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deanna_rigney's review against another edition
3.0
Basically the happenings after a teenage girl drowns in the lake next to her home. Nico, the 13-year old younger sister, must deal with the loss and the weird relationship that forms between herself the dead sister's boyfriend. Sad and beautifully written, but just a touch boring.
surlymanor's review against another edition
4.0
Margaret, are you grieving
Over Goldengrove unleaving?
Over Goldengrove unleaving?
moirastone's review against another edition
2.0
This felt like a rough draft. There were several great (and upsetting, and true) scenes between the 13-year-old girl protagonist and her older sister's boyfriend that were so interesting and vivid that the rest of the book paled in comparison.
brooke_review's review against another edition
4.0
I was really engrossed in the first half of this book. The last half was lacking in a way, but nonetheless, was found to be slightly disturbing as it developed.
jacquelinec's review against another edition
3.0
Let me start by saying that Francine Prose's Goldengrove is a beautifully written, thoughtful novel. It's part bildungsroman, part grief story, and all told by thirteen year-old Nico whose voice is utterly believable. Prose does a great job of conveying the grief that consumes Nico and her parents.
However, for all of the dark and touching moments, and the perceptive observations from Nico, I didn't find myself moved enough to particularly care for this book. The course of events that follow the death of Nico's sister, Margaret, are a lot more sedate than I thought they would, or should, be. Whenever a tense moment would arise, I found myself greatly anticipating some explosive or revealing outcome only for the plot to fall short. I think the blurb led me to expect big blow-ups and heroine that goes of the deep-end slutting around. Maybe that'll teach me not to build a book from a new author up too much in my mind...
...To continue reading this review, check out my blog, The Eclectic Book Lover.
However, for all of the dark and touching moments, and the perceptive observations from Nico, I didn't find myself moved enough to particularly care for this book. The course of events that follow the death of Nico's sister, Margaret, are a lot more sedate than I thought they would, or should, be. Whenever a tense moment would arise, I found myself greatly anticipating some explosive or revealing outcome only for the plot to fall short. I think the blurb led me to expect big blow-ups and heroine that goes of the deep-end slutting around. Maybe that'll teach me not to build a book from a new author up too much in my mind...
...To continue reading this review, check out my blog, The Eclectic Book Lover.
laurjo's review against another edition
1.0
I thought the style of Prose's writing was kind of enchanting,
but unfortunately the rest of the book didn't do much for me. For a talented writer, I felt the story wasn't at the same standard as her writing.
"We lived on the shore of Mirror Lake, and for many years our lives were as calm and transparent as its waters."
but unfortunately the rest of the book didn't do much for me. For a talented writer, I felt the story wasn't at the same standard as her writing.
badassmama's review against another edition
3.0
why: Spotted at Queen Anne books; curious about Prose's fiction after reading (listening to) Reading Like a Writer.
larddane's review against another edition
5.0
Un libro muy bien escrito aunque la trama te deja una sensación de perplejidad. De mis favoritos por lejos.
randybo5's review against another edition
4.0
The characters and emotions ring true in this book about grief.
lazygal's review against another edition
4.0
When Nico's sister Margaret dies, her family's world crumbles. Sounds banal, right? Yet Prose does something slightly different with the story -- it's not just about grief and getting along with life after the death of a sibling. It's about finding yourself, about being less than your sister's paler shadow and more of a person that will grow old. The characters, even the minor ones, felt real, as though the book was peering into the lives of people that actually existed.
The interweaving of old movies/songs reminded me a little of Davies' The Cunning Man, which isn't a bad thing at all.
Even though this is told through the eyes of (mostly) 13-year-old Nico, I have a difficult time calling this a YA book...
The interweaving of old movies/songs reminded me a little of Davies' The Cunning Man, which isn't a bad thing at all.
Even though this is told through the eyes of (mostly) 13-year-old Nico, I have a difficult time calling this a YA book...