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3.41 AVERAGE
3.41 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This one was a slog. Dealt with a lot of difficult topics - rape, school shooting, eating disorders - and handled them all pretty haphazardly.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
When a book becomes one of the most-read books of the week/month on Goodreads but maintains a barely respectable average rating of 3.6, there are usually one of two reasons for it:
1) The book is an objectively well-written, pretentious masterpiece that everyone thinks they should read but no one really likes.
Or 2) Some marketing guru thought it would be a good idea to - wrongly - pitch the book as the next Hunger Games, Harry Potter, Gone Girl... etc.
In this case, it's the second reason. [b:Luckiest Girl Alive|22609317|Luckiest Girl Alive|Jessica Knoll|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1425975301s/22609317.jpg|42099141] is [b:Gone Girl|21480930|Gone Girl|Gillian Flynn|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1432019852s/21480930.jpg|13306276]'s boring, less clever, younger sister. It's a tale devoid of emotional connection of any kind, introducing a narrator who establishes herself as a cold-hearted bitch on the first page and continues to seal the title of "unlikable narrator" by analyzing, judging and hating every woman she has ever known.
I really, really hate it when people say this, so I'm sorry, but I think so much about this book was a case of "trying too hard". I know, I know, what the fuck does that mean?? Well, here it means that the author created a villainous caricature, rather than a complex character. Authors like Gillian Flynn write women who ruminate on human behaviour, who dissect the world around them with a nihilistic flair; Knoll tries to do the same, but it's too forced.
Amy Dunne is so great because there's grains of truth in her insanity (we know all about the "cool girl"); Ani FaNelli, on the other hand, is just mindlessly ranting to demonstrate her own inner crazy-bitchness. When Amy Dunne offered some insight into the way people behave, I found myself nodding and understanding exactly what she meant; when Ani FaNelli bitchily finds fault with everyone around her, I was rolling my eyes.
Plus, it was freaking boring. We're promised all these secrets and revenge but, frankly, I never cared. Ani is so annoying and her inner narrative so very tedious. She spends way too much time pulling apart what other women are wearing - I honestly do not give a flying fuck if that bag is Chanel or if those leather pants are real - and making judgments based upon it; judgements that I suppose are to indicate how observant and twistedly insightful our protagonist is.
There is no emotion in this book. It deals with serious issues like rape and even they are glossed over with nary an emotion in sight. The glaring problem was that I never felt a reason to care about anything. Not the characters. Not the story. Such a dull read.
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1) The book is an objectively well-written, pretentious masterpiece that everyone thinks they should read but no one really likes.
Or 2) Some marketing guru thought it would be a good idea to - wrongly - pitch the book as the next Hunger Games, Harry Potter, Gone Girl... etc.
In this case, it's the second reason. [b:Luckiest Girl Alive|22609317|Luckiest Girl Alive|Jessica Knoll|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1425975301s/22609317.jpg|42099141] is [b:Gone Girl|21480930|Gone Girl|Gillian Flynn|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1432019852s/21480930.jpg|13306276]'s boring, less clever, younger sister. It's a tale devoid of emotional connection of any kind, introducing a narrator who establishes herself as a cold-hearted bitch on the first page and continues to seal the title of "unlikable narrator" by analyzing, judging and hating every woman she has ever known.
I really, really hate it when people say this, so I'm sorry, but I think so much about this book was a case of "trying too hard". I know, I know, what the fuck does that mean?? Well, here it means that the author created a villainous caricature, rather than a complex character. Authors like Gillian Flynn write women who ruminate on human behaviour, who dissect the world around them with a nihilistic flair; Knoll tries to do the same, but it's too forced.
Amy Dunne is so great because there's grains of truth in her insanity (we know all about the "cool girl"); Ani FaNelli, on the other hand, is just mindlessly ranting to demonstrate her own inner crazy-bitchness. When Amy Dunne offered some insight into the way people behave, I found myself nodding and understanding exactly what she meant; when Ani FaNelli bitchily finds fault with everyone around her, I was rolling my eyes.
Plus, it was freaking boring. We're promised all these secrets and revenge but, frankly, I never cared. Ani is so annoying and her inner narrative so very tedious. She spends way too much time pulling apart what other women are wearing - I honestly do not give a flying fuck if that bag is Chanel or if those leather pants are real - and making judgments based upon it; judgements that I suppose are to indicate how observant and twistedly insightful our protagonist is.
There is no emotion in this book. It deals with serious issues like rape and even they are glossed over with nary an emotion in sight. The glaring problem was that I never felt a reason to care about anything. Not the characters. Not the story. Such a dull read.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube | Store
I picked this one up because I wanted to read it before checking out the new movie! Based on the trailer and a couple clips I’d seen I assumed it would be about an abusive relationship. And while there are aspects of that for sure…that is NOT what this book is about! What a fun surprise!
I won’t spoil it, but man what a subject. I think as time goes on I’ll love this book more and more honestly. The character of Ani is so fucking broken?!? I love a well rounded broken character. She’s also such an asshole, and honestly I kinda love an antihero as well.
The thing that makes me rate it not five star is the fatphobic language. And yes, that’s the point. Ani clearly has a severe eating disorder, and the story is told from her perspective. But man, it’s just hard to read ya know? And even though they’re stories that need to be told, and it was SUPER captivating, as a fat lady I just twitch at shitty language ya know?
I’m curious if the movie will make me feel the same since it’s a different removed kind of media!? Idk! I’ll update when I watch!
I won’t spoil it, but man what a subject. I think as time goes on I’ll love this book more and more honestly. The character of Ani is so fucking broken?!? I love a well rounded broken character. She’s also such an asshole, and honestly I kinda love an antihero as well.
The thing that makes me rate it not five star is the fatphobic language. And yes, that’s the point. Ani clearly has a severe eating disorder, and the story is told from her perspective. But man, it’s just hard to read ya know? And even though they’re stories that need to be told, and it was SUPER captivating, as a fat lady I just twitch at shitty language ya know?
I’m curious if the movie will make me feel the same since it’s a different removed kind of media!? Idk! I’ll update when I watch!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Meh!!!
edit: I appreciate the book more now that i watched the film:) can’t believe this is the only I’m able to justify my reading time - a shitty movie
edit: I appreciate the book more now that i watched the film:) can’t believe this is the only I’m able to justify my reading time - a shitty movie