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hanyasmerch's review against another edition
2.0
I feel like I was just waiting for something to happen for this entire book and then it never did. Or it sort of did and then the book just ended abruptly. Was so bored and the plot felt pretty shallow. Two stars because some of the humor in the beginning was clever. The description made this book sound so interesting and I think it really could have been but it missed the mark and I was disappointed.
troyercait's review against another edition
Poor use of an outdated racist term within the first 2 pages. Hugo Best known for being 65 and liking a 16 year old? I’d rather not read books where the main character hangs out with a pedophile.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Pedophilia
onespaceymother's review against another edition
3.0
This book definitely had some moments that made me laugh out loud and our main character, June, was relatable though not terribly likable. It was depressing and dry too - it definitely thought it was very smart and clever, though I’m not sure if it was. Mostly I’m coming away from it feeling depressed and a little annoyed by people who are drawn to being in “show business” and think it’s a pursuit greater than all others.
laurapirani2002's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
the_spines's review against another edition
3.0
Sometimes you read a book that you know you wouldn’t recommend to everyone, and this is one of those books. I personally enjoyed it quite a bit, because it wasn’t the fun, fluffy, ridiculous book I expected it to be. Instead, it was an intense character study of a man coming to terms with his life now that the relevance and power he once had in large quantities is quickly dwindling and of a woman who never achieved the relevance and power she thought she would in her youth. These very honest explorations within the story are framed with the opulence of extreme fame and some very uncomfortable power dynamics.
FULL REVIEW HERE: http://meganprokott.com/stay-up-with-hugo-best-erin-somers/review
FULL REVIEW HERE: http://meganprokott.com/stay-up-with-hugo-best-erin-somers/review
dsmolina's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
michellekmartin's review against another edition
4.0
I wasn't completely sure what to expect when I started this one but I could not stop thinking about it during the few days that I read it. The book takes place over the four days of memorial day weekend after Hugo Best, a late night talk show host, has wrapped up filming his last show. On a whim, he invites June Bloom, a writers assistant on his show, to his house in Connecticut. June, now jobless and having a crush on Hugo since childhood, accepts his invitation despite the fact that he is 30+ years her senior and has quite a reputation.
What follows is a quietly hilarious and, at times, sad character study of these two. June laments the difficulty of being a not quite successful twenty-something and Hugo struggles with saying goodbye to his show and growing older. They both grapple with what fame means to them - how much they want it, how it protects, how it isolates. Somers' writing is keenly observant and she does dialogue in a way that made me feel like the characters were real people I was listening to.
This one reminded me of a more real-life version of 30 rock, so I highly recommend for those who love comedy but also a real-life look at what it means to be famous, seek fame, and sometimes feel disappointed by it all.
What follows is a quietly hilarious and, at times, sad character study of these two. June laments the difficulty of being a not quite successful twenty-something and Hugo struggles with saying goodbye to his show and growing older. They both grapple with what fame means to them - how much they want it, how it protects, how it isolates. Somers' writing is keenly observant and she does dialogue in a way that made me feel like the characters were real people I was listening to.
This one reminded me of a more real-life version of 30 rock, so I highly recommend for those who love comedy but also a real-life look at what it means to be famous, seek fame, and sometimes feel disappointed by it all.