1 to 3 of 3
Review Date: 8/20/2012
"This book IS very short, and is disappointing to receive in the mail. The book and characters lack appeal because they are manifestations of her fantasies, not actual ghosts with their own personalities. The "action" was also not very interesting. Sorry I sent for it."
Review Date: 8/31/2011
"This book was engaging, and I finished in a day. I would recommend it.
However (!!!) the big fatal flaw to this book is that it lacked a protagonist. As others have said, it was written from the different points of view of nearly all major characters. Not one of these was likable (maybe one) and most I nearly hated. They all had flaws -- big ones ranging from infidelity, to wife/child abuse, to arson and manslaughter, possible murder and attempted murder, to just being a jerk. Overwhelming. I finished the book to see how it ended -- and it was interesting, but I really didn't care what happened to anyone.
I like to be able to root for at least one character to have a happy ending.
Maybe it matters that I didn't read the first book. Will continue to read this author."
However (!!!) the big fatal flaw to this book is that it lacked a protagonist. As others have said, it was written from the different points of view of nearly all major characters. Not one of these was likable (maybe one) and most I nearly hated. They all had flaws -- big ones ranging from infidelity, to wife/child abuse, to arson and manslaughter, possible murder and attempted murder, to just being a jerk. Overwhelming. I finished the book to see how it ended -- and it was interesting, but I really didn't care what happened to anyone.
I like to be able to root for at least one character to have a happy ending.
Maybe it matters that I didn't read the first book. Will continue to read this author."
Review Date: 2/8/2011
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
"This is perhaps my favorite book I've ever read. Plot-wise, it is the autobiography of a woman who grew up in East Africa in the early 20th century. It is marvelous -- the quote from Hemingway should sell it if we can't. There are some racist undertones that are probably appropriate for the time and place of this book, albeit shocking now.
Scholars debate whether this book was actually written by Hemingway himself. He was her lover, and so seldom praised other writers' works. Markham, after penning this masterpiece, never wrote anything else. The book does have a Hemingway flavor to it."
Scholars debate whether this book was actually written by Hemingway himself. He was her lover, and so seldom praised other writers' works. Markham, after penning this masterpiece, never wrote anything else. The book does have a Hemingway flavor to it."
1 to 3 of 3