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jhbandcats's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I love this book. First of all, I love the cover of the four flowers, one still a bud. I love the ease and the detail of the writing. I love the in-depth characterization. I love the complex plot. I love how Korelitz gradually, gradually reveals the depth of her characters.
This is a complicated multi-generational story of a deeply flawed family, with almost all the members miserable and hating one another. For the author to be able to take such frequently unpleasant characters and make the reader care about them is quite the talent. She skewers the ultra rich yet is able to show even the annoying and unpleasant characters with sympathy. Lots to learn here about modern art, too.
I’d read The Plot, a convoluted mystery, and as I kept reading this, I kept wondering when the mystery was going to start. (I assumed Korelitz wrote only mysteries.) It was only when I was 2/3 through the book that I realized the whole thing was a mystery, the mystery of people growing up, no matter their age, interacting with one another, and coming to accept themselves.
This is a complicated multi-generational story of a deeply flawed family, with almost all the members miserable and hating one another. For the author to be able to take such frequently unpleasant characters and make the reader care about them is quite the talent. She skewers the ultra rich yet is able to show even the annoying and unpleasant characters with sympathy. Lots to learn here about modern art, too.
I’d read The Plot, a convoluted mystery, and as I kept reading this, I kept wondering when the mystery was going to start. (I assumed Korelitz wrote only mysteries.) It was only when I was 2/3 through the book that I realized the whole thing was a mystery, the mystery of people growing up, no matter their age, interacting with one another, and coming to accept themselves.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Car accident, Classism, Grief, Infertility, Outing, Racism, Mental illness, and Antisemitism
mysterymom40's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Car accident, and Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Bullying, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, Murder, Outing, Mental illness, Racism, Death of parent, Infidelity, Classism, Infertility, Antisemitism, Violence, and Pregnancy
elizapease's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Took a while for me to get into this book, but I’m glad I did. A perspective on family life I have not ever seen or read before, with an entire cast of complex, problematic, and at times fully unlikeable/hateable characters. Despite occasionally despising the characters, I still found myself rooting for them and their success as a family. It was a really funny read, and had some deeply satisfying twists and reveals. It’s an interesting glimpse into the lives of the upper-echelon, and a really intriguing character study. I would definitely recommend, especially if you come from a more “complicated” family - as some of the truths revealed by this book about how we navigate life with the family we were born into are seriously poignant. I am giving 3.75 merely out of personal preference- I tend to like books with more lovable characters. This book is undeniably wonderfully written and reflective.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Xenophobia, Classism, Death, Lesbophobia, Infertility, Misogyny, and Racism
patricktreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Honestly, I tried to like this book. I just couldn’t get into the character changes. We start with the parents, then go to the kids, and in the kids section we jump between children. It just didn’t feel direct enough and it caused me to keep losing interest. This especially happened when the next character would start. I also didn’t realize that the narrator was the sister until probably half way through. It kept sounding like sister number one and if you didn’t pay close enough attention you would miss the cues that it was sister number two.
It also definitely needs some content warnings as it deals with many dark topics such as vehicle death, hoarding, alcoholism, indoctrination, anti semitism, neglect, and more.
It also definitely needs some content warnings as it deals with many dark topics such as vehicle death, hoarding, alcoholism, indoctrination, anti semitism, neglect, and more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Antisemitism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Sexism, Child death, and Death
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