Stacey > Recent Status Updates

I first added this book to my TBR list in 2018....and I'm finally getting to it. Instead of adding more and more books to my list and reading more recently added titles, I'm intentionally looking to read stories that intrigued me in the past enough to add to my TBR list, and for whatever reason still seem to call to me. I hope this one was worth the wait! Haha

Strong beginning! Has me intrigued - must keep reading to find out who this main character is and why he's doing this seemingly crazy thing.

Listening as an audiobook. The narrator's voice lulls me into zombie mode and I often realize I've been hearing her words without having actually listened. So I've started many chapters over repeatedly. It doesn't help that without SEEING the foreign names in print, I struggle to realize which person is being spoken about. I probably should have READ this vs listened.

I'm uncertain if the author intended to write his story in the view/voice of his childhood self. If he did, I think it's genius. There is something inviting and accepting of a child's innocent, naive perspective. It allows the reader to have more compassion in a way. Very interested to see where the rest of his story goes - I just need to keep my eyes open longer than getting in 10 pages of reading each sleepy night

I'm torn- I think I like the story but dislike the author perhaps. His antiquated, vile chauvinism is repulsive. Follett outwardly writes each female character for what use she is being selfishly used by the men in her life. Though he doesn't write in the perspective of historical accuracy, which would include some disgust of it, but rather in a normalized way of it's what is expected and accepted.

So far I'm torn whether to love or hate this book. Perhaps I love the book but do not like the author's antiquated, chauvinistic perspective of women. He outwardly writes about every woman in this book being used for a man's selfish purpose - not in a historical, time-appropriate way, but in a normalized, as if it should be expected and accepted way. Undecided which character is the bad guy vs the good guy.