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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This has the potential to be one of my favorite books but then it just fell flat. The ending felt rushed and poorly put together with how many characters were within the story. I could relate to the story telling of young college life but it never really answered any of the multiple character plots at the end. Which is maybe the story of young adult or college life. Clever if that’s the case, just wish it had a little more of a point.
This story was pretty boring to me and I didn’t get much out of it. An easy read but not very meaningful. The writing style was not distracting in either a good or bad way. Not sure why this story felt needed to be told.
slow-paced
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ARC of this title.
I don't think this hits _as_ hard as Reid's last book, [b:Such a Fun Age|43923951|Such a Fun Age|Kiley Reid|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1557181911l/43923951._SY75_.jpg|63995465], but it's still compulsively readable (I tore through this over a commute and a few lunch breaks) and has some interesting things to say about money, power dynamics, and class.
This is a novel that's definitely more of a vibe than being plot-driven - we only cover about a semester's worth of events, but I loved how Kiley Reid went deep on each of these main characters, giving us time in their heads to see where they're coming from and sense where things are going to clash further down the road. It gives a lot of depth, and helps the microagressions that affect its characters clear without needing to completely hammer home every time they're happening.
The end felt a little too neat, and a little over-the-top, but it's a farce, y'all. That's allowed. Reid's 2 for 2 in my book, so I'm excited to see where she goes next.
I don't think this hits _as_ hard as Reid's last book, [b:Such a Fun Age|43923951|Such a Fun Age|Kiley Reid|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1557181911l/43923951._SY75_.jpg|63995465], but it's still compulsively readable (I tore through this over a commute and a few lunch breaks) and has some interesting things to say about money, power dynamics, and class.
This is a novel that's definitely more of a vibe than being plot-driven - we only cover about a semester's worth of events, but I loved how Kiley Reid went deep on each of these main characters, giving us time in their heads to see where they're coming from and sense where things are going to clash further down the road. It gives a lot of depth, and helps the microagressions that affect its characters clear without needing to completely hammer home every time they're happening.
The end felt a little too neat, and a little over-the-top, but it's a farce, y'all. That's allowed. Reid's 2 for 2 in my book, so I'm excited to see where she goes next.
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Kiley Reid's second novel is even better than her first, which was quite good. But I think I prefer this one because of how unexpected it is. The beginning seems to meander with no clear purpose but then everything falls quietly into place. She has a real gift of transforming the mundane into something wholly not. It's magical, even with the acidic undertones here.