JanB's Reviews > Unsettled Ground

Outlier opinion: 2 very disappointed (and generous) stars

51 year old twins, Jeannie and Julius, uneducated and living their entire lives with their mother in nothing more than a shack, eke out a meager living with their vegetable garden, chickens, and the occasional odd job.

Their lives are turned upside down when their mother unexpectedly dies. Eventually secrets are revealed, and events happen which changes their lives forever.

I ask myself after I’ve read a book if the author’s purpose was achieved. In this case I honestly can’t discern a purpose.

The writing was nothing special, the characters, both good and evil, were comical caricatures, and pages and pages were written of the mundane minutiae of their daily lives. There was not enough of a plot to drive the story forward.

Every decision Jeannie and Julius make are bad ones. ( Like mine in continuing to read a book I’m not enjoying)

The relationships in the book were so unrealistic and laughable it made my eyes roll. The friendships and the love affair were so unlikely and laughable that they couldn’t be taken seriously. I guessed very early on what the big “secrets” were and I was correct.

I typically enjoy character-driven stories, even when they are bleak, but in this case the only character I enjoyed was Maude, the dog.

I requested this because it’s on the 2021 Women’s Prize shortlist. I’ve read and enjoyed several others, namely Transcendent Kingdom and The Vanishing Half, but this was a complete miss.

Very disappointing buddy read for Marialyce and me. Many readers loved it, so do read their reviews for a different perspective.

* I received a digital copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own