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klc3klc's review
slow-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
rkass's review
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
mayastpierre's review
funny
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
maeveamelia's review
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jvk14's review
5.0
I had so much fun reading this book. There is barely a plot or storyline to follow but the writing kept me around. I feel like this book does a really good job with two big things … 1. Capturing what it’s like to be lost in college 2. How delusional we all are with our first love.
shimmery's review against another edition
5.0
Selin is a student at Harvard, majoring in linguistics. In her Russian class she meets Ivan and starts up a communication with him over email. She becomes infatuated with him and ends up going to Hungary for the summer to teach English so she has the chance to see him at weekends.
The above summary does not do this book justice at all. It reads almost like a diary, following Selin day to day, and it's both very funny and bursting with really interesting things to think about, particularly regarding language and communication. Selin herself is extremely likable, although I suppose it depends on your sense of humour. If you find this kind of thing funny, you'll probably love it as much as I do:
'At some point I thought I had grown a lump in my thigh, but it turned out to be a tangerine--it had fallen through a hole in the pocket and ended up trapped in the lining.'
At one point Selin acknowledges 'Within the world of the story, nobody mentioned or acknowledged that things were abnormal, and so one tended to accept them unquestioningly. But if you pointed out the abnormality--if you could just state it factually--people in the real world would recognise it and laugh.'
That's how the whole book works: at nineteen, Selin is transitioning in to adult life and her observances of it make for great reading. There is a part where she factually recounts the plot of Dracula which is hilarious for the above reasons.
So I found myself laughing out loud throughout the novel, but it was extremely smart as well as just being fun. I think this is the best book I have read so far this year.
The above summary does not do this book justice at all. It reads almost like a diary, following Selin day to day, and it's both very funny and bursting with really interesting things to think about, particularly regarding language and communication. Selin herself is extremely likable, although I suppose it depends on your sense of humour. If you find this kind of thing funny, you'll probably love it as much as I do:
'At some point I thought I had grown a lump in my thigh, but it turned out to be a tangerine--it had fallen through a hole in the pocket and ended up trapped in the lining.'
At one point Selin acknowledges 'Within the world of the story, nobody mentioned or acknowledged that things were abnormal, and so one tended to accept them unquestioningly. But if you pointed out the abnormality--if you could just state it factually--people in the real world would recognise it and laugh.'
That's how the whole book works: at nineteen, Selin is transitioning in to adult life and her observances of it make for great reading. There is a part where she factually recounts the plot of Dracula which is hilarious for the above reasons.
So I found myself laughing out loud throughout the novel, but it was extremely smart as well as just being fun. I think this is the best book I have read so far this year.
al07734's review
2.75
Some good quotes and a bit poignant, but I found Ivan to be really annoying. They just kept trying to impress each other
aamedaa's review against another edition
snoozefest. maybe i’ll try again later bc i picked it up at an unfortunate time but 😴😴😴😴