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3.21 AVERAGE
3.21 AVERAGE
I received this as an Advance Readers Copy and uncorrected proof, excellent now the technicalities are dealt with I have a review.
This book was out of my normal repertoire of books but the story seemed quirky and whimsical, so what the heck right? Well, I should probably stick to my tried and true genres.
I think my main issue with this is some of the writing may have gotten lost in translation and it didn't carry over quite right from Spanish. The story is flimsy and lacks development and I found the writing choppy and a bit haphazard. The predictability of Samuel is a constant source of eye rolling and groans.
It's an easy read and doesn't require much to follow along, not a terrible story, just not for me.
This book was out of my normal repertoire of books but the story seemed quirky and whimsical, so what the heck right? Well, I should probably stick to my tried and true genres.
I think my main issue with this is some of the writing may have gotten lost in translation and it didn't carry over quite right from Spanish. The story is flimsy and lacks development and I found the writing choppy and a bit haphazard. The predictability of Samuel is a constant source of eye rolling and groans.
It's an easy read and doesn't require much to follow along, not a terrible story, just not for me.
A charming and quirky little love story that plays off the idea that there are so many feelings and aspects of the world that we don't actually have words to describe.
This book wasn't for me. I found it incredibly difficult to get through. It reminded me, at times, of The Rosie Project but not as entertaining. I actually didn't even finish the last 30 pages. I was over it.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"Somehow it dawned on me that Gabriela, my childhood love, had come back to me because I'd filled a saucer with milk. There was no apparent link between the two things, but they were connected at a deeper level"(p 32).
"On Saturday morning I work up feeling more upbeat. We're never alone, and the idea that we are is just another human illusion"(p. 99).
**"Thousands of candles can be lit by just one candle, and the life of that candle will not be shorter because of it. Happiness is never diminished by being shared"(Buddha)(p. 100).
"The lesson was clear. I, too had to be attentive from now on. I looked forward to the week ahead and realized that anything could happen. The secret lay in keeping my eyes wide open and leaping fearlessly when the time was right"( p. 103).
"So it seems, but don't forget that, like the moon, people have dark side"(p. 110).
"Let us be thankful, for if we have not learned a lot today, we have at least learned a little; and if we have not learned a little, we have at least not fallen ill; and if we have fallen ill, we have at least not died, and for this we are thankful"(p. 130).
"In order to accept the love of others, you need a wise heart because rejection's easier to cope with than love. You can turn against someone who is attacking you, but what are you supposed to do when someone reveals their love for you?"(p. 147).
"We live in a world of sensations and feelings. Always remember that, Samuel. Never reject your sensations and feelings. They're all you've got"(p. 165).
"I was wildly happy and full of energy. Someone once said that when you fall in love, you're not really in love with the person but with life through that person. This was happening to me"(P. 179).
"On Saturday morning I work up feeling more upbeat. We're never alone, and the idea that we are is just another human illusion"(p. 99).
**"Thousands of candles can be lit by just one candle, and the life of that candle will not be shorter because of it. Happiness is never diminished by being shared"(Buddha)(p. 100).
"The lesson was clear. I, too had to be attentive from now on. I looked forward to the week ahead and realized that anything could happen. The secret lay in keeping my eyes wide open and leaping fearlessly when the time was right"( p. 103).
"So it seems, but don't forget that, like the moon, people have dark side"(p. 110).
"Let us be thankful, for if we have not learned a lot today, we have at least learned a little; and if we have not learned a little, we have at least not fallen ill; and if we have fallen ill, we have at least not died, and for this we are thankful"(p. 130).
"In order to accept the love of others, you need a wise heart because rejection's easier to cope with than love. You can turn against someone who is attacking you, but what are you supposed to do when someone reveals their love for you?"(p. 147).
"We live in a world of sensations and feelings. Always remember that, Samuel. Never reject your sensations and feelings. They're all you've got"(p. 165).
"I was wildly happy and full of energy. Someone once said that when you fall in love, you're not really in love with the person but with life through that person. This was happening to me"(P. 179).
I enjoyed this short and sweet little story so much! I read it in two hours. Love in lowercase is a breezy, delightfully absurd tale about how we are all connected, and the force that connects us all is love.
While at times I found some of the narration a bit corny, and I predicted a few of the plot points, overall it was one of my favorite kind of books- the kind that make you feel good about yourself, and about life.
I also liked the main character, Samuel. He was kind of lonely and dorky and sweet - one of the best kinds of male leads, imo. Another thing that I appreciated was that the romantic element of the story, while propelling the story forward, was not the main focus of the plot. I profess to dislike romance in books, yet I'm always attracted to titles that include the word "love". Because love is so much more than romance - and books like Love in Lowercase reinforce that simple truth every time I read them.
While at times I found some of the narration a bit corny, and I predicted a few of the plot points, overall it was one of my favorite kind of books- the kind that make you feel good about yourself, and about life.
I also liked the main character, Samuel. He was kind of lonely and dorky and sweet - one of the best kinds of male leads, imo. Another thing that I appreciated was that the romantic element of the story, while propelling the story forward, was not the main focus of the plot. I profess to dislike romance in books, yet I'm always attracted to titles that include the word "love". Because love is so much more than romance - and books like Love in Lowercase reinforce that simple truth every time I read them.
