Jola’s review of Land > Likes and Comments

I do like Maggie Farrell but you have effectively scared me off of this one

Dear Magdelanye, if you love her writing, it's still worth checking out for the gorgeous prose alone - just be prepared to jump ship (actually, that's exactly what one of the characters did!) when the avalanche of tragedies starts rolling in!

Jola, I'm sorry this was such a disappointment after months of anticipation. I have a rather complicated relationship with Maggie O'Farrell. I've enjoyed several of her books and I always admire her writing, yet somehow she has never quite found a permanent place in my heart. I keep approaching her novels feeling that this might be the one that truly wins me over. Your thoughts of the first half actually sounds very much like the sort of novel I would enjoy, which makes the shift you describe in the second half all the more frustrating. Do you think the book would have worked better if it had remained focused on Tomás and the mapping of the peninsula rather than expanding into a family saga?

Dear Pia, it’s comforting to know I'm not alone in having a complex relationship with Maggie O'Farrell’s work.🙂 To answer your question: I actually have nothing against developing Tomás's story into a family saga, but the way she did it here just didn’t resonate with me. It wasn't the scope that failed in my opinion, but the execution - it felt as though the plot lost its compass (ironic in the case of a novel about a mapmaker) in the second half and relied on a barrage of misfortunes instead of a clear direction. That said, if you love beautiful nature writing and magical realism based on folklore, the first half really is stunning. If you do ever brave it, I'd love to know if it wins you over!

Szczery i dokładny komentarz, dobrze udokumentowany!
(Even if I have not read the book, it is useful and informative)

I felt exactly the same way

Dear Claudia, thanks so much!

Bardzo żałuję, że aż tyle marudziłam i narzekałam, ale zawód był naprawdę gorzki. Nauczka na przyszłość: oczekiwania powinny być mniej entuzjastyczne. 🙂

Dear Stephanie, thanks a bunch for stopping by. Honestly, it’s a relief to hear you say that - I was starting to wonder if I was reading it in the wrong headspace. 🙂

Your analysis of the problems with the plot of this book is interesting to read, Jola. You confirm me in my choice not to read it—though the mapping theme interests me a lot—as I've been disappointed in O'Farrell's writing in the past. I wonder if she was inspired by the wonderful play Translations which is set in Donegal in the 1800s when the area was being mapped by the British Ordinance Survey and locals were employed to help out.

Oh no Jola!! I was so looking forward to this book but now I see nothing but tepid reviews for it! Oh well, I can move it down the TBR.

Dear Fionnuala, thank you so much for this wonderful comment! I am so glad that you mentioned Translations - that sounds like a brilliant connection. I haven't read the play, but I really hope to do so. The history of the Ordnance Survey mapping and the anglicizing of local names seems both fascinating and heartbreaking. Surprisingly, O'Farrell doesn't mention it as a source of inspiration in the book, though the parallel is definitely there. The play sounds absolutely right up my alley, and it is officially going on my must-find-at-all-costs list. Thank you for always bringing such marvellous insights to my reviews!

Dear Teresa, I'm so sorry to be the bearer of bad news! 🙈 It is always such a bummer when a highly anticipated book turns out to be a bit of a letdown. On the other hand, there are many enthusiastic reviews also, so maybe Land is worth exploring anyway. It would be wonderful to read about your impressions if you decide to give it a try despite my grumbling.

Yes, I agree, there were part of the book that were frustrating, the close encounter with the grandfather, the close encounter with Eugene. Like why could they just not connect and have some good fortune! I felt like several characters were needlessly killed off and it didn’t add to the story

Hi Andi, thanks for stopping by. You put it perfectly! The narrative felt so punitive at times. Those near-misses broke my heart because, as you said, a little bit of good fortune would have gone such a long way. And I felt exactly the same way about the characters' deaths - at a certain point, it started to feel like tragedy for the sake of tragedy rather than moving the narrative forward. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts; it's a total relief to know I wasn't the only one feeling that frustration!

I had to quit, which I never ever do. The writing is stunning but I never got pulled into the plot

Agreed

Excellent review. This is how I felt exactly. Your review put voice to so many of my thoughts. I keep having to remind myself that the story took place in the 19th century, not the Middle Ages! And all the suffering! You nailed it. I kept hoping it would end with the four all together again or at least having knowledge of one another beyond the mystical. Still, I’m glad I read it. Worth finishing, I think. And I’m glad I read your review.

It felt like it was totally rushed at the end and then the fact that Eugene "knew" the fates of his siblings at the end but didn't recognise his brother when he came? It was a rushed way to end the story and left me with the same feeling

This is exactly how I felt about this book. I feel so wrong giving it only 3 stars, as the writing is superb and the characters were all fully realised. But something was just missing for me. I really had to slog through it and even though by the end I was glad that I read it in its entirety, I still was left wishing I had loved it more.

Yes, our expectations are our trap and our enemy, unless they are very low, and we are pleasantly surprised.;)

I whole-heartedly agree with your review. Bleak wandering left me numb. Ooph.

