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Mar 15, 2024
Recommended in "The Sentence" by Louise Erdrich
Feb 11, 2024EljayJohnson rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Extremely well-written literary/historical fiction about a trio of anthropologists studying indigenous peoples in 1930s New Guinea. It's loosely based on the life of renowned anthropologist Margaret Mead and the book details the work, the…
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Jan 07, 2024
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Oct 31, 2023Luckybe rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
A very well written fictional account of 3 anthropologist in New Guinea, in the 1930s, living with and studying tribes of the area. A fascinating and great read.
Aug 27, 2023katie1482 rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
Fictionalized take on Margaret Meade's (in the story, Nell's) life during the transition between her first husband (Reo Fortune (!) / Fen) and second (Gregory Bateson / Andrew Bankson). I enjoyed King's writing quite a bit (she knows how…
Aug 07, 2023caitbergeron rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
A truly beautiful novel and an instant favourite. The characters and atmosphere are so compelling. A must-read.
Oct 07, 2022pierc012 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This book is loosely based on the life of anthropologists Margaret Mead, Gregory Bateson, and Reo Fortune. King is a beautiful writer. She also puts together a compelling plot that at once reveals the sexual tensions between these 3…
Jun 22, 2021vcondez rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
It lost me several times whenever one of the books I had placed on hold was finally available for pick up and I would read those instead, then get back to this... It's strange this happened because it's really well written. I got a truly…
Jan 11, 2021sharon711 rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Although I generally enjoy fiction with a science bent, I felt luke-warm about this book. I finished it just to see how such a story would end, and again, I was disappointed. Although the female anthropologist was an independent-minded…
Dec 05, 2020sandyhenn rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
I enjoyed reading this novel but I take issue with writers who base a fictional account on a real character. If you want to write a fiction about anthropologists in New Guinea in the early 20th century, go ahead and do that. If you want to…
Aug 25, 2020
Euphoria by Lily King fictionally encompasses the life of Margaret Mead. The story centers on a love triangle of three anthropologists in 1930’s New Guinea. The hardships and medical problems alarm this reader. Why do people forsake…
Feb 13, 2020CMLibrary_sally rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Well written book, but not for everyone. Adult material.
Jun 17, 2019
As one reader says this book is "humid". The sense of place and culture was well described, a different view point of history I was not familiar with.
May 14, 2019xiaojunbpl12 rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Have not known about Mead before reading the book, I was entertained as a voyeur more than a thinker. No one figure affected me deep enough to outlast other books, and no fresh point of view to enlighten me, but her imaginative writing on…
Dec 21, 2018Valmeniscus rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I liked the writer's style - using a diary to give one charater's point of view, some 3rd person narration and some narration by one of the main characters. I found the characters interesting, how they interacted, their strengths and…
Apr 12, 2018orange_lobster_23 rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
Loosely based on the lives of Margaret Meade, her first and second husbands, this novel is an intriguing look at the ambitious professional obsession and complex evolving inter-relationships of the three main characters. Piqued my…
Mar 11, 2018DBRL_ReginaF rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
My only complaint is that this book is too short. I want more. I guess I will just have to go read more about Margaret Mead.
Dec 26, 2017ArapahoeAnnaL rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
A wonderfully engaging historical novel based loosely on the life of Margaret Mead. Friendship, love, and philosophy among anthropologists studying river tribes in New Guinea. One of the NYT Book Review's 10 best books of 2014.
Jun 24, 2017BostonPL_LauraB rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Loved the setting and reading about how the early anthropologists might have worked, including the main subject of this story Nell (loosely based on Margaret Mead), her husband Fen (ugh), and a British anthropologist named Bankson. I even…
May 02, 2017
This book is humid. It is dense with a strong sense of place and filled with complex character relationships. A great pick for book clubs!
Apr 19, 2017AlteredStaite rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
The writing is good. One sticks with it to the end. Don't know what this says about the reader. This is the second novel of Lily King's hoping the 'heroine' would off herself and let all the people she's been abusing get on with their…
Oct 26, 2016ryner rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
When Andrew Bankson meets fellow anthropologists Nell Stone and her husband Fen in New Guinea, they have just emerged from a treacherous experience studying the Mumbanyo and are looking for an alternative mission of discovery. He offers to…
Oct 05, 2016EmilyEm rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Wonderful characters and sense of place—well done historical fiction.
Oct 03, 2016Pisinga rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
While I was reading this book, I was thinking - What a waste of a really good topic and interesting material: endless names of tribes; unlikeable, incomplete, characters of westerners... But last 30 or so pages, raised my opinion of the…
Sep 21, 2016becker rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
There was so much to love about this story of 3 anthropologists who are doing field research in New Guinea. The setting is great - both moody and interesting and I loved the introspective approach to revealing these characters and their…