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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
For me, this book was a chew. Relentlessly depressing from start to finish
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book. It starts with a strong narrative voice that's quite literary - many of the sentences are stilted, as the narrator struggles to find her words, or it's too verbose, over wordy and somewhat tricky to follow.
At the start, the main characters were just not for me. Yes, faced with their own challenges; distant, or even abusive parents, money used as a substitute for love, undiagnosed mental health issues etc., but by and large they were entitled, snobby and bourgeois.
The parents struggle to give their children what they need, through their own experienced failings, apathy and ineptitude by virtue of thinking themselves so above the whole parenting thing. The children are subsequently poorly behaved and entitled in their own right. And yet they have every virtue in life: money, education, time at home, time in rich houses, rich friends and eventually good jobs, paying good money that they don't seem to have to work too hard for (or a husband who works).
The real triumph of this novel is that this upper middle set won me over. They became unexpectedly charming and sympathetic to me, and in the end I really enjoyed the arc of the story too!
At the start, the main characters were just not for me. Yes, faced with their own challenges; distant, or even abusive parents, money used as a substitute for love, undiagnosed mental health issues etc., but by and large they were entitled, snobby and bourgeois.
The parents struggle to give their children what they need, through their own experienced failings, apathy and ineptitude by virtue of thinking themselves so above the whole parenting thing. The children are subsequently poorly behaved and entitled in their own right. And yet they have every virtue in life: money, education, time at home, time in rich houses, rich friends and eventually good jobs, paying good money that they don't seem to have to work too hard for (or a husband who works).
The real triumph of this novel is that this upper middle set won me over. They became unexpectedly charming and sympathetic to me, and in the end I really enjoyed the arc of the story too!
fast-paced
reflective
sad
slow-paced
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
very slow. definitely a real portrayal of mental illness and the challenges that come along with it, but i found myself feeling depressed at times while listening to this book. it’s not for everyone.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
funny
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A modern Bell Jar - lovely.
You can’t help but like Martha even though she can be unlikeable (a lot of the time). A realistic view of what the life of someone with a mental illness could be.
Martha has the most amazing family around her and Patrick is just endearing.
You can’t help but like Martha even though she can be unlikeable (a lot of the time). A realistic view of what the life of someone with a mental illness could be.
Martha has the most amazing family around her and Patrick is just endearing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide
reflective
sad
medium-paced
A lot of sorrow, not much bliss.
It was funny (think Fleabag), beautifully descriptive without being overly so, frustrating, relatable, touching... An insight into how one's inner voice doesn't always translate properly into your actions. Hopefully it will give a perspective into understanding some people in your life who just seem "difficult".