Reviews

A Grandmother Begins the Story by Michelle Porter

jmfafara's review

emotional funny reflective slow-paced

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

2.0

annatrag's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

shikwe's review

challenging emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

catmilo's review

emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Really interesting intergenerational stuff happening here

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Suicide attempt, Cursing, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Abandonment

hiitsmecassie's review against another edition

2.0

just not for me tbh i kind of read it so fast because i knew if i didnt i would never finish it because of how boring i found it 1.5

til_ly's review

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

lisamchuk's review against another edition

3.0

This was a bit hard to get into, as the multiple points of view were tricky to initially sort out (I listened to the audiobook - they were all different narrators which was amazing - perhaps I needed the physical text to remind me of who was telling their story) but once I got farther into the story it became clear who was who and how they were connected. I enjoyed this: it’s about intergenerational trauma and family and while it tidied up neatly by the end, I was tearing up a little so did get emotionally invested.

thejeneral's review against another edition

Due back at library. Wasn’t compelled to renew

cdhotwing's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

bedbugbeyond's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

Charming, authentic & bittersweet tale of intergenerational trauma.

Overall, I think the audiobook’s cast of narrators added a beautiful depth to the many (many many) voices in the novel. I felt (more so at the beginning) that the narration was, at times, a little inconsistent – in both who was voicing which part and, occasionally, in tone. The story and its telling was, however, so otherwise immersive that any minor confusion quickly melted away.