Reviewed by phyllish on
Frederick's woodcarvings seemed lovely! My husband once showed me a book with pictures of amazing carvings by Albrecht Dürer. I couldn't help but picture those as I read. I especially loved his interpretation of Biblical stories through his work and the stories they told.
I liked the way the friendship between Adela and Frederick was exactly that. A friendship. Theirs was no insta-love, though they were drawn to one another.
Frederick was a gentle giant of a man, who had grown up with an abusive father. His dreams of finding a living doing what he loved best, woodcarving, seemed so far away. I loved his protective nature towards his mother and even his sisters who were often less than kind.
There were a few things that detracted from the story. I felt that Adela was constantly talking about how no one could understand her because she was an artist - until Frederick. This might not have bugged me quite so much if it wasn't reiterated. Frederick's father was abusive. It did seem like the violence he enacted on Frederick and his mother was spoken of often - perhaps a little too much.
Overall, this was a good story with hints of spirituality.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 7 July, 2020: Finished reading
- 7 July, 2020: Reviewed