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A Complicated Kindness
A Complicated Kindness
Author: Miriam Toews
Sixteen-year-old Nomi Nickel longs to hang out with Lou Reed and Marianne Faithfull in New York City’s East Village. Instead she’s trapped in East Village, Manitoba, a small town whose population is Mennonite: “the most embarrassing sub-sect of people to belong to if you’re a teenager.” East Village is a town with n...  more »
ISBN-13: 9780676978568
ISBN-10: 0676978568
Publication Date: 5/1/2007
Pages: 256
Rating:
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0 stars, based on 0 rating
Publisher: Vintage Canada
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

candieb avatar reviewed A Complicated Kindness on + 239 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I dunno if I liked this or not. The story was pretty good, but it was... well... complicated. I felt like I needed a road map to follow the story, it felt disjointed, like it was everywhere all at once. I didn't like that it didn't let you in on parts that would have helped the story along until the last quarter of the book. A very unsatisfying read.
vprosser avatar reviewed A Complicated Kindness on + 161 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
First off, this is nothing like I thought it would be! It's about a teenage girl living in a Mennonite society in Canada, so I presumed the community would be like the Mennonites I'm familiar with here in Michigan. NO WAY! The main character smokes, drinks, swears, does crazy things like typical teenagers do. I don't know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't anything like this. Basically the story revolves around her teenage angst and her relationships (or lack thereof) with her dad and boyfriend and a couple of other people. A very strange book, I don't know if I'd necessarily recommend it but I wouldn't say it was bad either.
reviewed A Complicated Kindness on + 12 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Written by a Canadian author, it is a story of a young girl growing up in a Mennonite community in Canada. Her family is torn apart by shunning. An interesting, yet sad read.
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reviewed A Complicated Kindness on + 54 more book reviews
Hilarious! I don't recall when I have laughed so hard at a book.
reviewed A Complicated Kindness on + 9 more book reviews
The book speaks with the authentic voice of teenager in a small Mennonite community in Canada. Struggling with loss of family and faith, trying to find a way in the world, it is sad and funny. Weirdly appealling and insightful even in the midst of heartbreaking moments. It stays with you long after the last page.
reviewed A Complicated Kindness on + 17 more book reviews
Winner of the Governor General's Literary Medal for the Arts; this is a lovely coming-of-age novel.
harmony85 avatar reviewed A Complicated Kindness on + 982 more book reviews
Very good read...it did remind me a bit of "Catcher In The Rye", except I liked this book better!


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