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alysereadsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting. I really enjoyed her prose and found it thought provoking. It’s a quick read, but I did find it somewhat confusing with the switching perspectives and time jumps. Overall, I would recommend, and may go back and read it again.
vulpasvulpas's review against another edition
3.0
cinematic in its execution and written in a bewitching prose, temporally shifting between narrators and continents, frustratingly unclear and fragmentary at times, in sum the kind of book that hooks into you with a devastating pull towards its myopic characters and their moral debasement and disappearances.
enidkeaner's review against another edition
2.0
"Running" essentially centers on a small group (two guys, one gal) who eek out a living scamming tourists in Greece during the 1980s. This group, Milo, Jasper and Bridey are close and tightknit, living in each others' pockets, until one of their scams backfires and gets them uncomfortably close to an act of terrorism.
Hoffman's writing is quite good - it's obvious that she's a very talented woman and she's someone I can see myself reading again. The relationships feel real and true. There's an interestingly dreamy quality to "Running"; you feel as though you're sort of slipping through the words and through time.
Even still, I find "Running" difficult to rate - I'm somewhere between this being a 2.5 star and 3 star read for me. Even though I truly liked the quality of the prose and that dreamy, trance-like feel, I found myself not feeling much for the characters or caring what actually happened to them. I simply couldn't connect and as such - it's really a "It's not you, it's me" sort of thing.
Hoffman's writing is quite good - it's obvious that she's a very talented woman and she's someone I can see myself reading again. The relationships feel real and true. There's an interestingly dreamy quality to "Running"; you feel as though you're sort of slipping through the words and through time.
Even still, I find "Running" difficult to rate - I'm somewhere between this being a 2.5 star and 3 star read for me. Even though I truly liked the quality of the prose and that dreamy, trance-like feel, I found myself not feeling much for the characters or caring what actually happened to them. I simply couldn't connect and as such - it's really a "It's not you, it's me" sort of thing.
claben's review against another edition
5.0
Shattering look at class and violence. Prose at times reminiscent of St. Aubyn but with a more complex plot.
paceamorelibri's review against another edition
3.0
[book:Running|30753836] is a strange and ambitious whirlwind of a novel. It tells the story of Bridey Sullivan, a young American woman living on the streets of Athens, who takes up with Jasper and Milo, a British couple living and working in the hotel Olympos. The three work as 'runners,' essentially hustling tourists into staying at their run-down hotel in exchange for commission and a place to stay.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this novel and now, having finished it, I'm not really sure what I got from it. I'm sort of confused and very conflicted.
The best part of this book was the atmosphere. The red light district of 1980s Athens comes to life on the page. Evocative and lyrical, Hoffman's prose complements the insular setting and draws the reader into this world of crime and addiction. The characters, flawed and compelling, all make a strong impression. This is a book about the indelible impressions that relationships leave over time, a motif explored particularly well by the scope of Hoffman's narrative.
Now, onto the bad. I'm not sure what logic (if any?) [book:Running|30753836]'s timeline follows. It's certainly no logic that I recognize. I was constantly confused about when Bridey's narration was taking place, and while I understand that this uncertainty was most likely intentional on the author's part, it really detracted from my ability to get invested in this narrative. Additionally, the switches from Bridey's first-person POV to Milo's third-person are jarring. Maybe it's a matter of opinion, but I personally dislike when first and third person are used in a novel together.
As a disclaimer for this next complaint, I just want to clarify that I am not the sort of reader who requires every facet of a story to be wrapped up in a neat bow. I actually enjoy ambiguous endings more often than not. But I need to feel like that ambiguity serves a purpose other than frustrating the reader, and I didn't really get that here. This isn't just a case of 'do not expect answers' - it goes further and we get into the murky territory of 'do not even be sure which questions you're supposed to be asking of this book.'
The bottom line is that [book:Running|30753836] needed more. There is so much potential here. A story which promises to be filled to the brim with excitement ends up being rather anemic, and I'm personally left with too many questions to have found this a particularly rewarding reading experience.
If you want a book that's as thought-provoking as it is sultry and atmospheric, look no further. If you want a comprehensive story that examines its themes to their full potential and leaves no stone unturned, skip this one. The problem is, I'm not sure which category I fall into. A tentative 3 stars.
