Book Review: Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen

3 stars for Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen. I read this book for my neighborhood book club. I went back and forth about how many stars I would give this book for quite a bit. It wasn't something I would normally read and I kept waiting for it to play out like most novels that I read with a twist or lost love. I kept thinking that a knight in shining armor would show up.

That being said, the prose and level of artistry Dinesen demonstrates in Out of Africa is eloquent and beautiful. Isak Dinesen wrote this book about her time and experiences running a coffee plantation in Africa. She describes people that cross her path with such depth, it's unlike anything you will probably ever read. In addition to her words describing the characters from their skin, appearances, and words, she is able to dig into the depths of them and talk about their souls. 

What I loved the most about her writing was the way she personified everything from trees and plants to fish, streams, and the wind. She exemplifies breathing life into the setting, and as the reader, it's easy to believe and feel that the farm is very much alive. 

On the other hand, I felt that the story skipped around a lot and I had a hard time making sense of how she ended up on the farm and the circumstances surrounding her husband. She left Africa many times, and it wasn't ever clear to me why she left, who she was visiting, and I felt like I kept waiting and waiting for that clarification.  

I gave this book a 3 based on my love of the actual descriptions and artistry with the words themselves. As far as having a beginning, middle, and end or anything that hooked me, I felt the book came up short. I couldn't give it more than a 3 and I couldn't say it was an awful book. I've heard there's also a movie, and perhaps it did a better job of showing the story or having a hook. 

#outofafrica #bookreview #bookblog #3stars #isakdinesen #personification #coffeefarm #readaboutcoffee #bookclub #thebookwasbetter #sendmebooks #booknerd #weekendisbooked #readmorebooks