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futurama1979's review against another edition
4.0
This book really had a lot of elements that I love in stories - a lovable but imperfect protagonist, a span of multiple decades covered, interweaving lives and coincidental meetings, and most of all the use of a historical framework for fictional characters.
Despite the prose being pretty layered and dense at some moments, it was surprisingly easy and quick to read; the story was so engaging I never wanted to put it down! I really loved Patrick's character, and I think the fact that he was sort of vague - all the focused description was about other people he was observing - made him seem more real, made his flaws more tangible, and also made that moment where he says he's Hana's dad so much stronger because he so rarely declares anything about himself. I loved that part so much.
My only issue with it really was that of the three men it was told from the perspective of - Patrick, Nicholas, and David - they seemed to have really similar views of/encounters with/relationships with women, which was kind of like.. squints at the author. But overall really enjoyed this one!
Despite the prose being pretty layered and dense at some moments, it was surprisingly easy and quick to read; the story was so engaging I never wanted to put it down! I really loved Patrick's character, and I think the fact that he was sort of vague - all the focused description was about other people he was observing - made him seem more real, made his flaws more tangible, and also made that moment where he says he's Hana's dad so much stronger because he so rarely declares anything about himself. I loved that part so much.
My only issue with it really was that of the three men it was told from the perspective of - Patrick, Nicholas, and David - they seemed to have really similar views of/encounters with/relationships with women, which was kind of like.. squints at the author. But overall really enjoyed this one!
whimsicalmeerkat's review against another edition
4.0
I fell in love with Toronto as a teenager. The English Patient is of course brilliant and a favorite, but In the Skin of a Lion holds a special place in my heart. It felt, in a paradoxical way, more warmly intimate because it encompasses an entire city and culture rather than the inhabitants of a house/village. A book that will make you smile and make your heart ache.
angus_mckeogh's review against another edition
1.0
This was an assigned book in one of my classes in college and I still couldn't finish it. Mind-numbingly boring.
djbeyers75's review against another edition
5.0
It has been some time since I've spent an evening reading an entire novel. This book was absolutely fantastic. I was completely drawn into it and did not want to set it aside for a moment.
kaeliwolf's review against another edition
1.0
Most boring book on the planet Earth. This book had no visible plot, no sequence of characters, nothing interesting. Don't read it, whatever you do.
erikajam's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
nanimao's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
One of those rare books that doesn't need a single word added or subtracted.
nyom7's review against another edition
3.0
Meh is genuinely all I can say about this book. There is absolutely nothing special about it and it is entirely forgettable. I don’t actively regret the time spent reading it but that’s only really because it was being read as procrastination. If I’d taken this on holiday I would have been thoroughly disappointed.
biomimic's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
grayjay's review
3.0
Ondaatje fictionalizes the lives of Canadian immigrants who played a large part in the early development of the city of Toronto in the early 1900s, focusing on the building of the Prince Edward Viaduct and the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant. He also weaves in historical figures such as Ambrose Small among his fictional ones.
The novel hones in on the sacrifices paid by immigrants to build the country that welcomed them in yet kept them at a distance. Yet I also felt like I was kept at a distance. I found the jumps in time, not confusing, but a little distancing. Each time we return to the lives of the primary characters their circumstances and relationships have changed.
Yet it is still a poignant story. His characters really suffer from the dominant power structures of a young Canada, eager to grow and willing to push the powerless out of its way
The novel hones in on the sacrifices paid by immigrants to build the country that welcomed them in yet kept them at a distance. Yet I also felt like I was kept at a distance. I found the jumps in time, not confusing, but a little distancing. Each time we return to the lives of the primary characters their circumstances and relationships have changed.
Yet it is still a poignant story. His characters really suffer from the dominant power structures of a young Canada, eager to grow and willing to push the powerless out of its way