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serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Early Morning Riser is a very quiet novel with lots of quirky yet warm-hearted small town vibes. There’s not a lot of plot; we just follow Jane, an elementary school teacher, through seventeen years of her mostly uneventful life. In many ways it reminded me of an Anne Tyler novel. The character of Jimmy definitely tugged at my heartstrings, and I have many thoughts about the way he was treated. I listened on audio and think the quirkiness would have been too much for me in print.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Ableism, and Death of parent
atamano's review against another edition
funny
medium-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
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, and Car accident
Moderate: Grief, Alcohol, Sexual content, and Sexism
ukponge's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Infidelity
monalyisha's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
If Frieda were taking requests for songs on her mandolin, meant to describe this book, I’d ask her to play Thao Nguyen’s “Chivalry.” Thao sings, “I am tired / I am through / When I love, I will love so hard / Harder than I could love with you.” Early Morning Riser is about a woman who wants to love someone “so hard,” and her family, friends, and especially the lover, who often fall short of the mark — but (and this is important) not always.
It’s also about a young man on the autism spectrum, and the village (small town) that cares for and alongside him. This novel is about the big feelings felt while living through the small pleasures and hardships of a mundane life.
Sometimes, I really enjoyed it (like when Jane’s daughter finally “got” cartwheels, or when one of her second-graders complained of a “disappearing bathroom”). Sometimes, Jane wanted “to get drunk enough to ask [her friend] if it was true if she hadn’t ever had sex with anyone, not even a drunk migrant worker.” Only one time did a woman “go home with” another woman, and it was assumed that the experience would be a “sexual awakening,” which was very othering. Personally, I was also peeved that the sexually “unawakened” character was a librarian; it just plays into (one of the) dominant stereotype(s) of librarians (that we’re prudes). What I’m saying is, despite its charms, this book felt very white, cisnormative, and heteronormative…and not very socially conscious or aware.
It’s also about a young man on the autism spectrum, and the village (small town) that cares for and alongside him. This novel is about the big feelings felt while living through the small pleasures and hardships of a mundane life.
Sometimes, I really enjoyed it (like when Jane’s daughter finally “got” cartwheels, or when one of her second-graders complained of a “disappearing bathroom”). Sometimes, Jane wanted “to get drunk enough to ask [her friend] if it was true if she hadn’t ever had sex with anyone, not even a drunk migrant worker.” Only one time did a woman “go home with” another woman, and it was assumed that the experience would be a “sexual awakening,” which was very othering. Personally, I was also peeved that the sexually “unawakened” character was a librarian; it just plays into (one of the) dominant stereotype(s) of librarians (that we’re prudes). What I’m saying is, despite its charms, this book felt very white, cisnormative, and heteronormative…and not very socially conscious or aware.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity, Death of parent, and Car accident
abbieh95's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Death
Minor: Infidelity
rachele's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-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
3.0
I kept waiting for the plot to start and before I knew it the book was done, I guess that was the point of it, the idea of if you are waiting for your life to start, you’ll keep waiting until you realize you are living it. I can understand the sweet simple life moments, but I couldn’t really connect with how things just seem to happen to Jane, she just seemed to be buoyed along. Overall it was a fine read that kept my focus and held my interest to keep going.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Car accident
Minor: Pregnancy
merryfaith's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism and Cursing
Minor: Sexual content and Death of parent
whatkathrynreads_'s review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident and Death of parent
linesiunderline's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is one of those special books that I loved so much I don’t even really want to write about it. I want to tell everyone to read it, gush about it in nonspecific ways, and then I want to let it be, just be there in my consciousness as a glowing kind of experience.
But this is a review site, so I will. If I must.
This is a read for someone who enjoys books that zoom in on ordinary people, that give you a look at how someone else might navigate and understand their life.
Not a lot “happens”, but in a way that’s kind of like saying that not a lot happens in one ordinary life, which I don’t agree with. Still, you know what I mean. Don’t come in looking for drama and plot twists. This isn’t that book. It is quiet. It is a delicate chain of small moments.
The quirk factor of the secondary characters is high. This might come off as too much for some, but I didn’t mind one bit. Not here. Best friend who brings a banjo with her everywhere? No probs. I accept this. I welcome it. That said, this book is also really funny in that, “Ah, life…” kinda way. I laughed out loud in spots.
Read if you like:
Katherine Center (but with more of a literary quality)
Elizabeth Strout
Amy Poppel
Gilmore Girls
Amelie (another reviewer made this comparison and I have to agree - the light, soft tone, the quirky quality, the sweet moments of melancholy)
Indie movies where not a lot happens but they still grab onto your heart
I hope this book finds all of the readers who will love it most. Maybe that’s you?
But this is a review site, so I will. If I must.
This is a read for someone who enjoys books that zoom in on ordinary people, that give you a look at how someone else might navigate and understand their life.
Not a lot “happens”, but in a way that’s kind of like saying that not a lot happens in one ordinary life, which I don’t agree with. Still, you know what I mean. Don’t come in looking for drama and plot twists. This isn’t that book. It is quiet. It is a delicate chain of small moments.
The quirk factor of the secondary characters is high. This might come off as too much for some, but I didn’t mind one bit. Not here. Best friend who brings a banjo with her everywhere? No probs. I accept this. I welcome it. That said, this book is also really funny in that, “Ah, life…” kinda way. I laughed out loud in spots.
Read if you like:
Katherine Center (but with more of a literary quality)
Elizabeth Strout
Amy Poppel
Gilmore Girls
Amelie (another reviewer made this comparison and I have to agree - the light, soft tone, the quirky quality, the sweet moments of melancholy)
Indie movies where not a lot happens but they still grab onto your heart
I hope this book finds all of the readers who will love it most. Maybe that’s you?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Alcohol, Death of parent, Infidelity, and Sexual content
Minor: Car accident and Pregnancy
lit_with_lauren's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident and Death of parent