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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
I… didn’t get it! I guess I thought it was going to be something other than what it was? I wanted to read more about his parents and his siblings but there wasn’t much of that. I didn’t really care about anything else he talked about. The rambling prose was endearing at times, but mainly boring. Maybe this kind of thing works for some people, but not for me.
This was my favorite book when I was a teenager decades ago. It was one of the many that made me want to be a writer. I haven't reread it since and I'm kind of scared to pop the bubble. So it's still a 5 in my heart.
I couldn't stand this book and it was terribly slow to get through. I finally set it aside, gave it away, and never finished it. I was glad to be rid of it.
Definitely heartbreaking, definitely genius. Dave Eggers writes about the thoughts everyone has, but wouldn't dare say out loud.
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
this was a truly astonishing book, one which held me captive for days on end. it is a piece of autofiction and memoir, yet it reads at times like a 19th century buildungsroman. it’s extraordinary. the long, luxurious, painful sentences carry you like a river, and you’re left only with hope. for a book about orphans, the overriding theme is of prosperity, of youth, of power, and you just want to feed on this for yourself. i loved the use of irony, it never felt biting - it’s an extremely KIND male protagonist in the 90s, which is hard to come by, but his energy and spirit are so present in every adventure that follows him and Toph. the interview with the reality show is one of my favourite sections, as well as the scattering of his mother’s ashes. it truly is a heartbreaking work of staggering genius!
challenging
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Eggars is a really talented writer and manages to tell his own family's tragic story in a compelling and comical way.
Wow, I am glad I reread this work. I don't think I will change the star rating, even though Megan now, older, less wise, wouldn't rate this 5 stars.
I highly recommend rereading a past favourite, especially one like Eggers, which for me, was pivotal in my writing and reading journey. I devoured this book when I was a teenager. It will always have that special place in my heart, like a past love. And I still absolutely love Eggers' writing (even if my tastes are quite different now.)
But older Megan can't look past the rage in these pages, the misguided edginess of youth, the eye-rolling jokes and refusal to explore issues that desperately need it. These aren't criticisms, but more observations. Young Megan recognized these themes in these pages, but was unable to name them. I am so glad older Megan can. This was a journey of my own evolution and growth as much as it was a fun thing to revisit.
I highly recommend rereading a past favourite, especially one like Eggers, which for me, was pivotal in my writing and reading journey. I devoured this book when I was a teenager. It will always have that special place in my heart, like a past love. And I still absolutely love Eggers' writing (even if my tastes are quite different now.)
But older Megan can't look past the rage in these pages, the misguided edginess of youth, the eye-rolling jokes and refusal to explore issues that desperately need it. These aren't criticisms, but more observations. Young Megan recognized these themes in these pages, but was unable to name them. I am so glad older Megan can. This was a journey of my own evolution and growth as much as it was a fun thing to revisit.