I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks Netgalley, Simon & Schuster, and Cara Hoffman.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this novel and now, having finished it, I'm not really sure what I got from it. I'm sort of confused and very conflicted.
The best part of this book was the atmosphere. The red light district of 1980s Athens comes to life on the page. Evocative and lyrical, Hoffman's prose complements the insular setting and draws the reader into this world of crime and addiction. The characters, flawed and compelling, all make a strong impression. This is a book about the indelible impressions that relationships leave over time, a motif explored particularly well by the scope of Hoffman's narrative.
Now, onto the bad. I'm not sure what logic (if any?) [book:Running|30753836]'s timeline follows. It's certainly no logic that I recognize. I was constantly confused about when Bridey's narration was taking place, and while I understand that this uncertainty was most likely intentional on the author's part, it really detracted from my ability to get invested in this narrative. Additionally, the switches from Bridey's first-person POV to Milo's third-person are jarring. Maybe it's a matter of opinion, but I personally dislike when first and third person are used in a novel together.
As a disclaimer for this next complaint, I just want to clarify that I am not the sort of reader who requires every facet of a story to be wrapped up in a neat bow. I actually enjoy ambiguous endings more often than not. But I need to feel like that ambiguity serves a purpose other than frustrating the reader, and I didn't really get that here. This isn't just a case of 'do not expect answers' - it goes further and we get into the murky territory of 'do not even be sure which questions you're supposed to be asking of this book.'
The bottom line is that [book:Running|30753836] needed more. There is so much potential here. A story which promises to be filled to the brim with excitement ends up being rather anemic, and I'm personally left with too many questions to have found this a particularly rewarding reading experience.
If you want a book that's as thought-provoking as it is sultry and atmospheric, look no further. If you want a comprehensive story that examines its themes to their full potential and leaves no stone unturned, skip this one. The problem is, I'm not sure which category I fall into. A tentative 3 stars.
I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks Netgalley, Simon & Schuster, and Cara Hoffman.
elyseng's review against another edition
4.0
Very mystical, and intriguing characters. It's a good thing the story is short, it leaves us in an ambiance of uncertainty that was quite well developed.
yogilawyer's review against another edition
5.0
This is a beautifully complex story. The shifts in time, perspectives, and story only added depth to the novel. Yet, I didn't have trouble understanding time or perspective as I was reading. Once I started, I literally found myself trying to read a few more pages any moment I could sneak them in! This novel was gritty, and a reminder that in the real world there is no such thing as a perfect ending.
*Update*
It's been two months, and I still find myself thinking about this book, and the characters. Anything that has that much of a profound effect on me as a reader that it causes me to stop and think long after the last page has been read is a five star read!
*Update*
It's been two months, and I still find myself thinking about this book, and the characters. Anything that has that much of a profound effect on me as a reader that it causes me to stop and think long after the last page has been read is a five star read!
garneteyes's review
4.0
Really enjoyed this book! The only thing is that I wish it had been longer- not a super satisfying conclusion. Enjoyed following these characters, even with their questionable decisions.
victoriac's review
4.0
Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the ARC. I was not familiar with Cara Hoffman's work and understand this is a departure for her. The book was excellent, but so dark for my tastes. Many unlikeable (or at least hard to like) people, doing things I couldn't imagine and for reasons that were often not entirely made clear. All things I don't like. That said, I would recommend the novel. The writing is evocative and the characters and settings were crystal clear in my mind.
alytodd's review
2.0
I was so disappointed with this book.
Cara Hoffman's "So Much Pretty" is one of my favorite books, and i've been sure to check out anything else she's written, but this one really didn't work for me. Maybe i just wasn't in the right headspace. I found it incredibly hard to follow - both in the time line and who's voice (since it switched around a bit), and keeping track of who was who felt incredibly difficult. Thus, i didn't feel like i understood how the plot was moving forward, if at all.
i'd skip this one.
Cara Hoffman's "So Much Pretty" is one of my favorite books, and i've been sure to check out anything else she's written, but this one really didn't work for me. Maybe i just wasn't in the right headspace. I found it incredibly hard to follow - both in the time line and who's voice (since it switched around a bit), and keeping track of who was who felt incredibly difficult. Thus, i didn't feel like i understood how the plot was moving forward, if at all.
i'd skip this one.