Reviews

Cobble Hill by Cecily Von Ziegesar

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melinda_and_her_books's review against another edition

3.0

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for my gifted copy. I also won a physical copy on goodreads so thank you goodreads as well. I honestly didn't care for this book. It seemed like it would be similar to Big Little Lies but it wasn't. I actually liked Big Little Lies and didn't like this book. The book just had way too much going on. There was a case of lice, drugs, fires, Mandy faking an illness, cheating etc. I just don't care for any of that kind of stuff. This probably isn't a good book for someone who hates drama because there is a lot of it. Despite not liking this book I gave it 3 stars because it wasn't horrible, I didn't hate it, and it kept my interest. Is it a book I would recommend? Absolutely not. The audiobook wasn't horrible either. I feel like the narrators did a great job. I just didn't care for the story.

sandyyeahyeah's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

literarycrushes's review against another edition

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4.0

I was obsessed with Cecily Von Ziegesar’s Gossip Girl (& It Girl!) books in high school, so I was excited to read Cobble Hill. More so as I’ve lived around the neighborhood for the last 5 years and, pre-COVID, spent a lot of time in many of the locations her characters frequent like Ample Hills or the weekday matinees at Cobble Hill Cinema.

The novel follows the lives of four eclectic Brooklyn families, and the various ways they are interconnected. Her ensemble of characters were hilarious and dramatic archetypes of the “new” Brooklyn elite – there were famous novelists, magazine editors, former rock stars, and two MacArthur Genius Grant recipients – but many storylines converged and spun off at rates that became hard to follow. It was a bit gossipy in tone, but these characters will stay with me, particularly the school nurse intent on having an affair, and the listless mother who pretends to have been diagnosed with MS. I recommend this book if you’re a fan of Emma Straub’s novels, Gossip Girl, or the movie Love Actually.

amyrobins's review against another edition

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4.0

Adorable and funny. Would make a cute quirky indie movie.

lmsokol18's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

Not much happens here. I enjoyed the setting more than the characters. Seemingly random POV switches throughout chapters and a chronic illness is faked. There is not much character growth or resolution.

Content Warnings