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whatevermarlene's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
cmrams's review against another edition
2.0
Not quite as entertaining or filled with excitement or exotic goings-on as I expected from the title and cover. Guess that's my fault really, for not reading any reviews or even the inside jacket. However, I found this rather a tedious, long, recount of an old musician's memories. There were numerous accounts of his conquests that consisted primarily of just sex. Sometimes little back stories of a few of the women would be included, but mostly they were just about how big his penis was and how many women he stuck it in. I got incredibly bored by the second half, praying that something would happen. The one 'climatic event' was even a disappointment. Tedious, melancholy, and long-winded, I really don't think it needed to take 400 pages for the old man to die.
arealswellfellow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
whitmi03's review against another edition
2.0
Nice idea, but doesn't quite live up to the hype. Does capture a nice wistfulness that comes with getting older, but also kind of just seems like an old man who is sad that girls don't love him anymore
staleritzcrackerz's review against another edition
emotional
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? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
bfth23's review against another edition
2.0
So so. Some parts so good, some parts not so good (how much sex can you read about?)
jodyjsperling's review against another edition
2.0
This book amounted to little more than a long wish fulfillment of sexual fantasy.
drbird's review against another edition
4.0
This is a great novel - it's full of sex and longing and bad behavior. It's also twice as long as the film, which takes its story from the first half. Definitely a strong work.
moxiedoll's review against another edition
2.0
1.5 stars. I picked this up again to fulfill two goals - reading a multicultural book and reading something I failed to finish in the past. While I "finished" it this time, it was only after skimming the last third of it. I support a lot of what others have said - the characters are unlikeable, the plotline is flat and the sexual references are overabundant and terribly annoying by the end. I really want to like Hijuelos though, so I plan on trying another title in the future.
abookolive's review against another edition
1.0
DNF - So disappointing. An extremely engaging six page intro leads into a choppy, entirely sex-focused story that fails to develop atmosphere or nostalgia the way the author intends. It felt like being stuck at a bar next to an old drunk dude wanting to tell you every detail of his life story: how he used to be a musician and slept with just about every chick in NYC at the time. Bully for you, guy. Can I leave now?