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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
fun to read i love her way of bringing up stuf from the past to explain the future of her story. plus the book has really bubbly use of words
I really enjoyed the writing style of this book, she's got a good writing sense of humor. The topic of it wasn't really for me though (21 yrs old), but I can see it appealing to older women, divorcees, etc.
Also, some parts of the book were filled with her research of the area she was staying in or the ideology she was studying, and I didn't really care for that. Those pages got skipped over for the most part.
Also, some parts of the book were filled with her research of the area she was staying in or the ideology she was studying, and I didn't really care for that. Those pages got skipped over for the most part.
I have read this book before, years ago, and this time I listened to the audio. I enjoyed it because the author read it and I liked how she mimics the voices of the people she encountered. Having been in Rome recently, I could easily picture Liz walking through the streets there, and eating all the amazing Italian food. I felt differently about Liz’s traveling year on this reading than I did the first time. Maybe it’s because I have read more of her books, and follow her on social media, so I have some notion of what happens next…I don’t know. All I know is that I really liked the book the first time and enjoyed the hell out of it the second time, too.
Let me start by saying I don’t usually enjoy nonfiction, so don’t take this review too seriously. That said, I was honestly more excited to write this review than I ever was to pick up the book. Eat Pray Love felt like a slog to get through—way longer than it needed to be—and if it hadn’t been a book club pick, I doubt I would’ve finished it.
Gilbert’s journey in Italy, while full of pasta and potential, came across as pretty superficial. It felt like more of a vacation than any kind of real soul-searching. Her time in India was the most interesting part for me, probably because it seemed like she was actually grappling with something deeper—but even then, I wasn’t fully pulled in.
By the time she got to Indonesia, I was frustrated. She’s on this whole mission of self-discovery and swearing off relationships, but ends up in one anyway. It felt a little hypocritical, like she was falling right back into the patterns she was supposedly trying to break. I really wish she had stuck to her original plan of a year alone—it would have made her story more powerful and believable.
Also, for a book that delves into spiritual and cultural experiences, I would’ve appreciated more sources or context for where she got her information. At times it felt a little too “trust me, I was there” without giving much else to go on.
All in all, not my cup of tea, but I get why some people connect with it. I just wasn’t one of them.
Gilbert’s journey in Italy, while full of pasta and potential, came across as pretty superficial. It felt like more of a vacation than any kind of real soul-searching. Her time in India was the most interesting part for me, probably because it seemed like she was actually grappling with something deeper—but even then, I wasn’t fully pulled in.
By the time she got to Indonesia, I was frustrated. She’s on this whole mission of self-discovery and swearing off relationships, but ends up in one anyway. It felt a little hypocritical, like she was falling right back into the patterns she was supposedly trying to break. I really wish she had stuck to her original plan of a year alone—it would have made her story more powerful and believable.
Also, for a book that delves into spiritual and cultural experiences, I would’ve appreciated more sources or context for where she got her information. At times it felt a little too “trust me, I was there” without giving much else to go on.
All in all, not my cup of tea, but I get why some people connect with it. I just wasn’t one of them.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Don't judge me. This was left in my office by its former occupant, and I was lonely and just finished my last book and didn't have anything else around handy to read. Please save me and loan me something. I guess it could get better or more relevant to me? But I doubt it. I see shadows of myself in here, I do. But they are obnoxious, hateful shadows and there are better ways to converse with them than through a rich, depressed woman living the dream in Italy. I'm being mean. She has a right to be unhappy, but I just don't want to read about it.
>>>Update: I've now finished this book, and I raised it from one star to two, in part because I feel like a mean person--like I'm actually going to be hurting her feelings or something. Also because, well, I didn't throw it down in disgust or anything. I did keep reading. Which is something, I guess.
She's a decent writer. She's funny. But she didn't really surprise me. At times I found myself thinking, I should go on an adventure! But then I realize I have no money and my job requires I stay here, unlike her. I feel like I would like hanging out with this person, but that I would never run into her in real life, and seen through the pages of this book, well... it just doesn't feel sincere, even if it is.
Overall, I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to read this book, but if you're stranded with no other entertainment, well, then go right ahead.
>>>Update: I've now finished this book, and I raised it from one star to two, in part because I feel like a mean person--like I'm actually going to be hurting her feelings or something. Also because, well, I didn't throw it down in disgust or anything. I did keep reading. Which is something, I guess.
She's a decent writer. She's funny. But she didn't really surprise me. At times I found myself thinking, I should go on an adventure! But then I realize I have no money and my job requires I stay here, unlike her. I feel like I would like hanging out with this person, but that I would never run into her in real life, and seen through the pages of this book, well... it just doesn't feel sincere, even if it is.
Overall, I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to read this book, but if you're stranded with no other entertainment, well, then go right ahead.
I don’t quite know how I feel about this—I remember naively loving the movie/story when I was younger so I decided to listen to the audiobook. While I love stories of traveling, learning, and meeting new people from around the world, this was rife with privilege, and I couldn’t shake the pretentiousness and lack of self awareness of it all.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
*Audiobook*
I was intrigued hence the extra star. Very white upper middle class privilege trying to find inner peace on behalf of poor people.
I was intrigued hence the extra star. Very white upper middle class privilege trying to find inner peace on behalf of poor people.