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kate_devx's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
avi_reads's review
challenging
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
did not enjoy, would not read again.
felt like everything was just done for shock value and added nothing to the progression of the story.
felt like everything was just done for shock value and added nothing to the progression of the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia and Deadnaming
Moderate: Self harm, Antisemitism, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Biphobia, Body shaming, Chronic illness, and Dysphoria
Minor: Pedophilia
charmainelim's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
To be honest, I'm not really sure what the point of the book is or if it achieved that. There were several plotlines that felt like they needed greater expansion, especially if they're mentioned in the blurb, and I felt like too much of it was wrapped up in being pretentious for the sake of it.
stefypb's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thank you to Lucy from Little Brown for sending me a copy of How to Leave the House by Nathan Newman
I must admit I did not gel with this book at all. No I tell a lie I could not gel with the MC, NatWest. The other characters were fine.
How to Leave the House takes place during the course of a day where our MC is desperately running around town trying to retrieve a very sensitive package that was delivered to the wrong person.
Over the course of the day/book we see NatWest interact with the townspeople, people he knows etc and we not only get a sense of NatWests life etc we get to know the people of the town.
I enjoyed the premise of the book but I just found it not to my tastes. I find the MC to be extremely selfish and I can’t gel with people like that. It rubbed throughout the entire course of his POV and I just wasn’t into it. I did, however,love Ms Pandey’s character, she was a hoot. This kind of writing style is something I do enjoy though. Sequence stories or nested stories I think it’s called.
The ending had me a little confused too.
That being said, just because this wasn’t my cup of tea, doesn’t mean it won’t be yours. So I do recommend to read it and I hope you enjoy it more than I did.
catriona176's review
adventurous
challenging
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Fatphobia, Antisemitism, Pedophilia, Transphobia, Homophobia, Death, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Infidelity
frombethanysbookshelf's review
4.0
How To Leave The House may take place over one short day, but it’s going to stay with me for much longer. An impressive, impactful trailblazer of a book that takes an absurd slice of life and puts it under the microscope for the reader, with witty observations and tragically funny conversations about the strangeness of being alive. Despite the dark humour and sad moments, it was brimming with hope and had a sense of wonder about life and humanity.
Natwest was a wonderful narrator to follow but we soon learn there isn’t such a thing as a main character in life and as we cycle through the day again and again through different eyes our first impressions change and grow - the story was told with such lyrical language that was creative and fun to follow, painting such clear pictures and taking time for the small details - painting a picture of what should be a mundane daily image but just had that something extra. At times the conversations turn entirely odd, and the sexual scenes get a little much for me (no to the sweaty balls thanks) but it’s oddness gave it such charm.
As the day goes on, more people get added to the mixture and we see a web of interconnected lives passing each other by and sometimes joining together if only for a moment; our cast dealing with different worries and joys from religion and belief, marriage and love, body image and insecurity, sexuality and identity to basically not knowing what to do with your life. Instead of following your average linear structure, it’s a little invitation into these characters days. Each little interaction was fabulous; it really made you stop and think about the different versions of you in people’s minds, the different ways a single relationship can change over time and how a small moment can be everything and nothing depending on where you’re looking.
Weird and wonderful, this is a touching journey into the strangeness of being alive and the power of human connection.
Natwest was a wonderful narrator to follow but we soon learn there isn’t such a thing as a main character in life and as we cycle through the day again and again through different eyes our first impressions change and grow - the story was told with such lyrical language that was creative and fun to follow, painting such clear pictures and taking time for the small details - painting a picture of what should be a mundane daily image but just had that something extra. At times the conversations turn entirely odd, and the sexual scenes get a little much for me (no to the sweaty balls thanks) but it’s oddness gave it such charm.
As the day goes on, more people get added to the mixture and we see a web of interconnected lives passing each other by and sometimes joining together if only for a moment; our cast dealing with different worries and joys from religion and belief, marriage and love, body image and insecurity, sexuality and identity to basically not knowing what to do with your life. Instead of following your average linear structure, it’s a little invitation into these characters days. Each little interaction was fabulous; it really made you stop and think about the different versions of you in people’s minds, the different ways a single relationship can change over time and how a small moment can be everything and nothing depending on where you’re looking.
Weird and wonderful, this is a touching journey into the strangeness of being alive and the power of human connection.
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