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throwawaffleaway t1_iy9r1ut wrote

I loved this book because of WHEN I read it. Looking back I can see how it doesn’t really reflect my tastes. It’s extremely “tell, don’t show” in my opinion, and if you’re as low as Nora you might need something like that. I don’t necessarily think this is Haig’s intention, I’ve read some of his other stuff and don’t find him particularly genius, but it’s good that it’s worked for some people. I really liked one of the later “lives” Nora fell into and what she does with it in her “real life” at the end. If you’re a fast reader who can handle being a bit noncommittal from the story, I’d encourage you to finish it for that, but if you prefer to be drawn deeply in, I don’t think it would be worth it for you then.

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duckshapedpotato OP t1_iy9san1 wrote

Yes! It is so valuable that this book has that power: to be perfect for a specific time in peoples lives.

I feel positively persuaded to read the rest! Maybe it'll give me another great insight that I hadn't forseen.

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ladyofbraxis t1_iyb2t9y wrote

Same. I read it while a close friend was hospitalized from a suicide attempt.

I think he wrote the book he needed to write, and if it’s formulaic or not for everyone, that’s fine.

It did ignite an interest in Svalbard for me, though.

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