Scan barcode
bwv's review against another edition
I liked her short story in the New Yorker better than the whole book. The ending wound up more interesting than I expected, and the main character was thought provoking. But I felt that the supporting characters were one dimensional, cartoonish. This book got lots of good press in 2009, so someone help me understand what I missed in the reading
aksyring's review against another edition
5.0
I adore this book. Tassie is perfectly characterized, and the voice is funny, smart, and true. Moore also does wonders with figurative language. I especially liked the modern, unspecified Midwestern setting.
lunese's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
stephasaurusss's review against another edition
3.0
This book was gifted with Lorrie's famous and lusted after ability to mold the English language into things we love but haven't yet seen before. I think if anyone else had written this book it would have been a complete disaster. I must admit I think she is better in short story format. The main character was robotic; letting life just happen to her and doing nothing to display any sort of true emotion or passion. I think a lot of Lorrie's characters are like this but it comes across a lot better in short story format where we only see them in passing moments. The End... What can be said about it? I feel as though I arrived Nowhere and it took over 300 pages to get there. The writing itself was enjoyable but the story was not.
allieinwonderland's review against another edition
3.0
A little sad, a little predictable, maybe a little longer than it needed to be, but still very beautifully written and worth reading. I liked Who Will Run the Frog Hospital much more.
howdareyouassumeicanread's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
erikakramer's review against another edition
3.0
loved this book until the last 100 pages... it just fell so far so fast... other than that it's wonderful!
debramalpass's review against another edition
2.0
I enjoyed the style of writing and the beginning of the plot was promising. The story gradually descended into a series of bizarre, unbelievable events some of which were toe-curlingly bad (the 'Brazilian' boyfriend). The book would have worked by focusing on Tassie and her relationship with Sarah, Edward and Mary the child they adopted. Weaving in a post-9/11 narrative felt rather clumsy and forced.
mfujiura's review against another edition
3.0
Moore is a beautiful writer, and I recognized so many young college students in Tassie in regards to her attempts to apply the knowledge she's collected from her college courses to her worldview and practical life (while remaining somewhat naive), but there was a level of emotional detachment from the other characters (except, perhaps, Robert and Mary-Emma)that prevented me from truely becoming invested in the story. (However, since Tessie is narrating from the future, I do accept that she is giving the account with a level of detachment given the passage of time.) I also wonder if there was too many ideas and themes running through the book. Post 9/11 psyche, modern racism, motherhood - I would have loved to see Moore explore all of them on a deeper level and not all at once.
eaendter's review against another edition
5.0
What an amazing writer. Lorrie Moore is funny, observant, smart, and a magician with words. Her writing is dense with description that is memorable and that gives one a whole new slant on something common. Like describing looking out at window icicles like being caught in the mouth of a monster with jagged teeth. Ew.
The story had great resonance for me. A bright girl from the country goes to a big university and discovers the world while doing a lot of babysitting... This is a post 9/11 tale, however, so things happen that are part of this crazy world we live in now. There are things, though, about being an innocent from the backwaters that she got SO right.
It is also a story about our crazy adoption and foster care system. These tales are familiar to me, since foster parenting is so prevalent a job in our economically depressed town. And one of my friends worked for years for the local CASA--Court Appointed Special Advocates for neglected and abused kids in the foster care system. This particular story is heartrending.
The story had great resonance for me. A bright girl from the country goes to a big university and discovers the world while doing a lot of babysitting... This is a post 9/11 tale, however, so things happen that are part of this crazy world we live in now. There are things, though, about being an innocent from the backwaters that she got SO right.
It is also a story about our crazy adoption and foster care system. These tales are familiar to me, since foster parenting is so prevalent a job in our economically depressed town. And one of my friends worked for years for the local CASA--Court Appointed Special Advocates for neglected and abused kids in the foster care system. This particular story is heartrending.