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3.32 AVERAGE
3.32 AVERAGE
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
medium-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
To start, I really enjoyed this book. The writing style that Dana Spiotta employs in her writing is what kept me deep into the plot. As someone still in their youth, the transitional period of the midlife is something I find very interested. Granted, my midlife will likely be dominated by pot-belly and a series of diets to erase said belly and not menopause and crisis, but the book's handling of those topics was still something I found incredibly interesting.
However, this book did have several failings, many of which aren't forgivable. The one I wish to highlight, however, is the brevity to which Spiotta took in telling the story. Each element of the story felt as if it could've been expanded into something so much bigger. The relationship between Joe and Ally? Completely shocking. It could've been so much more, but Spiotta ended it with a simple break-up. It's as if she didn't want to traumatize her characters any more, despite how far she'd already gone.
The book, too, felt incredibly dated. This focus on the 2016 election is so incredibly wrung out, especially five years after the event. Maybe this seems tone-deaf coming from a member of Gen Z, but I'm a bit tired of hearing about the effects of a presidency I had no part in deciding. No political election tears apart marriages, especially when both partners agree politically. That element of the book was completely overblown, and though Spiotta attempted to reconcile this marital explosion with Sam's equally explosive personality, this attempt was more or less unsuccessful.
Overall, the book did some things very well, but the myriad of issues it discussed needed fleshed out into something belonging to a longer novel. She maybe could've pulled it off with 100-150 more pages, and with a much bigger emotional charge.
However, this book did have several failings, many of which aren't forgivable. The one I wish to highlight, however, is the brevity to which Spiotta took in telling the story. Each element of the story felt as if it could've been expanded into something so much bigger. The relationship between Joe and Ally? Completely shocking. It could've been so much more, but Spiotta ended it with a simple break-up. It's as if she didn't want to traumatize her characters any more, despite how far she'd already gone.
The book, too, felt incredibly dated. This focus on the 2016 election is so incredibly wrung out, especially five years after the event. Maybe this seems tone-deaf coming from a member of Gen Z, but I'm a bit tired of hearing about the effects of a presidency I had no part in deciding. No political election tears apart marriages, especially when both partners agree politically. That element of the book was completely overblown, and though Spiotta attempted to reconcile this marital explosion with Sam's equally explosive personality, this attempt was more or less unsuccessful.
Overall, the book did some things very well, but the myriad of issues it discussed needed fleshed out into something belonging to a longer novel. She maybe could've pulled it off with 100-150 more pages, and with a much bigger emotional charge.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I feel like this book was trying to do so many things at once. The backdrop of the election could have been a really interesting aspect of the plot but I really feel like it fell wayside to the reflections of the complicated mother, daughter relationships.
I would have enjoyed it more I think if the plot was more focused on that dynamic as I found those moments incredibly moving and powerful - even cried here and there.
The sense of place in this novel was very strong and had me googling Syracuse throughout which I always love.
I would have enjoyed it more I think if the plot was more focused on that dynamic as I found those moments incredibly moving and powerful - even cried here and there.
The sense of place in this novel was very strong and had me googling Syracuse throughout which I always love.
reflective
tense
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
This just felt like ramblings. Little plot, little resolutions. Definitely a love letter to the city of Syracuse though!
Hot take: the book is ABOUT what the one star people are complaining about.
dark
reflective
tense
medium-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