My Goodreads reviews

author: Barbara Kingsolver
name: Kim
average rating: 4.29
book published: 1998
rating: 4
read at: 2021/06/09
date added: 2021/06/09
shelves:
review:
Illuminating. Confronting. Well written.

It took me a while to get used to the constantly changing vantage points of the story, but once it got going it captivated my attention. Some of the writing is stunning, at times less so as it takes too many turns. But I learnt a lot along the way (including quite a few Wikipedia detours as well as watching the Patrice Lumunga movie, highly recommended for background). Not for the faint hearted, I had to stop and catch my breath at times. My only minor gripe was the ending dragging out when it didn’t need to; the strength of the story would have benefitted from some loose ends to keep the reader pondering…

author: Simon Winchester
name: Kim
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2021/05/30
date added: 2021/06/01
shelves:
review:
A problem of the ages so well defined, missing solutions

Simon Winchester is a superb writer. His grasp of complex issues is surpassed by his ability to make them understandable to the reader. The research behind this book is extraordinary, and the way he binds it all together makes for a riveting read of a rather somber subject. But I was hoping for a better approach to solutions of the malaise we find ourselves in. Maybe there aren’t any…

author: Bridget Collins
name: Kim
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/05/16
date added: 2021/05/16
shelves:
review:
A clever idea well executed

Don’t be put off by the slow, strange beginnings. Persevere, and you’ll be rewarded by a strangely wonderful story shrouded in the mysteries of awful misdeeds and witchcraft unlike anything else. Very clever, and the style of the prose fits the story perfectly.

author: Rutger Bregman
name: Kim
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at: 2020/12/02
date added: 2020/12/02
shelves:
review:

author: Pip Williams
name: Kim
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2020/12/02
date added: 2020/12/02
shelves:
review:

author: Jock Serong
name: Kim
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2020/11/28
date added: 2020/11/28
shelves:
review:
Jock Serong doesn’t disappoint, but…

A fascinating story well told, much of it feels authentic and is well researched. But where Preservation had a beginning a middle and an end, The Burning Island left me slightly disappointed at an ending that felt rushed and a bit incongruous. Still, it’s a good read and I learnt a lot.

author: Amor Towles
name: Kim
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2020/10/10
date added: 2020/10/11
shelves:
review:
A brilliant book on every levels

A story that keeps surprising, told with insight, passion and humour, but above all with an eloquence and style rarely experienced. Again and again I found myself reading a passage over and over again in pure enjoyment of the craft of writing beautifully executed by an artisan of word smithing.