The Cactus by Sarah Haywood (Details)
Book Title: The Cactus
Book Author: Sarah Haywood
Audio Narrator: Katherine Manners
Find It On: Amazon | GoodReads
Date Published: May 1, 2018
Number Of Pages: 384
Achievements: Reese’s Book Club – Hello Sunshine pick for June 2019 | New York Times Bestseller
My Rating: ★★
Jump to: The Cactus (Summary) | The Cactus (Book Review) | The Cactus (Audiobook Review)
Discussion: Can you enjoy a book if you don’t like the main character?
The Cactus (Summary)
At age 45, Susan Green has a perfectly ordered life. Things begin to spiral out of control when she finds out she’s pregnant and her mother passes away. She embarks on a mission to sue her brother for half of their mother’s estate. During the drama, she finds solace in her brother’s best friend, Rob.
The Cactus (Book Review)
I stopped reading this book, but my car automatically turns on the last thing playing on my iPhone so I ended up finishing it. I stopped because I really didn’t like the main character. It’s fine with me if someone is a perfectionist, but to constantly criticize others gets annoying pretty quickly.
There was character development, which is a huge plus for me. But, it came a bit too late in this book for my taste.
The Cactus (Audiobook Review)
Katherine Manners had a lovely voice and I appreciated the times where she tried to add more emotion to the character through her voice.
Discussion – Can you enjoy a book if you don’t like the main character?
In chapter 15, Kate and Susan are discussing a book and, considering how much I disliked Susan’s character, this made me laugh.
Can you enjoy a book if you don't like the main character? Kate: 'I can't enjoy a book if I don't warm to the main character.' Susan: 'I disagree. I'd rather read about someone interesting than someone who's just nice.' -#quote Click To Tweet -quotes from The Cactus
My own opinion is in the middle here. I’ve read and enjoyed books where I didn’t like the main character, but it has to be done right. If I can find a reason to sympathize or root for the character, then it helps me enjoy the book.
What do you think?
