Frog Music in Around the World in 80 Books

Nov 20, 2013 Rachel rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction

I have it! I have it! It's in my hands!! Nearly hugged the postman when he handed it to me even though it was wet and snowy. Thank you to Goodreads First Reads for sending it to me!

Review: This is a historical fiction set in 1876 San Francisco. I felt very connected to the material since I have always wanted to know more after visiting a couple of years ago. The details that Donoghue provides satisfied my abundant curiosity and touched on a lot of different issues that have played such a role in I have it! I have it! It's in my hands!! Nearly hugged the postman when he handed it to me even though it was wet and snowy. Thank you to Goodreads First Reads for sending it to me!

Review: This is a historical fiction set in 1876 San Francisco. I felt very connected to the material since I have always wanted to know more after visiting a couple of years ago. The details that Donoghue provides satisfied my abundant curiosity and touched on a lot of different issues that have played such a role in the past and the ramifications of which still remain today. She did a great job bringing to life the intricate details of everyday life in that time, when today after the fires and the earthquakes all that remain, really, are pictures. Also, after studying French for 4 years in high school, I was left with only a few random curse words, but now I am well up on many more!

There were a couple of issues I had with the novel. The first was the characterization of Blanche as a sex mad prostitute and dancer. Surely she would have seen the problems with her relationship with Arthur before her life fell apart? And I find it hard to believe that she wouldn't have any idea about (view spoiler).

Also, the novel seemed to equivocate about what it actually was about, or even what genre it is aside from historical fiction. Firstly it is a mystery about the death of real-life cross-dressing frog-catcher Jenny Bonnet, it is also a dramatic attempt to answer the question of "When mother love doesn't come naturally, can it come at all?" as Donoghue asks in the Q&A section at the end. So I found it a bit difficult to distract myself from the mystery of Jenny's death while wondering what will happen with Blanche's child.

All in all I am very happy to have read this novel, and it is the perfect book to be the first I have finished in 2014! ...more

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May 11, 2015 alana rated it it was ok

Shelves: immigration, audiobook, historical-fiction, crime

Hmm...had I realized this would be so similar to The Paying Guests, I would have listened to them further apart...This might be another case of the audiobook version swaying my rating since the various accents drove me a bit crazy while listening. I also had to turn it off once while on my balcony gardening and a particularly graphic scene started broadcasting to my neighbors *squirm* While it deals with some broad immigrant issues in San Francisco at the end of the 19th century, the story felt ...more

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Apr 01, 2014 Jessica rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical, mystery, california

Much like in her previous bestseller Room, Donoghue doesn't take it easy on the reader - Blanche is a hard protagonist to like, and the revulsions of San Francisco's underbelly in the 1870s are on full unstinting display. Only Jenny rises to the level of sympathy, and even she is so covered with spines that her true character never quite comes through. That said, Donoghue's grace with language and her skillful use of music as an underlying theme makes this a fine choice for those who like their ...more

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