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letitlinger93's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-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
4.75
lisathepoetlibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
Read this over my 12 hour journey to from LA to FL. Amazing prose and storytelling. If made it feel like only 6 hours! Proof that a well-chose book is the best companion for traveling.
blackoxford's review against another edition
4.0
Floreat Suburbia
I lived in this neighbourhood at this point in history. And I never thought the cultural desolation and dislocation that I remember of that time and place could be redeemed. Alice McDermott in That Night and in Charming Billy has given me cause to doubt my existential prejudices. Perhaps the treeless, soulless streets of 1950's NYC suburbs provide material of general worth to ponder. As of now I am amazed at McDermott's ability to simply describe what the time and place were like. That's enough to be getting on with.
I lived in this neighbourhood at this point in history. And I never thought the cultural desolation and dislocation that I remember of that time and place could be redeemed. Alice McDermott in That Night and in Charming Billy has given me cause to doubt my existential prejudices. Perhaps the treeless, soulless streets of 1950's NYC suburbs provide material of general worth to ponder. As of now I am amazed at McDermott's ability to simply describe what the time and place were like. That's enough to be getting on with.
lzbthrmrz995's review against another edition
4.0
Where do I even start. At first I struggled a bit worth the writing. It felt a little choppy and jumpy. But I got pretty invested like 50% into the book. I honestly teared up at the end. I did go into this book completely blind absolutely knowing nothing about it and I’m glad. I just realized why this story seemed soooooo familiar. It’s because I’ve seen the movie lol
novelesque_life's review against another edition
3.0
3 STARS
"On a warm suburban night, the sound of lawn sprinklers is drowned out by the rumble of hot rods. Suddenly a car careens onto a family's neat front yard, teenage boys spill out brandishing chains and leather, and a young man cries out for the girl he loves. Tonight fathers will pick up snow shovels and rakes to defend their turf, and children will witness a battle fueled by fierce, true love. This is the night they will talk about and remember as the moment everything changed forever" (From Amazon)
A great coming of age story set in 1960s of a young girl enthralled with a couple in her neighbourhood. She watches the teenagers rebel and romance with one another. The movie version is pretty good as well.
"On a warm suburban night, the sound of lawn sprinklers is drowned out by the rumble of hot rods. Suddenly a car careens onto a family's neat front yard, teenage boys spill out brandishing chains and leather, and a young man cries out for the girl he loves. Tonight fathers will pick up snow shovels and rakes to defend their turf, and children will witness a battle fueled by fierce, true love. This is the night they will talk about and remember as the moment everything changed forever" (From Amazon)
A great coming of age story set in 1960s of a young girl enthralled with a couple in her neighbourhood. She watches the teenagers rebel and romance with one another. The movie version is pretty good as well.
nancidrum's review
3.0
I decided I wanted to finish the year out by reading a few Alice McDermott books. This was the second book she wrote, so it dates back to 1987. McDermott is an accomplished writing and this book is no exception. The story is very simple and it was a very fast read. I would have liked to had the characters defined a bit more and it didn't wow me the way Charming Billy did, but I'm happy to have read it. 3.5 stars
derickwham's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
lululudgate's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
tcbueti's review against another edition
3.0
How youthful passion can spiral out of control, and the impact it can have on a neighborhood.
Very sixties summer evening.
Very sixties summer evening.