From the Bookshelf of Crazy Challenge Connection…
Find A Copy At
Group Discussions About This Book
No group discussions for this book yet.
What Members Thought
Very interesting portrait of life on the frontier. Growing up first in Virginia and then in Nebraska, where this 1913 novel is set, Willa Cather (1873-1947) vividly writes of early settlers, their lives, loves, triumphs and losses. Strong female characters like Alexandra Bergson contrast with weak, possessive ones such as Frank Shabata and Lou and Oscar Bergson, Alexandra's brothers. The novel is a fairly quick read but draws you slowly into the story at first, yet rewards the reader with a rich
...more
Oct 12, 2021
Bucket
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
classic,
reviewed,
tragedy,
culture,
women,
life-and-death,
literary,
love,
nature-the-outdoors,
friendship
A truly stunning first novel.
At first, the story line here seemed a little simple and quaint, albeit with a beautiful sense of setting on the great plains. But the story quickly gained emotional complexity. Cather's characters are trapped by cultural norms and mores, particularly the women, and the results are heartbreaking.
As readers, we see the tragedies coming and can only ache for Alexandra and the others and yearn for a world for them that has a little more freedom. ...more
At first, the story line here seemed a little simple and quaint, albeit with a beautiful sense of setting on the great plains. But the story quickly gained emotional complexity. Cather's characters are trapped by cultural norms and mores, particularly the women, and the results are heartbreaking.
As readers, we see the tragedies coming and can only ache for Alexandra and the others and yearn for a world for them that has a little more freedom. ...more
Got better as it went along, but the language in this was just...stilted. Makes me wonder if Willa Cather's writing style changed drastically between this and My Ántonia or if I just didn't notice it back when I read it. Loved My Ántonia, didn't like O Pioneers!.
...more
3.5 stars.
Sep 21, 2012
Melissa (ladybug)
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
yearly-challenge,
radcliffes-best-novels
Nov 20, 2012
Sue
marked it as to-read
Sep 09, 2013
Diana S
marked it as to-read
Dec 02, 2014
Erin
marked it as to-read-classics
Jan 15, 2015
Shannon
marked it as to-read
Nov 04, 2016
Sallie(GeorgiaGirl)
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
audio,
kindle,
classics,
series,
historical-fiction,
2016,
2016-goodreads-reading-challenge,
willa-cather
Jul 09, 2020
Donna Jacoby
marked it as to-read
