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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Started slow but loved it by the end
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-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
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i’m having a hard time giving this book a rating. i can tell it has 4-5 star quality writing and style. there are great individual moments and quotes in it.
i really wanted to like this book. but i normally don’t like (character-driven) novels like this. this book is almost exactly what it promises to be and probably does it well. so, i think this book just isn’t for me and i don’t want to fault it for that. if it wasn’t one of my girlfriend’s favorite books i might’ve DNF’d it.
more specific thoughts:
- Fleabag-esque (complimentary)
- probably my #1 gripe — i dislike that martha’s literal
ABUSE of her husband is never actually acknowledged as a form of domestic violence. at very best, it is presented ambiguously and with some nuance. but at worst, it feels like herabusive behavior is excused and normalized because of her diagnosis. i think that narrative, even in fiction, is irresponsible and dangerous to perpetuate. i’m open to the idea that i’m misunderstanding how the author wrote this, or i missed where the author reconciled this asabusive behavior — but even still, the fact that i’m questioning it or could misunderstand it that’s an issue. - i did appreciate the portrayal of stigmatization and pathologizing of mental illness, especially from medical providers. this felt accurate.
- too slow paced for me, i felt bored. i was listening to it in audio format— it was really easy to tune it out on accident and realize i missed an entire section of the book. i think it likely reads better in physical book format than audio.
- it took until at least 65% into the book for me to care much at all about the main character, and i didn’t really connect with many other characters. it was difficult to empathize with Martha even though ive experienced similar moods and states and thoughts. i don’t know if id go as far as other reviewers to say she’s unlikeable. (or if she is, it’s intentional and i understand it). just not relatable.
- it was clearly supposed to be emotional & dark but i didn’t connect enough with the material to actually feel those things. i desperately wanted to actual feel her grief or loss but i felt so neutral and disconnected the entire novel.
- also, according to the description of the novel and other reviews, it’s supposed to be funny at times? i didn’t find it humorous, like, ever
- thematically, im just not that into the exploration of marriage and motherhood— which felt more present than mental illness (even though they are intertwined)
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
3.5 stars - enjoyed her humor and observations but found it difficult to empathize with her
I read this book months ago and I still think about it everyday. The aching won’t end
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read this very fast. I enjoyed it but wouldn't say I loved it.
It was well written and easy to read, but it irked me how much speech occurred outside of talking marks.
I didn't really connect with the characters, but I did find them intriguing, trying to understand why they were the way they were.
It irritated me that the mental illness Martha is diagnosed with wasn't disclosed.
It was well written and easy to read, but it irked me how much speech occurred outside of talking marks.
I didn't really connect with the characters, but I did find them intriguing, trying to understand why they were the way they were.
It irritated me that the mental illness Martha is diagnosed with wasn't disclosed.