Hello Holly, Adrian, Kim, Najla, Amy, and Marci, thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your kind comments. We are exactly on the same page: such a pity a truly interesting premise was sort of wasted, although I liked some aspects of this book a lot. Let's hope the next novel by this talented author will enchant us without weird, inconsistent "magic" forced into the story.

Dear Irena, so true! It really is a trap we constantly walk into. There’s definitely a unique kind of joy in going into a book with absolutely zero expectations and coming away completely blown away. How I wish it happened to me more often. I guess I need to practise the art of setting reasonable expectations more intensively!

Jola, thank you - you have articulated perfectly how I felt about this novel. I fear O'Farrell is a victim of her own success with Hamnet and her previous novels, but this one just didn't engage me in the same way.

This is exactly how I felt! I managed to finish, but I just didn’t connect the story and also found the continued tragedy just numbing. It’s a very bleak, and long, story that just left me ready for it to end.

Great review

I agree with much of what you say but just to comment that
- re it seeming like the middle ages - this is because England purposely stopped any progress or industrialisation in Ireland on pain of death. Look up the penal laws. But basically England wanted an uneducated controllable populace to toil the land as the bread basket for England's industrialisation. So the bit that's more inaccurate is that those kids would've had any opportunity to go to school at that point.
-re the constant misery, that was life then but I agree it's hard to carry on with as it's so relentless
-re the grandfather in the restaurant, it would've been more real if they'd got talking and figured out their connection because they're is a strange energy that draws Irish people across the world to people with even the vaguest of connections. He'd have seen a family resemblance and asked her who her people were. I've had this in many countries across the globe . We are famous for it
-re the identification of Tomas's dead body - you have no idea how nosy Irish people are and how they know who every fecker is within 3 counties and could list you all their relatives up to third cousins. Slight hyperbole there but only the slightest tbh

I very much agree with your point about their being just one calamity after another, and a certain point I was asking what the point of it was. Not that I expect to never read anything unpleasant. Of course, Hamnet deals directly with grief, and I loved that novel. This one did just feel towards the end like a pointless list of one horrendous thing after another.

Your feelings really echo my own here. I also loved Hamnet and quite liked Marriage Portrait, but this didn’t resonate for me in the same way. I felt at times like there was no plot at all and that she was telling me about these characters and all the tragedy that has befallen them. Some parts were confusing also, such as the magical elements and timeline leaps way into the past or future. You’re absolutely right - seems the story about the mapmaker and his family needs a better map! Well said.

Hi Di, I couldn't agree more with your observation that most probably O'Farrell is a victim of her own success with Hamnet and her previous novels.

I'm not a writer and estimate my chances of becoming an author of a bestseller as extremely low 😄, but I suspect you must be under huge pressure after publishing a few highly successful novels, with all the hype and expectations. The process is not as natural as before. Just my guess. I hope her new book will be much better against all odds.

Hello Elizabeth, thanks so much for sharing your impressions. Unfortunately, this is exactly how I felt as well. I wish my review could be much more enthusiastic.

Hi Paula, very kind of you. Thanks so much for your lovely comment.

Hi Tina, thank you so much for taking the time to share such a detailed and fascinating response! Your insights add so much depth to the historical context, and you make some incredibly fair points.

Your first point about England systematically halting Irish progress and industrialization actually hit very close to home for me. Coming from Poland, I couldn’t help but notice some deeply painful parallels between our histories. Both of our countries spent generations dealing with a powerful, aggressive neighbour intent on suppressing our culture, limiting our education, and trying to dismantle the very fabric of our nations to keep us controllable. Knowing that context makes the "Middle Ages" feel of the setting understandable--it wasn't a natural lack of progress, but a brutally enforced one.

I also love your perspective on the grandfather in the restaurant and the identification of Tomas's body. That "strange energy" drawing Irish people together across the globe and that tightly-knit, incredibly observant community network sounds so wonderfully authentic. It makes me wish the book had leaned into those genuine cultural traits instead of how it was written--it would have made those moments feel so much more organic and alive.

Thank you again for such a thoughtful, eye-opening comment. It’s given me a whole new layer of appreciation for the history behind Land!

Hello Dena, you have put this so perfectly! I absolutely love that you also brought up Hamnet because it is the perfect point of comparison. Hamnet is undeniably devastating and deals with the heaviest of griefs, but the tragedy in it feels so deeply human and beautifully rendered. It actually has an emotional arc that leads to a profound place of healing and connection.

With Land, though, it really did start to feel like a relentless checklist of misery. When a story just piles one calamity on top of another without giving the characters--or the readers--any room to breathe, process, or find meaning, it loses its emotional impact. At a certain point, instead of feeling moved, you just start to feel numb and exhausted.

It is so reassuring to know I wasn't the only one left asking "what was the point of it all?" by the end! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts; it’s always so comforting to connect with a fellow reader who felt exactly the same way.

