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maryanneross's review against another edition
5.0
A book that slowly unravels a series of stories, characters are finely drawn and loss is outlined. We are pulled into each character. Fans of Ann Patchett will soon become followers of Celeste Ng.
sarschmuck's review against another edition
3.0
This book was well written but it seemed to have too many details and descriptions of things that could have been summed up quicker, I found myself wanting to skip parts and jump ahead. The plot was good and kept me intrigued but the ending left me feeling sad for the main character.
elisabeth7291's review against another edition
2.0
I didn't like Ng's first book - Everything I Never Told You - but I decided to give this one a try because I heard it was better. For me, not so.
I think I'm suffering from books like this that are really just contemporary fiction being touted as literary & it isn't. Characters are flat, plot is predictable (and politically slanted) and the metaphors are blatant. There were also some style things that drove me nuts like the adult characters referring to themselves and each other as 'Mrs. X' & 'Mrs. Y.'
Not for me.
I think I'm suffering from books like this that are really just contemporary fiction being touted as literary & it isn't. Characters are flat, plot is predictable (and politically slanted) and the metaphors are blatant. There were also some style things that drove me nuts like the adult characters referring to themselves and each other as 'Mrs. X' & 'Mrs. Y.'
Not for me.
hbermudes's review against another edition
3.0
3.5! I really enjoyed this book. It’s a take on a postmodern inspired style that I think brings this unique new energy. Yes, the characters are archetypes and it focuses on seemingly mundane situations in an “anywhere, USA” type of town. But the main characters are all women (traditional postmodernism could literally never). Ng actually uses all these elements with very intentional function in building the mystery and I really appreciate this!! Ng’s narrative voice and narrative structure are SO engaging. She asks really interesting questions about race, femininity, and motherhood, among many things. It was a little slow to start- not sure how it will sit with me over time but overall enjoyable and short!
taaja's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
aesch's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
audreylee's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
While all but one of the characters were very one-note, the one who might have been the most complex as the character, with a foot in both worlds, was instead a cipher. The Author apparently wanted to fit every type of mother into the novel.
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism and Abortion