Sweetland in Around the World in 80 Books

Nov 21, 2015 Beverly rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: cross-cultural, small-town, audio, newtome2015

This was a 3.5 read for me.

I am a big believer in the saying – Every book is not for everybody, but every book is for somebody.
Everything about this book seems to scream this is a book that I would thoroughly enjoy but it turns out I was just okay with it. While there was much that appealed to me in the end something was missing for me.

One of the things that I really enjoyed about the book is that it evoked the time and place so well. Not only was the physical geography well done but also the em This was a 3.5 read for me.

I am a big believer in the saying – Every book is not for everybody, but every book is for somebody.
Everything about this book seems to scream this is a book that I would thoroughly enjoy but it turns out I was just okay with it. While there was much that appealed to me in the end something was missing for me.

One of the things that I really enjoyed about the book is that it evoked the time and place so well. Not only was the physical geography well done but also the emotional geography – gave such insight into this close-knit community where tradition, culture, individual and group expectations met up with the harsh realities of nature and what is considered progress. It was this aspect of the book where my attention perked up.

I liked how the characters were portrayed with frankness yet always in a thoughtful manner.
And how the characters embraced their island’s folklore – whether it was the whole truth or not as what is a culture without folklore – it helps solidify identity, pride and fortitude.

For me I enjoyed the second half of the book better than the first half, during which my attention ebbed and flowed thus probably being less interested in the characters as individuals than as a group.

After reading this book I have a better understanding of the Newfoundland history as it relates on its own and as part of Canadian history.

So what was missing for me – As mentioned in an earlier post this was an audio read and I thought the narrator probably took something away from the storyline then if I used my own voice if I read a print edition. I did not find a character to “latch” onto and felt for a lack of better work “removed” from the characters.

Overall this is a book where I can be appreciated of the author’s skills/themes and agree this is a needed story but just did not thrill me.

This is the first book that I read by Michael Crummey – I wonder if there another book of his that I would enjoy more or if his writing style is not my cup of tea.

This definitely one of those books that I am struggling to rate – but in the end it feels like a 3/3.5 read for me.
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