Reviews

A Children's Bible by Lydia Millet

mitskacir's review

3.0

Adding to my list of books I read but didn't understand. This book had a very Moonrise Kingdom vibe to it, from the children running away from incompetent parents, the freak storm, and all the white people (there was one, maybe two, non-white people mentioned, but their ethnicity had little to no impact on their characterization - if I wasn't explicitly told, I wouldn't have any way of knowing - and everyone seemed white-coded. I was a bit wary of the only character of Asian decent (adopted) being described multiple times, scathingly, as having "old banana breath" or as a "banana". I'm not sure if this was an intentional racial slight, or if the author was oblivious. If it was used consciously, I'm not sure what the point was). Despite all this, it was an enjoyable book - the children were written very convincingly, speaking and thinking like teenagers I know. I need to think more about the literary symbolism between Biblical disasters and the modern ills described in the book (mostly climate change): they seemed pretty straight-forward, but I have a feeling they merit more attention.

bugtickle's review

dark mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

andotherworlds's review against another edition

2.0

2 // did not gel with this

kbishop24's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

see64's review

dark sad tense medium-paced

3.5

dunforde's review

dark funny reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

bookph1le's review against another edition

3.0

3.5 stars

I don't always find literary novels compulsively readable, but I did find this one to be that. It left me with a lot of food for thought as well when it comes to adults' responsibility for children's futures, and the way the price for past generations' actions are often paid for by the children who played no part in them, arguments that are very much of the moment.

ciara_isreading's review

3.5

My partner had to explain a lot of what this book is about - once he did, I was way better equipped to understand what was going on. I enjoyed it for the most part! But it didn't hold my attention the way I hoped it would. Nothing against the book at all, I just don't think it's for me.

d5lefko's review against another edition

4.0

4.5. A wonderful little bummer.

estherackerman's review

adventurous dark medium-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

4.5