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flyawaytinker's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
danyell919's review against another edition
3.0
I wish I hadn’t had such a hard time getting into this book. The characters really were lovely. I wanted more though - I felt like it ended abruptly!
sandsing7's review against another edition
3.0
The writing is lovely, but it had a long exposition, a few gaps in the plot, and a deus ex machina ending that didn’t satisfy. I also had trouble placing it historically. However, those who like Lauren Wolk will love the writing and get lost in the setting. (Clean)
mudder17's review against another edition
4.0
This was a story about a struggling farm in PA, where one of the children has Marfan's syndrome, a disease that has, among other things, left her with an enlarged aorta that could burst at any moment. She and her younger brother are best friends and home schooled on their farm, in part because her condition prevents her from an active and normal life. From the beginning you can tell that the drought is threatening to destroy their farm, but her condition also puts a drain on their family. Into all of this comes a mysterious man "The Mister" who rents a little silo apartment and just wants to be left alone. Although this book is not at all To Kill a Mockingbird, the way Sara and Hawk spy on "The Mister" to try and find out what he's up to reminds me a little bit of Jem and Scout as they made up stories about Boo Radley. I absolutely loved Hawk's fierce loyalty to and protective instincts towards his sister, and his love of Treasure Island and of reading in general were wonderful to read about. Hearing him talk about stories made them come alive. I loved how the author portrayed Sara's Marfan's as just a small part of who she was (other than the very real impact it had on her life). Her intelligence, love of growing things, and her museum of seeds were wonderful to read about, and it really brought her alive for me.
The only thing that I had trouble with was that the style of writing took getting used to. I mean there were some really beautifully-written passages, but the story is told from the point-of-view of Sara and are told in short sentences that describes what she is hearing and sensing. The whole story is told that way with her recounting conversations that she either hears or is part of. I don't remember my grammar but the tense of the story feels like I'm reading one of those "choose your own adventure" stories. "I creak up. Put my feet on the floor. Crouch so my hair won't snag on the low rafters, so my head won't scrape." After finishing the story, I think I can see what the author was trying to do (put myself in her shoes), but it definitely took me time to get used to it. Also, it's apparent to me that her vision is not that great and that she often imagines what she sees based on what she hears and feels. But throughout the book, I can't quite figure out if she really is visually impaired in a big way or if she really just sees shadows. By the end (no spoilers), I'm really left guessing and that part just confused me.
Hmm...now that I'm thinking about it, I'm wondering if the narrative voice was deliberately chosen by the author so that I WOULD put myself in Sara's shoes. Which, thinking about the ending, is kind of a neat little circle (again, no spoilers). Perhaps. Either way, I'm really glad I picked up this book. It was definitely worth reading!
Special thanks to #BethKephart, #SimonandSchusterChildrensPublishing, and #NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The only thing that I had trouble with was that the style of writing took getting used to. I mean there were some really beautifully-written passages, but the story is told from the point-of-view of Sara and are told in short sentences that describes what she is hearing and sensing. The whole story is told that way with her recounting conversations that she either hears or is part of. I don't remember my grammar but the tense of the story feels like I'm reading one of those "choose your own adventure" stories. "I creak up. Put my feet on the floor. Crouch so my hair won't snag on the low rafters, so my head won't scrape." After finishing the story, I think I can see what the author was trying to do (put myself in her shoes), but it definitely took me time to get used to it. Also, it's apparent to me that her vision is not that great and that she often imagines what she sees based on what she hears and feels. But throughout the book, I can't quite figure out if she really is visually impaired in a big way or if she really just sees shadows. By the end (no spoilers), I'm really left guessing and that part just confused me.
Hmm...now that I'm thinking about it, I'm wondering if the narrative voice was deliberately chosen by the author so that I WOULD put myself in Sara's shoes. Which, thinking about the ending, is kind of a neat little circle (again, no spoilers). Perhaps. Either way, I'm really glad I picked up this book. It was definitely worth reading!
Special thanks to #BethKephart, #SimonandSchusterChildrensPublishing, and #NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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