Has anyone else read this book? I just finished it and have to say it’s one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. Lately, book endings (and movie endings) have left me very unsatisfied. I’m very happy to say that this book did not.
I read it some time last year. I liked it overall, but wasn’t that thrilled with the writing. I found the endless description of the landscape, and especially the birds, to be tiresome.
I just checked it out, and it seems to be held in high regard by both critics and readers. It won some kind of “author’s debut” award.
I have to confess - I didn’t really read the book. I had it as an audiobook. So maybe listening to the descriptions didn’t seem as endless as reading them would be. I also am interested in flora and fauna so that makes a difference too.
I could see the appeal of that if the reader has a nice voice.
BTW, they’re making a film out of it. It’s a Reese Witherspoon project so maybe will be on HBO like her other productions. I will definitely watch it.
I have to confess – I have neither read the book nor listened to it on audio book. But as someone who reads a lot of books, I will say that in general, descriptions tend to be more insufferable in audio book format, rather than less. If a written description is long, it’s very easy to skip over it and pick up where the action resumes, but with an audio book, you’re pretty much stuck. I think there is a “skip ahead thirty seconds” feature, or you can skip ahead to the next chapter, but when I try to use those I get a bit lost.
It’s on my list! In fact, it’s on my bedside table. Maybe I’ll move it up in the stack.