random bonus, she used a number of words I had never heard of before, and so it has expanded my vocabulary!
I loved the development of family over generations, the characters, the varying points of view. It is not as supernatural as the blurb makes it sound: it is about family and secrets and how one decision or one person can change your life, and also that your life CAN change (for better and worse).
Also, random bonus, she used a number of words I had never heard of before, and so it has expanded my vocabulary!
dancinrio's review against another edition
5.0
Without a doubt the best book I’ve read this year and then some. The writing is exquisite and full of sentences that I had to go back and read again to fully savour. The characters are rich, complex and so interesting and the epic, multigenerational story had me hooked.
bentleyemma's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
marthahope's review
2.0
I think my mistake was reading a book about bowling when I don't like bowling.
libwinnie's review against another edition
3.0
A decent read with some quirky plot lines (which I greatly enjoyed) but felt like it missed the opportunity to have some really interesting, well-developed characters. It was a bit flat.
mschrock8's review against another edition
4.0
"Somebody should have told her that men could be so bodily whiskered." Ha.
Second book recently where a character posed nude for artists.
Plus, a character carved patterns into bowling balls, inked them and made prints. Yes, please!
Second book recently where a character posed nude for artists.
Plus, a character carved patterns into bowling balls, inked them and made prints. Yes, please!