Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.32 AVERAGE
3.32 AVERAGE
Imagine having a midlife crisis about what it means to be a woman, a wife, mother, daughter, good person who is working on recognising their power and privilege. Now do all of that during Trumps term in office. That is exactly what this book is.
It’s complex and written with intricacy, its like reading the protagonists inner thoughts, but also the authors political commentary. I wasn’t sure where this was going and if I am honest if it was for me or what I was going to get out of it. But slowly I stopped thinking that and found myself in deep, I was building frustrated relationships with the characters and questioning their decisions. I definitely wasn’t dying to pick it up but when I did, I didn’t really want to put it down.
I wrote a note to myself about three quarters of the way through -feels a bit like a white woman’s guilty awakening in Trump era - I still feel the same and I still feel it was clunky in some places, it is a book trying to do and tackle a lot of things, and at times yep it felt a little clunky, but it also really worked.
We mainly hear from Sam said white woman but just when you have had enough of her (and I did have enough) the author brings in Ally - Sam’s daughters voice just when it was needed. Bringing context and challenge to the conclusions I had drawn on Sam. There were part of the book I could have done without, some characters I am still trying to work out. I’m ok with that, I still enjoyed it, still felt something and any book that can do that is a good book in my mind.
To summarise for me this book is clever and well done, its a lot of things; a feminist essay, a political commentary and a look into the relationships women hold with ourselves, our body’s, mothers, daughters and others. I can’t wait to see women who are at different stages of life read this one to see the different things we all take from it.
It’s complex and written with intricacy, its like reading the protagonists inner thoughts, but also the authors political commentary. I wasn’t sure where this was going and if I am honest if it was for me or what I was going to get out of it. But slowly I stopped thinking that and found myself in deep, I was building frustrated relationships with the characters and questioning their decisions. I definitely wasn’t dying to pick it up but when I did, I didn’t really want to put it down.
I wrote a note to myself about three quarters of the way through -feels a bit like a white woman’s guilty awakening in Trump era - I still feel the same and I still feel it was clunky in some places, it is a book trying to do and tackle a lot of things, and at times yep it felt a little clunky, but it also really worked.
We mainly hear from Sam said white woman but just when you have had enough of her (and I did have enough) the author brings in Ally - Sam’s daughters voice just when it was needed. Bringing context and challenge to the conclusions I had drawn on Sam. There were part of the book I could have done without, some characters I am still trying to work out. I’m ok with that, I still enjoyed it, still felt something and any book that can do that is a good book in my mind.
To summarise for me this book is clever and well done, its a lot of things; a feminist essay, a political commentary and a look into the relationships women hold with ourselves, our body’s, mothers, daughters and others. I can’t wait to see women who are at different stages of life read this one to see the different things we all take from it.
I like books about houses and how they change people. In this story, a woman leaves her marriage and her daughter for a tumble-down house in downtown Syracuse, not far from her workplace as a docent at the historic home of a less-than-perfect 19th century white feminist activist. I struggled because I found it hard to like Sam, the new friends she meets, or her daughter, and the strangely, constant and loyal husband -- to see them as rounded characters. On the other hand, I enjoyed learning more about the history of Syracuse, and the interplays of race and class in gentrifying neighborhoods as Spiota portrays them.
like Live Laugh Love but somehow more eyerolly - the characters are unrelatable and unrealistic
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Is this a parody?? Did the author crowd source polarizing topics and then try to jam them into one unoriginal character?? At least I read quicker when hate is involved. What a waste.
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Readable if not exciting - wasn’t desperate to read it, but when I did it was fine and easy to read. Got it in the Waterstones sale for £3 hardback so thought I’d give it a go. Really liked that it involved Black Lives Matter movements and issues from a white privileged woman’s perspective. It also had chapters from the daughter’s viewpoint - she was seeing an older man, which was an interesting storyline too. Really didn’t like the random 30 ish pages from a guidebook, museum stand and a random historical character - boring and pointless. Overall though I think readable but not exciting sums it up.
reflective
medium-paced
I heard the author being interviewed and I was really intrigued. I started out disliking the main character, Sam, just another privileged woman. But I came to understand her struggles that so many of us have; children growing up and no longer needing us, aging parents dying. And trying to figure out a purpose. The descriptions of the history of Syracuse are informative.
3 generations of women in modern-day Syracuse. Good character studies. Aftermath of Trump election, and the soul-searching that went on. Enjoyable and engaging, ultimately it didn't add up to that much for me. I often kinda like the unresolved plot, existential realism thing, but I didn't feel there was that much left without that.