September 13, 2020

A reread and well worth it. So imaginative and readable without being too simplistic. Great, likable characters. Just a fun read all around. 2X (June 2019, February 2023)

June 20, 2019
July 3, 2019

Luminous prose. Characters so intricately constructed. Vivid and beautiful and heartbreaking. I really loved this book.

July 13, 2019

The writing incredible. The repetition frustrating. The foundations of future horror - very evident. Lovecraft is masterful.

April 19, 2022

*4.5 stars. Such a fun, immersive read. No pun intended. I loved the impending dread and the sense of urgency.

January 28, 2018
January 3, 2020

*2.5 stars. Brutal and desolate. Some passages that ventured into a kind of stark loveliness but I never connected with the characters.

February 6, 2020

Creepy and nuanced. The parallels between the narrator's marriage and ordinary life and the unexplained mysteries of the vacation house are well drawn. Very much enjoyed.

December 26, 2018

*2.75? While it was an exhilarating read at times and had some beautifully crafted moments, it just missed the mark to be anything more to me. Some elements were too pat and some of it seemed forced. I was entertained throughout but just not enlightened or transported.

March 28, 2018

An enjoyable read. There is just something smooth and easy about the writing and the characters, especially Grace, are well drawn and relatable.

May 2, 2019

4.5 stars. Absolutely riveting and chocked full of some of the most bizarre and unbelievable adventures in a time when exploration reigned supreme. I am beyond fascinated with the trio of main characters here - namely the enigmatic Richard Burton.

August 1, 2022

So much fun and so much heart. I liked it and then I started to love it and then it gutted me and I loved it more.

October 30, 2020

Not quite as moving as My Name Is Lucy Barton, but filled with Strout's perfect writing and wonderful insight. I am looking forward to continuing to work through her catalogue.

July 9, 2018

*3.5 stars. A great start to the rejuvenated Finer Things.

November 8, 2019

*2.5 stars

June 30, 2020
March 16, 2022
January 31, 2022

*3.5 stars

October 9, 2021
May 6, 2020

*4.5 stars. The strongest yet of the series.

May 30, 2023

Superb writing and a moving story. Compulsively readable. Heavy with melancholy but with a hopefulness, too.

December 26, 2017

A soft 3. Some very interesting perspectives and I liked the structure but felt a little thin. Kind of just a collection of thoughtful snippets. Just couldn't get into Frankie's world as much as I would have liked to.

March 1, 2018

It really reads like a Fever Dream. Enjoyed it, in all its confusing and bizarre intrigue.

May 17, 2019

Compulsively readable.

April 21, 2018