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A review by luluwoohoo
Wildflowers by Peggy Frew
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Wildflowers by Peggy Frew
☀️☀️☀️🌥️
▪️A harrowing story of trauma, addiction and family against the backdrop of rural Australia which was not an easy or satisfying read, though in the end both of those seem intentional
▪️The pacing of this story is brutally slow, and it took me a very long time to complete. In part, I think my expectations weren't prepared for such a bleak, grim narrative with practically no reprieve, but also the book presents several unlikeable characters who are difficult to root for in the structure we're given
▪️Frew's writing is beautiful: insightful, observational and unafraid. The depth of exploration she went to with these characters, but in particular Nina and her depression, is admirable and definitely the highlight of the novel
▪️By writing this book from the perspective of an apathetic narrator, Frew has (perhaps unintentionally) created an emotional divide which prevented me from establishing a connection with the characters and their plight, particularly with little visible growth until the final pages
▪️This is a book I wanted to like much more than I inevitably did. The concept holds merit and the story is a powerful depiction of difficult circumstances, but Frew failed to infuse these pages with enough heart and soul for me.
☀️☀️☀️🌥️
▪️A harrowing story of trauma, addiction and family against the backdrop of rural Australia which was not an easy or satisfying read, though in the end both of those seem intentional
▪️The pacing of this story is brutally slow, and it took me a very long time to complete. In part, I think my expectations weren't prepared for such a bleak, grim narrative with practically no reprieve, but also the book presents several unlikeable characters who are difficult to root for in the structure we're given
▪️Frew's writing is beautiful: insightful, observational and unafraid. The depth of exploration she went to with these characters, but in particular Nina and her depression, is admirable and definitely the highlight of the novel
▪️By writing this book from the perspective of an apathetic narrator, Frew has (perhaps unintentionally) created an emotional divide which prevented me from establishing a connection with the characters and their plight, particularly with little visible growth until the final pages
▪️This is a book I wanted to like much more than I inevitably did. The concept holds merit and the story is a powerful depiction of difficult circumstances, but Frew failed to infuse these pages with enough heart and soul for me.
"It was something that hadn't happened since Nina was, say, fifteen. The three of them, together, breathing the same air, electrified by something vast, something immeasurably bigger than they were."