Hi Erin, it is reassuring to hear that your experience mirrored mine so closely. Like you, I adored Hamnet and quite enjoyed The Marriage Portrait, which makes this one all the more disappointing. When you know just how brilliantly Maggie O'Farrell can weave a narrative, the lack of a clear plot here really stands out. It felt less like a living, breathing story and more like a passive recitation of tragedies.

And you are so spot on about the confusion. The magical realism elements felt a bit misplaced, and those sudden timeline leaps into the distant past or future just threw off the pacing completely. Instead of adding depth, it just made an already sprawling story feel even more disconnected. Although I must say I didn't mind them as much as other problems.

Thank you so much for this wonderful comment--it is always a relief to know you aren't alone in your reading frustrations!

I think it could be fair to say, that rather than choosing to inflict a relentless sequence of emotional calamities on the reader, it's a fairly accurate representation of the time. You may have noticed that she didn't set the book IN the Great Famine, but in its aftermath. Such a book could well be unbearable. For reader and writer.
There are glancing references, to memories and visuals that are instantly suppressed.
That era had lots of smaller scale, more localised famines.

And the scene with the grandfather pases my personal plausibility test: it's the omniscient narrator who knows they are connected, not the characters.

I think it’s quite possible that there is no counterweight to the relentless suffering because there truly was no counterweight to the relentless suffering of successive generations of Irish people. I think of my taciturn father who never knew that his father had a first wife who died from the Spanish flu, who never knew how his grandparents survived the Great Hunger, who never knew who was lost to hunger or displacement because it was never spoken about. The grief and the heaviness are inherited but it’s a dense and inscrutable pain carried across generations.

Hello Eithne, thanks so much for reading my review. I see your point, but to me it almost sounds as though we should be grateful that O'Farrell didn't make the novel even bleaker. I don't think that, even in the aftermath of the Famine or during other dark periods in history, people's lives consisted of an unbroken chain of tragedies. They still laughed, found moments of joy, fell in love, and carried on.

My criticism wasn't that the novel depicts suffering--I'd expect it to--but that, for me, the accumulation of misfortunes eventually became emotionally numbing rather than moving. And what bothered me most was that, in my view, they ultimately led nowhere. It felt like a chronicle of one sad event after another.

Hi Maura, I'm so sorry to hear about everything your family went through. Thank you for sharing that with me. As I've already said, I see more and more similarities between the histories of Ireland and Poland.

You are definitely right that many people carried an immense burden of grief and hardship for years. At the same time, novelists never depict the whole of reality; they inevitably choose which fragments to show. For me, it felt as though O'Farrell consistently selected the bleakest ones. Even in the darkest circumstances, people still found comfort in one another, smiled, or took pleasure in the small things in life. Otherwise, they would simply have gone mad. I missed those glimpses of light, not because I wanted the novel to be less historically truthful, but because I felt they would have made the sorrow even more powerful.

I feel exactly the same. Was curious to read the reviews and have found this one that just mirrors my opinion. Thank you.

Hello Maria, thanks so much for stopping by. I'm so glad my thoughts resonated with you. Of course, I'd have preferred it if we'd both been singing the praises of Land, but, unfortunately, I don't think it gave either of us much reason to.

I wholeheartedly agree with your review. I have 5 hours left to listen and I think I am going to stop.
Her writing is beautiful, and it’s a genre I would ordinarily love, but it feels more like a recount of events with little development and depressing without actually arousing any emotional connection (though I’m guessing this is reflective of the time).

Thank you! You have perfectly summarised my experience of this book, which I was finding impossible to distill into a coherent review.

Hi Jess, thanks for leaving a comment! I totally validate your decision to stop, as 5 hours is way too long to spend on something that feels depressing without giving you that emotional connection in return. I actually had a very similar battle with it: I started with the audiobook and had to swap to the ebook almost immediately because the audio narration was just unbearable for me. Reading it with my own eyes made the beautiful writing pop a lot more, though it doesn't fix that distant, event-recount feeling you mentioned. Hope our next reads are a much better fit!

Hello Lornah, thank you so much--that is such a huge compliment! I know the feeling all too well. Some books are just so tricky to pin down into words. I'm so glad my review resonated with your experience! It took me a bit of processing to figure out how I felt about this novel.

I agree 100%

I couldn’t agree more!

Hi Samantha and Melanie, thanks a lot for stopping by and reading. It's always such a great feeling to know a review resonated with someone else.

Completely agree with you, Jola! With only one point of difference: I more than quite liked The Marriage Portrait. lol. Otherwise I think you’ve cut to the heart of what I thought was an often beautiful but flawed novel

Hello A, I'm so glad we are on the same page. It's great that you enjoyed The Marriage Portrait more than I did. By the way, I'm surprised a film adaptation hasn't been made yet; it's such a cinematic novel. The last scene still lingers in my mind. As for Land, your words "an often beautiful but flawed novel" sum up my impressions perfectly! Thanks so much for your kind words.