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3.34 AVERAGE
3.34 AVERAGE
The story leads us to one of my favorite places, the shores of Lake Superior. As we get to the lake, I start thinking about how we need to truly appreciate all that we do because it may be the last time we do it. The time you come over the hill in Duluth and see the vastness of the lake.
I like how wise the characters are. They seem to know themselves really well.
I like how wise the characters are. They seem to know themselves really well.
This was an easy listen and I was interested enough to see how the characters came together throughout the book and how the eventually ended up.
I definitely don't recommend this book if you're having any marital trouble! I kinda liked the story though - especially the elderly lady who is just getting stoned all the time. Would be a good beach read for this summer.
The characters in Summerlong include the approaching middle age and unhappily married housewife (Claire), and her husband, the failing and desperate real estate agent (Don), the 20-sometings - a grieving lover (ABC) and the adrift actor returning home to tie up loose ends (Charlie) and last but not least Ruth Manetti, the eighty year old sage who very subtlety manipulates this unlikely foursome behind the scenes. This novel examines parenting, failed ambitions, the search for middle-aged happiness, and facing your own mortality all over the course of one hot (in many ways) summer in a small Iowa college town. Bakopoulos always captures place, and it is almost always where he currently resides or has vivid memories of (Detroit where he grew up, Madison, and now Iowa - where he's now the writer in residence at Grinnel College). Funny, sweet and sad all at once with an ending that is enviable (to me at least).
It reminded me of all those TV shows with middle-aged, middle to upper class suburbanites who hate life for no real reason. The characters weren't dark or deep and it was hard to relate to their self-absorption, but it was very well-written and kinda depressing, in a good way.
Nothing like an angsty summer in the humid Midwest. Three and a half stars; I liked the story but it was a bit meandering and the characters got a little overbearing.
This was really good. It's well written. The characters are flawed human beings, but realistic. For a book that weaves the stories of six people together it does an exceptional job. The time spent on each character makes you only want to hear about them and you cease to forget or care about the rest, until the next chapter is about someone else and you only care about that character. It was great. Sad, but hopeful and great.
I should say, the characters are wholly unlikable. The whole book comes across as hyperbole. I can understand why people might not like it. Ruth steals the show easily and the piecing together of Charlie's father's work and end of his life were some of the best parts of the book.
I should say, the characters are wholly unlikable. The whole book comes across as hyperbole. I can understand why people might not like it. Ruth steals the show easily and the piecing together of Charlie's father's work and end of his life were some of the best parts of the book.
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Not terrible, but the author can't decide on what style this novel is supposed to be. Tragic? Comedic? It's one of those unhappy-marriage dramas in which the marrieds both seek to find themselves, blah blah blah. None of the characters are remotely likeable, and I spent the whole book going "Just make a decision, already!" to the characters and to the author himself.
It's well written, some great parts, but overall a bit of a slog to finish.