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3.21 AVERAGE
3.21 AVERAGE
If JD Salinger, Haruki Murakami and Sylvia Plath wrote a book together, this is what it would look like.
Some parts were great, other parts I really struggled with. Unfortunately, I struggled more then I loved.
Some parts were great, other parts I really struggled with. Unfortunately, I struggled more then I loved.
stopped 200 pages in, maybe will pick up again if I finish some other books first
Beautifully written, it swept me away. A great story with complex characters and a narrative style unlike anything I have ever read. It's hard to explain. If you have some time to waste its worth , but I don't think I will ever re-read it. Brilliant but very....ethereal I guess, not grounded enough in reality for me to love it, and also too gritty to be an escape.
There were some really good parts of this book, but the rest of it seemed to just plod along interminably.
Bought this book in New York, after many recommendations, and just couldn't get into it, which is a pity, as it seems like the kind of book that I would enjoy.
I can't believe I made it through this huge book. I have very mixed feelings; on the one hand there was some stuff here that struck a chord, since I am an "American Girl" of the same generation; the artsy friend who killed himself (getting that phone call) being the biggest. But also the drugs and the general scene (although I never experienced hanging out with the rich kids or being a kept woman).
However, even though I think it was well written, and enjoyed reading it, upon reflection I hate hate hate that I spent all this time/energy with a book that was basically supporting every weak girl stereotype by having a main character who ultimately defined herself by her boyfriend; whether they were together or apart and how she devalued her life when she wasn't with him and was oh so happy when they were together. Wait a minute - did he sparkle in the sunlight??
However, even though I think it was well written, and enjoyed reading it, upon reflection I hate hate hate that I spent all this time/energy with a book that was basically supporting every weak girl stereotype by having a main character who ultimately defined herself by her boyfriend; whether they were together or apart and how she devalued her life when she wasn't with him and was oh so happy when they were together. Wait a minute - did he sparkle in the sunlight??
So far pretty interesting and no death or dismemberment a nice change of pace from my usual reading. Overall I liked this book but there were some sections that I thought were painfully slow and pretentious. I found it very hard to like the protagonist at times but I guess what saved the book for me were some of the descriptions that instantly brought me back to my own younger years.
I got into this without realising what a sprawling epic journey it would be - but that's reading on a Kindle for you. It took me a while to read because there are parts of the book that are slightly less compelling than others.
The book centres around learning to be a woman in America in the late 70s/Early 80s - I think reading it as a younger girl would've allowed me to love it more - as it was a lot of the description of the love of Evie's life (Rourke) verges on Edward in Twilight territory - I know that this is often how you feel as a teen so it was difficult for me to figure out whether the book itself is annoying or it's just Evie's character.
My other complaint is that (I assume) because Evie is such an "artist" the story is often not congruent and she darts from place to place without filling in the appropriate backstory. Usually this type of thing doesn't bother me, but with something this sprawling it became a little irritating.
All of this aside it was a great book to sink into and get swept up in, there's enough tragedy and hopelessness and "will love conquer all" stuff to keep anyone happy, but alongside this the book is well written (as a whole) and smart - something you don't tend to come across all that much in the genre that is romance.
The book centres around learning to be a woman in America in the late 70s/Early 80s - I think reading it as a younger girl would've allowed me to love it more - as it was a lot of the description of the love of Evie's life (Rourke) verges on Edward in Twilight territory - I know that this is often how you feel as a teen so it was difficult for me to figure out whether the book itself is annoying or it's just Evie's character.
My other complaint is that (I assume) because Evie is such an "artist" the story is often not congruent and she darts from place to place without filling in the appropriate backstory. Usually this type of thing doesn't bother me, but with something this sprawling it became a little irritating.
All of this aside it was a great book to sink into and get swept up in, there's enough tragedy and hopelessness and "will love conquer all" stuff to keep anyone happy, but alongside this the book is well written (as a whole) and smart - something you don't tend to come across all that much in the genre that is romance.
At times this book was more like 3.5 stars but I gave it 3 for "overall." I didn't like the book as much as I thought I would. I think it could have been a little shorter and there were a few points in the book where it kind of dragged along. I really didn't care for Eveline, the heroine of the novel, as she was bland and weak and didn't generate any emotion in me. I can hate a character and love a book but I couldn't even hate Eveline because she was just too "blah". I did enjoy the writing style, though, which is why I can say I liked the book. Thayer Hamann does have a way with language. I'm thinking that maybe my expectations were too high (one of the blurbs on the back of the book said that this is basically the next Catcher in the Rye. Eveline is no Holden Caulfield)or it just wasn't the right time for me to read it but the book just didn't resonate with me. To be fair, I'll probably read it again and maybe I'll feel differently.