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A review by whatmeganreads
Matrix by Lauren Groff
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I will begin by being transparent - I didn't love Lauren Groff's Fates and Furies when I tried it a few years ago. In fact, I didn't even finish it. Because of that, and all the big-time hype surrounding this novel, I was hesitant to try Groff again. Heavens, what a treat I would have missed if I had skipped it. Matrix is PHENOMENAL. I connected with this novel at almost the same level of intensity and depth that I had when reading Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth, one of my fave books of all time. This novel is on a much smaller scale of course -- Matrix is not nearly as expansive as TPOTE, although it spans the entirety of the protagonist's life.
Things to note: this is a purely character-driven novel, so you won't find a story pushed along by churning action in the plot. There are several storylines that have a good deal of action and move at a quick clip, but the overall focus is on the growth and development of the protagonist (whom I loved and adored). Another fun item of interest to bear in mind - Marie de France was a real person, and her true story and the events of her life are surrounded by intrigue and mystery...and are pretty hotly contested, even today. However, several historians seem to believe Marie de France was Marie, the Abbess of Shaftesbury Abbey in Dorset, England (the ruins of which I have added to my "when I visit England" bucket list).
I was absolutely smitten with this novel and my only complaint was that I really, REALLY wish it had been longer. Loved. It.
Things to note: this is a purely character-driven novel, so you won't find a story pushed along by churning action in the plot. There are several storylines that have a good deal of action and move at a quick clip, but the overall focus is on the growth and development of the protagonist (whom I loved and adored). Another fun item of interest to bear in mind - Marie de France was a real person, and her true story and the events of her life are surrounded by intrigue and mystery...and are pretty hotly contested, even today. However, several historians seem to believe Marie de France was Marie, the Abbess of Shaftesbury Abbey in Dorset, England (the ruins of which I have added to my "when I visit England" bucket list).
I was absolutely smitten with this novel and my only complaint was that I really, REALLY wish it had been longer. Loved. It.