Reviews

The Lonely Girl by Edna O'Brien

ericamacri22's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

margu's review

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

agnesealstrian's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted relaxing sad fast-paced

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

3.0

oryx27's review against another edition

adventurous reflective fast-paced

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

3.5

birm26's review

adventurous reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

gnuoymas's review

funny lighthearted tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

the second installment in the country girls trilogy, this was another quick read! the novel picks up right where the first started. cait is continuing to live her life with her bestie baba in the city, only she meets a new mans!! WHO IS MARRIED!!!! is this setting up to be a will they, won't they?? read to find out! 

i found this book to be similar to the first one. cait is annoying and love drunk with a man who feels??? apathetic towards her? especially when she is asking for support and affirmation? she also continues to go through difficult familial trauma! it doesn't let up for her!! overall, i feel for her and i think she has good intentions, but i think the character is difficult to connect with. she is constantly flipping between hopeless romantic and selfish/obsessive lover. while i sympathize and see how her trauma led her here, she doesn't seem to learn from any of her mistakes. it's this constant cycle that feels unrealistic! there were a couple of gripping moments, but it still took me longer than i expected with this being a very short novel. 

we'll see how i feel about the third one!

frafeeccino's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

reimuni's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.0

toofondofbooks's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

4.0

katrinblomquist's review against another edition

4.0

Exquisitely written, this sequel to The Country Girls tells the increasingly dark, sad story of a young Irish girl trying to find her footing in a world surrounded by men that have various ideas about her life and identity, and losing herself in the overwhelming love for the wrong person. It’s sometimes difficult to remember that this story is situated in the 1960s as most of the mentioned technology (as well as ideology) feels so much more outdated but the historical implications of this publication in Ireland make the social and historic context all the more relevant.