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marissahiggins's review
5.0
One of the best novels I've read in months. I truly enjoyed this book, largely because of the voice. The book is in the first person and involves a lot of "telling," which can be hit or miss in novels, but in my opinion, works brilliantly in this book. The story handles so many things at once: feeling lost in your twenties, dysfunctional families, mental health, language barriers, and even (most interestingly to me) intergenerational trauma. The book is a pure delight and I can't recommend it enough.
julianaeastment's review
5.0
i realized half way through that this book is what i wanted ‘new people’ to be. love the journey gabriele goes on; chaotic at first but illuminating.
mattlikesbooks's review
1.0
Perhaps the weakest book I read this summer. I’m giving it one star because it made me feel nothing. I can’t even say I hated it- if I did I might be able to bring it up one or two for evocative writing style.
I know that’s harsh but what I’m really trying to say is that I wish I enjoyed this book. The beginning had me real excited and then it just kept me in the same mood for the entire book with no shifts in style, story, mood, etc. I read this in two sittings because I needed to find out the end and see if it would redeem itself but that proved to be incredibly weak as well. So much potential was wasted here.
Im not mad, just disappointed :(
I know that’s harsh but what I’m really trying to say is that I wish I enjoyed this book. The beginning had me real excited and then it just kept me in the same mood for the entire book with no shifts in style, story, mood, etc. I read this in two sittings because I needed to find out the end and see if it would redeem itself but that proved to be incredibly weak as well. So much potential was wasted here.
Im not mad, just disappointed :(
magis1105's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
laura_anderer's review
2.0
This book felt like utter chaos. Starting with a personal mechanical pet peeve: the conversations were not distinct from the rest of the text. When someone was talking there were no quotation marks— they were just added into the thick of a paragraph. At first glance, the concept of this story was very intriguing. But, a 25 year old woman uprooting her life to move to Rome on the search for some random customer she never met & essentially stalking him resulted in a strange story. It could’ve been more interesting, but a lot of it was just boring and hard to get through.
I think it could’ve been a very intriguing coming of age story, where Chloe moves herself to Italy on the premise of finding out how Vietri lived his life, but that was not the story at all. It also seemed odd that she chose to stalk someone of no relation whatsoever; she could have at the very least looked for someone in her own family. Chloe also just seemed unlikable altogether, from cheating on her boyfriend to the way she treats her mentally ill mother.
I did enjoy all of the history of Italy included.
I think it could’ve been a very intriguing coming of age story, where Chloe moves herself to Italy on the premise of finding out how Vietri lived his life, but that was not the story at all. It also seemed odd that she chose to stalk someone of no relation whatsoever; she could have at the very least looked for someone in her own family. Chloe also just seemed unlikable altogether, from cheating on her boyfriend to the way she treats her mentally ill mother.
I did enjoy all of the history of Italy included.
jess_zf's review
4.0
as much as I wanted to (bitingly!) dislike a book about a 25 year's self-reflection amidst travel, the writing, the Italian, the story, the complexity all kept me in. never annoyed!
ava23's review
2.0
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book via Goodreads giveaway.
I'm not sure what I thought was going to happen in this book, but that was not what I got. I really just feel like I wasted my time reading this book. It wasn't interesting. I almost didn't want to pick it back up at some points, but I kept hoping it would get better. I'm sure it's a great book for others, but it just was not my cup of tea.
I was able to finish the book. It at least wasn't so bad that I had to quit in the middle.
I'm not sure what I thought was going to happen in this book, but that was not what I got. I really just feel like I wasted my time reading this book. It wasn't interesting. I almost didn't want to pick it back up at some points, but I kept hoping it would get better. I'm sure it's a great book for others, but it just was not my cup of tea.
I was able to finish the book. It at least wasn't so bad that I had to quit in the middle.
rita_reads_cda's review
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
The first chapter was good. Downhill from there. Rather dull.
meghanstinar's review
4.0
I think literary fiction can get a bad reparation, but I loved this one. It is a slower pace with not a ton of action, but I enjoyed the book. There was resolution at the end without being too tidy.