Reviews with content warning for Misogyny - Carrie Soto Is Back

I am devastated in the best way. TJR always knows the best way to tell a story and embed these characters into your heart. I could live in her writing and this interconnected universe forever. I always need more.

Content Warnings

conspystery's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional inspiring tense medium-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? Yes

4.75

The title of this book really says it all, I think. Carrie Soto is back! And her journey to getting there is a super fun one. I liked this book a lot.

First, our protagonist herself: Carrie is driven and vicious, fiery and calculating, determined and stubborn, all these things and more almost to the point of catharsis. Her development over the course of the novel was enthralling, and I loved how it was reflected in her training and successes or failures in games, as well as her emotional state afterwards. Her voice is engaging and drives the narrative forward in a way that is distinctly Carrie Soto, as the writing underlines with its similar brusque, willful tone and syntax. There are a few moments where the diction becomes especially brutal, often in dialogue, and it is genuinely invigorating. The repeated comparisons to Achilles are my favorite example of the writing really unleashing Carrie’s sense of violence and grandeur, as they also connect her further to her upbringing with Javier as her coach and father at once.

The deviations from the typical “Battle Axe'' Carrie we see through the novel are all the more compelling in their contrast-- the full scale of her identity, from public figure to student to retiree and the way she perceives herself through all those lenses, is presented with a matter-of-fact sureness that suits her character perfectly. Carrie’s flaws are realistic and relatable; while her inability to accept defeat and the way she defines failure evoke a keen sense of irony every time they become relevant, the reader cheers Carrie on anyway, absorbed into her world through her voice. This protagonist and this writing work perfectly together, and complement the main cast-- Javier, Nikki, and Bowe most notably-- in a fresh, interesting manner.

Speaking of which, the supporting cast of this book is a departure from those of TJR’s other literary works, or at least I felt like it was. What I loved about Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones & The Six, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo was how sprawling the world felt, given life through a vibrant net of so many characters’ relationships with each other; this book’s scope felt narrower than that. The main cast is smaller and the supporting cast feels less relevant and detailed than those of TJR’s other works. Ultimately, I think that narrowing of scope works in favor of this book’s narrative. Carrie’s story wouldn’t have worked, I think, with that massive amount of detail afforded to all her competitors, because of her self-imposed solitary nature and how her character develops. I do have to say the main draw of TJR’s writing is, for me, mainly that web she weaves of the characters, and because this book’s web is a bit more tight-knit than I was expecting, I was a little disappointed at first. What this book does with its narrow focus on Carrie is interesting, and I enjoyed it-- but it wasn’t exactly what I anticipated from TJR, so that might be helpful to know before diving in. This book doesn’t sprawl as much.

I actually really enjoyed the events and pacing of the novel-- I didn’t know how engaged I would be with the plot going in, as I am not a tennis fan, but the structure of the novel around the different competitions, plus the backstory Carrie gives after her in medias res introduction, was just super fun to read. Some of the plot beats are a tad predictable, but in a satisfying put-it-together-yourself way rather than a get-to-the-point way. I liked how Carrie’s own inability to see past herself draws the reader’s attention to the foreshadowing she ignores-- I mentioned the sense of irony this book creates before, and it definitely works in tandem with the structure of the novel itself. This is a story that takes its audience along for the ride while also allowing them to predict its events; the merit of this book, and where it most highly succeeds, is in getting to its destination, absorbing the reader into the journey even if they have a decent idea of how it will end. It’s a treat to be entrenched alongside Carrie in her one-track-minded perception of the narrative, which is why the structure being centered around the competitions works so well: her priorities shape how the story itself is told, playing into her character while conveying its themes through irony at once.

Lastly, I would like to note that this book is, as others have noted, quite tennis-heavy. But even as someone who knows nothing about any sport, I found it compelling. The drama and intensity of the plot is easy to follow even for someone unfamiliar with tennis-- the book conveys everything the reader needs to know about tennis to understand the events of the novel and Carrie’s mindset in an easily comprehensible way, without ever overloading the audience with too much information. I imagine that in the more tennis-heavy sections of the story, especially the actual recounting of matches, there’s a lot of room for interpretation of Carrie’s character based off the actual logistics of how she’s playing-- which a scrutinizing tennis fan would likely pick up on. However, even as a layperson, the depth is definitely there and extremely satisfying to read.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It is deliciously brutal except when it transcends into ephemeral, fleeting moments of self-realization, and the contrast is addictive. Carrie’s story is fun to follow. Her character is multifaceted and outspoken in a way that shines with the actual writing of the novel. It isn’t as entangled or written with the wide scope TJR’s other literary works take, but it’s intriguing on its own. I loved its insight into perfectionism and legacies and what defines a person. It was a really fun read.

