Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loved the book, it’s a reminder how we are all human, we just want to be loved and relationships in any form needs to be worked on.
"Women are made to feel guilty for everything. The food we eat, the bodies we have, the relationships that don't work. We must accept the challenge and refuse to take on this guilt."
I started this as an ebook and wasn't sure I'd like it. Somehow I just couldn't find the right voice for the MC. Then it popped up on Netgalley as an audio book and I quickly downloaded it and started.
The narrator does a fabulous job. Honestly, for me, it saved the story. She has the perfect breezy tone of Olive but also the frustration when needed. She gave voice to the friends and their own struggles but also the apologies and tip-toeing they do at times with each other. This is the story of 4 women and their friendship - how it changes as they become adults and hit milestones (or don't) at different times. Female friendships can be tough, especially when society and friends have ideas of who we are and what we should be doing. It was great to read Olive's perspective in a story and I found it refreshing to give voice to people who just want to choose their life and how to live it.
I loved this story and I'm really glad I gave it a try.
An e-ARC was provided to me by the author and publishing via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
I started this as an ebook and wasn't sure I'd like it. Somehow I just couldn't find the right voice for the MC. Then it popped up on Netgalley as an audio book and I quickly downloaded it and started.
The narrator does a fabulous job. Honestly, for me, it saved the story. She has the perfect breezy tone of Olive but also the frustration when needed. She gave voice to the friends and their own struggles but also the apologies and tip-toeing they do at times with each other. This is the story of 4 women and their friendship - how it changes as they become adults and hit milestones (or don't) at different times. Female friendships can be tough, especially when society and friends have ideas of who we are and what we should be doing. It was great to read Olive's perspective in a story and I found it refreshing to give voice to people who just want to choose their life and how to live it.
I loved this story and I'm really glad I gave it a try.
An e-ARC was provided to me by the author and publishing via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
“…you must remember that no decision is ever really the wrong decision. Because it’s the decision you made at the time. Respect your past self and her choices”
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Love love loved this book! Wonderful characters and an amazing story with a great plot line of someone who doesn’t want children and openly explores that
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
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
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love when I can relate to characters in the books I read. In the case of Emma Gannon's debut novel Olive, the reason WHY I can relate has a tendency to raise some eyebrows. I, like the book's main character Olive, am a woman in my 30s who has decided that I do not want to have kids. As demonstrated in Gannon's book, women often receive pushback when they take this stance, and the feedback they get from family, friends, coworkers, and even virtual strangers can be quite harsh and critical ... rarely is it supportive or taking into consideration the reason why a woman might make this choice. Not that it matters. The choice IS solely hers. Which is why I am happy that Gannon has chosen this topic for her first novel. Women who choose to be child-free will find their lone voice being echoed in this reflective book about love, life, and friendship.
UK journalist Olive has found herself at a bit of a crossroads in her life. She has just broken up with her boyfriend of 9 years (the reason why is revealed early on in the novel, but no spoilers here) and she is having a hard go of it. Nevermind the fact that her best friends seem more and more distant lately as they try to juggle their own family responsibilities. Olive is feeling physically and emotionally alone - she has just lost the love of her life and she can't relate to her friends on certain levels because they want/have kids ... and she doesn't. Olive does not want children ... EVER. Which makes her feel rejected and ridiculed in a world that too often believes that a woman's main purpose on this Earth is to go forth and procreate. When she takes a writing assignment on why Millennial women are choosing not to have children, Olive gets to explore her own life choices in depth, and learns much about herself and where her life is headed over the course of this thought-provoking novel.
Emma Gannon's Olive is going to appeal to a certain type of reader. If you are part of Gen Y, AKA the Millennials, and are on the fence about having kids or have chosen not to have any, then you will find this novel affirming. On the other hand, women who HAVE chosen to have children may find Olive to be self-absorbed and tedious. That isn't the case in my opinion, but unfortunately, too often women who put themselves first are called selfish. Decisions about children aside, Olive also realistically portrays the heartache of a break-up and the difficulties that come with maintaining friendships while also trying to manage a family and home.
I was provided an audiobook ARC of this novel narrated by actress Sian Clifford, which I enjoyed immensely. I often find myself speeding up the playback rate of my audiobooks, but I left this one on the regular pace, even though Clifford has a tendency to read slower than many other narrators. I enjoyed the journey of this audiobook and found myself submerged in Olive's life due to Clifford's believable portrayal.
UK journalist Olive has found herself at a bit of a crossroads in her life. She has just broken up with her boyfriend of 9 years (the reason why is revealed early on in the novel, but no spoilers here) and she is having a hard go of it. Nevermind the fact that her best friends seem more and more distant lately as they try to juggle their own family responsibilities. Olive is feeling physically and emotionally alone - she has just lost the love of her life and she can't relate to her friends on certain levels because they want/have kids ... and she doesn't. Olive does not want children ... EVER. Which makes her feel rejected and ridiculed in a world that too often believes that a woman's main purpose on this Earth is to go forth and procreate. When she takes a writing assignment on why Millennial women are choosing not to have children, Olive gets to explore her own life choices in depth, and learns much about herself and where her life is headed over the course of this thought-provoking novel.
Emma Gannon's Olive is going to appeal to a certain type of reader. If you are part of Gen Y, AKA the Millennials, and are on the fence about having kids or have chosen not to have any, then you will find this novel affirming. On the other hand, women who HAVE chosen to have children may find Olive to be self-absorbed and tedious. That isn't the case in my opinion, but unfortunately, too often women who put themselves first are called selfish. Decisions about children aside, Olive also realistically portrays the heartache of a break-up and the difficulties that come with maintaining friendships while also trying to manage a family and home.
I was provided an audiobook ARC of this novel narrated by actress Sian Clifford, which I enjoyed immensely. I often find myself speeding up the playback rate of my audiobooks, but I left this one on the regular pace, even though Clifford has a tendency to read slower than many other narrators. I enjoyed the journey of this audiobook and found myself submerged in Olive's life due to Clifford's believable portrayal.