Reviews

Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler

Only show reviews with written explanations

brookebuonauro's review against another edition

2.0

Idk. 2.5? Beautifully written but terrible, pretentious characters and no story. Bonus points for making me miss restaurants.

readingwithgoose's review

Go to review page

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

Content Warnings

kristinreadsalot's review

Go to review page

1.0

I struggled to get through this. This book had no plot, was scattered and pretentious.

Am I the only one who found the ending uneventful? I just thought there would be so much more growth in the characters or more closure at the end.

When she said the words “I’m different” my whole mood changed. I felt like she didn’t grow or change as a person at all. I also feel like the characters didn’t grow or change at all either. If anything she kept failing all together and never stood her ground or found her way. I can’t stand when the main female character is a fragile codependent female who try’s to be different than everyone else to get male attention.

The only reason I gave this three stars is because I enjoyed the wine and food talk and I felt like I lived in their world.

tildahlia's review

Go to review page

4.0

4.5. This is a fantastic debut. It combines all of the things I like to read about (food, wine, New York living, sex and romantic pain) into one coming of age story. The level of detail of the ins and outs of hospitality initially reminded me of Bret Easton Ellis levels of detail (not in an unkind way) but you realise, as you go along, that the granularity of some of the scenes and descriptions is integral to creating a palpable and immersive experience for the reader. The characters are interesting, the dynamics between them are raw and real and the descriptions (of food and sex particularly) are visceral and exciting. Danler is an exquisite writer and I hope to read more of her work.

michellechien930's review

Go to review page

2.0

I read the reviews for "Sweetbitter" beforehand and was kind of put off by the semi-bad reviews, but when I saw a relatively new second-hand copy, I really could not resist. I mean, look at the plot: a darkly swanky New York City restaurant, a bright-eyed innocent who will become a jaded New Yorker, new love interests and brooding class warfare between the waiters. Who could pass up that? I feel like the initial premise of this book is really interesting, really loved the detailed descriptions of food and the overall setting of this book. But the characters weren't that great, the love story kind of messy, and the takeaway somewhat depressing. I don't regret reading it though, but if I see PICK UP again I will hurl.