Content Warnings

helsbelle's review against another edition

Go to review page

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? It's complicated

2.5

Content Warnings

kelly_e's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

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

4.75

Title: Carrie Soto Is Back
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4.75
Pub Date: August 30, 2022

T H R E E • W O R D S

Addictive • Riveting • Immersive

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Carrie Soto is fierce, and her determination to win at any cost has not made her popular.

By the time Carrie retires from tennis, she is the best player the world has ever seen. She has shattered every record and claimed twenty Slam titles. And if you ask her, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father as her coach.

But six years after her retirement, Carrie finds herself sitting in the stands of the 1994 US Open, watching her record be taken from her by a brutal, stunning, British player named Nicki Chan. At thirty-seven years old, Carrie makes the monumental decision to come out of retirement and be coached by her father for one last year in an attempt to reclaim her record. Even if the sports media says that they never liked the 'Battle-Axe' anyway. Even if her body doesn't move as fast as it did. And even if it means swallowing her pride to train with a man she once almost opened her heart to: Bowe Huntley. Like her, he has something to prove before he gives up the game forever.

In spite of it all: Carrie Soto is back, for one epic final season.

💭 T H O U G H T S

Taylor Jenkins Reid's Carrie Soto Is Back was one of my most anticipated releases of 2022, and it did not disappoint. TJR has quickly become an auto-buy author for me simply because of her unique ability in writing nuanced and vivid characters. As someone who considers themselves to be a huge sports fan, I was equally intrigued knowing it would involve tennis.

Firstly, I could not put this book down! From the very first page I was fully invested and wanted to keep reading to see how everything would pan out. The characters are complex with multiple layers to each. While Carrie's character comes across as arrogant and entitled, as the story progresses details are reveled that allowed me to get to know and understand her better. The author's writing made me feel like I was sitting in the stands watching every move of the matches, and rooting for Carrie in her comeback. One of the little extras I love about her books, is how she'll gives little hints or snippets of characters from her other books (or maybe future books?), yet she keeps it minimal, so you can easily read the books independently of one another.

Secondly, I absolutely loved the father/daughter relationship portrayed in this book. It was messy and complicated, yet never once did I doubt the father's love for his daughter. I am so used to the mother/daughter relationship trope, that this one was a breathe of fresh air. In fact, the romance development was also very well written.

Thirdly, while the world of tennis takes up much of the narrative, in my opinion, you don't need to be knowledgeable about the game in order to appreciate the narrative, yet if you are a tennis player and/or fan of the sport you'll likely have an even greater appreciation for this story. I know I came away with a greater appreciation for game, and female athletes in general.

And lastly, the audiobook featuring a full cast was fantastic! There are little extras, including parts of it felt like a real live broadcast of the matches. And it allowed for a completely immersive reading experience, and I would highly recommend going that route.

Carrie Soto Is Back is completely different from any of her other books, yet it I loved it just as much. I wouldn't be surprised to see it turned into a movie or mini series at some point in the future. TJR manages to combine plot driven and character driven stories unlike anyone else. Her latest certainly solidifies her place on my author read-it all list, and I cannot wait to read whatever she publishes next.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• mixed media fans
• TJR devotees
• Tennis enthusiasts

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Grief is like a deep, dark hole. It calls like a siren: Come to me, lose yourself here. And you fight it and you fight it and you fight it, but when you finally succumb and jump down into it, you can't quite believe how deep it is. It feels as if this how you will live for the rest of your life, falling. Terrified and devastated, until you yourself die."

"What a gift it is, to be able to guide someone to a point and then let them finish it themselves. To give someone all the knowledge you have and then pray they use it right."

"I am no longer the greatest tennis player in the world. For the first time in my life, I can be...something else."

Content Warnings

dearbhlanoonan's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful inspiring fast-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? Yes

Content Warnings

scottyreadsstuff's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional inspiring fast-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? Yes

4.75

I’m so surprised by how much I enjoyed this novel!!! I may just hop on the Taylor Jenkins Reid bandwagon! She is amazing at weaving a story and making me care about tennis!

Content Warnings

frantically's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional hopeful reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.0

I spent the first two hours of this constantly wanting to dnf it but I'm so glad I stuck through!

Carrie Soto is an absolute bitch and I respect her so much for that. Her inner thoughts about winning & losing changed so beautifully over the course of the book and really spoke to me.

(Idk how tennis works tho) (made the whole thing a bit anti climatic at times)

Content Warnings

kcarney86's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional inspiring lighthearted reflective tense fast-paced

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

3.5

Content Warnings

More...