I just didn't like the characters, though I enjoyed the passages about books and words.
This quote from the main character struck me (and not in a good way): "I noticed that she'd used some kind of gel to give her short hair a tousled look. Girls who are naturally beautiful should be forbidden from using such unnecessary embellishments."
Meh.
This quote from the main character struck me (and not in a good way): "I noticed that she'd used some kind of gel to give her short hair a tousled look. Girls who are naturally beautiful should be forbidden from using such unnecessary embellishments."
Meh.
This book wasn't really what I thought it was going to be at all. From the cover and synopsis, I was expecting something similar to [b:The Rosie Project|16181775|The Rosie Project (Don Tillman, #1)|Graeme Simsion|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1371651741l/16181775._SY75_.jpg|22084678], which I had a lot of fun reading. It wasn't that at all, really--and that's not to say that it wasn't good, just extremely different than I'd thought it would be.
I don't think that the plot, really, is the most important/noteworthy element of the book. (My attempt at a single-sentence "plot" summary is the following: The main character, a thirty-seven-year-old literature professor, wanders around Barcelona, talking a bit about literature and philosophy (especially German literature) and meets a cat and some pretty weird people.) What struck me much more about this book was the general atmosphere. It's very dream-like in a way, a bit fanciful, and laden with various references to literature/philosophy. In that way, it reminded me somewhat of [b:The Elegance of the Hedgehog|2967752|The Elegance of the Hedgehog|Muriel Barbery|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347755370l/2967752._SY75_.jpg|1531887]. (Because of that connection, I'm a little curious about to what extent the translation of the book affected it.)
Definitely not a bad book, but not really what the synopsis makes it out to be.
I don't think that the plot, really, is the most important/noteworthy element of the book. (My attempt at a single-sentence "plot" summary is the following: The main character, a thirty-seven-year-old literature professor, wanders around Barcelona, talking a bit about literature and philosophy (especially German literature) and meets a cat and some pretty weird people.) What struck me much more about this book was the general atmosphere. It's very dream-like in a way, a bit fanciful, and laden with various references to literature/philosophy. In that way, it reminded me somewhat of [b:The Elegance of the Hedgehog|2967752|The Elegance of the Hedgehog|Muriel Barbery|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347755370l/2967752._SY75_.jpg|1531887]. (Because of that connection, I'm a little curious about to what extent the translation of the book affected it.)
Definitely not a bad book, but not really what the synopsis makes it out to be.
A lot more philosophical than the title and description would lead you to believe. The book was a little boring in places, and the protagonist a little irritating, but overall it was enjoyable enough. I can see how others might get a lot more out of it than I did.
First let me say that I was provided a copy of this book for review from Penguin First to Read. Now that THAT technicality is out of the way...on with the review. I have to be honest and admit that I really didn't care for this book. If I had it in me to DNF books, this one would be on that list. It is being marketed as the next "Rosie Project" and although I planned to read that someday, maybe I shouldn't. I also think that because this book is a translation from a Spanish author, maybe it lost something along the way. I don't know. Also the chapters are really short and choppy and they don't flow very well at all in my opinion.
The plot is your average guy decides he doesn't want to spend his life alone so he tries to do something about it. However, this guy happens to be a German literature professor and is hooked on all things "language" which isn't a bad thing but which this book makes super annoying. He is also obsessed with classical music. Again, not a bad thing but I felt like the author was trying to force-feed me culture. I liked some of the characters in the book, just not Samuel, the main character, or Gabriela, the girl he has been in love with since he was a kid (just forget that he hasn't seen her in 30 years). I liked the old man who lives upstairs, Titus, and Valdemar isn't bad (conspiracy theories and all), except I kept wanting to call him Voldemort. I REALLY liked Mishima the cat...and I am a dog person...that should really clue you in on something.
This book is a quick read, and I really believe there is a more deep, philosophical meaning in there somewhere, but I didn't feel like looking for it. I am sure there will be tons of people that like it, it just wasn't for me. The cover is sort of cute and I'll admit it is what caught my eye. I didn't even like the ending because I feel the the wrong couple ended up together. I don't know who I would recommend this book to, but like I said, just because I didn't enjoy it doesn't mean that others won't and that it isn't a decent book.
The plot is your average guy decides he doesn't want to spend his life alone so he tries to do something about it. However, this guy happens to be a German literature professor and is hooked on all things "language" which isn't a bad thing but which this book makes super annoying. He is also obsessed with classical music. Again, not a bad thing but I felt like the author was trying to force-feed me culture. I liked some of the characters in the book, just not Samuel, the main character, or Gabriela, the girl he has been in love with since he was a kid (just forget that he hasn't seen her in 30 years). I liked the old man who lives upstairs, Titus, and Valdemar isn't bad (conspiracy theories and all), except I kept wanting to call him Voldemort. I REALLY liked Mishima the cat...and I am a dog person...that should really clue you in on something.
This book is a quick read, and I really believe there is a more deep, philosophical meaning in there somewhere, but I didn't feel like looking for it. I am sure there will be tons of people that like it, it just wasn't for me. The cover is sort of cute and I'll admit it is what caught my eye. I didn't even like the ending because I feel the the wrong couple ended up together. I don't know who I would recommend this book to, but like I said, just because I didn't enjoy it doesn't mean that others won't and that it isn't a decent book.