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3.28 AVERAGE
3.28 AVERAGE
loved loved loved it. i am sophie want to be sophie at the same time. every girl should read this. much much much better than the girl's guide to hunting and fishing.
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-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
This is Banks' followup to A Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing. She follows a young Jewish woman from girlhood to adulthood through relationship after relationship, each one seeming like the end all at the time. It's interesting to see the character's point of view change over time, as well as to witness the changing/maturing of her familial relationships.
Most relatable character and authentic voice I've read in a while. Highly recommend.
reflective
slow-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
I found this to be a sort of Gen X Ennui – the same literary genre of Millennial Ennui, but without the intentional shock & grotesquerie – which I found refreshing. I wish I had read this maybe five years ago.
The writing style is lovely, and there were quite a few quotes I'd love to pin to my wall. On the whole, though, the story itself feels quite pointless. It's told in the style of a fractured [fictional] memoir (not short stories, whatever the tags say), jumping around in time, skipping and referring back to what appear to be formative points in Sophie's life. It very often felt like there was a story trapped under the surface and trying desperately to crawl through the pages. If only we had seen more of Sophie's life outside these lackluster romances... but that in itself makes a statement, I suppose.
I had a decent time reading this, and while it's a smidge outdated by now, Sophie's lack of direction ultimately made me feel less alone, and we can never have too much of that, can we?
The writing style is lovely, and there were quite a few quotes I'd love to pin to my wall. On the whole, though, the story itself feels quite pointless. It's told in the style of a fractured [fictional] memoir (not short stories, whatever the tags say), jumping around in time, skipping and referring back to what appear to be formative points in Sophie's life. It very often felt like there was a story trapped under the surface and trying desperately to crawl through the pages. If only we had seen more of Sophie's life outside these lackluster romances... but that in itself makes a statement, I suppose.
I had a decent time reading this, and while it's a smidge outdated by now, Sophie's lack of direction ultimately made me feel less alone, and we can never have too much of that, can we?
Content Warnings
Minor: Ableism, Infidelity, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Alcohol
ableist slurs
It was well written but halfway through the book I was already tired of Sophie's inability to commit to anything. I had more fun reading about Jack's character! At the end I was disappointed that nothing really changes for Sophie. Its basically the same story over and over. New relationship. New job.
I liked the style of writing and the character was funny and sassy. The end fell flat though, which soured the whole book.
Eerily similar to [underline]A girl's guide to hunting and fishing[underline], and of the two, i thought that one was stronger. However, i still read this one in about two days, so if you are planning on reading it, stretch it out a bit maybe...? I still found Melissa bank's voice surprisingly insightful, funny, and poetic to read.
This warm-hearted and acutely observed novel about an American woman living in NYC turned out to possess an understated brilliance. A sort of Bildungsroman that keeps the drama low but, precisely because of that, convinces with its athenticity. The protagonist's life is told through big chapters that focus on specific periods in her life and the defining influences of friends, family and lovers while she herself retains a quiet but stubborn sense of seperate individuality. I found Bank's refusal to make Sophie's life zero in on the eventual salvation of a fulfilling job, kids or a life partner utterly refreshing. Instead, Sophie remains a sort of prickly but richly drawn "underachiever", who often fails at jobs and moves from one depressing flat to another, without pitying or ridiculing her. It makes the utter perversity of these usual markers of success all the more apparent. Instead, the pleasures of life Bank presents are the unflashy, humane moments inbetween.
The style is flawless and observations like the one below made me laugh but also marvel at Bank's astute eye.
The elevator door opens right into the loft. I was counting on those extra few seconds of hallway before facing the party, the party we are now part of and in, a party with people talking and laughing and having a party time. I think, I am a solid, trying to do a liquid's job.
The flimsy cover sadly doesn't work in the book's favour, which is a compassionate and often hilarious novel.
The style is flawless and observations like the one below made me laugh but also marvel at Bank's astute eye.
The elevator door opens right into the loft. I was counting on those extra few seconds of hallway before facing the party, the party we are now part of and in, a party with people talking and laughing and having a party time. I think, I am a solid, trying to do a liquid's job.
The flimsy cover sadly doesn't work in the book's favour, which is a compassionate and often hilarious novel.