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luigismistress's review against another edition
2.0
Boring. Never really went anywhere. Glad I listened to the audiobook and didn’t dedicate actual time to sitting down and reading this.
erinmp's review against another edition
3.0
Janice has been waiting for this day for most of her married life: the day that her husband's company goes public and the family are IPO millionaires. Finally they've made it. But what she doesn't expect this day is to receive a letter from her husband informing her that he's leaving her. For her best friend. And she won't receive any part of the windfall. Meanwhile, Janice's eldest daughter, Margaret, is struggling: her small feminist magazine has flopped. She's $100,000.00 in debt, and her movie star boyfriend has dumped her for a starlet. Janice's youngest daughter, Lizzie, is only fourteen, but she has more problems than she can deal with. When did she become the school slut? Told in alternating voices, the three women struggle alone and together through one of the toughest periods of their lives and have to face their pasts and actions head on.
I did like this. I wasn't sure that I would in the beginning, but somewhere around halfway through I found that I couldn't put it down and raced through the rest. I loved Margaret's character and the multiple references to feminist theorists and her struggle with her beliefs and the world around her.
I did like this. I wasn't sure that I would in the beginning, but somewhere around halfway through I found that I couldn't put it down and raced through the rest. I loved Margaret's character and the multiple references to feminist theorists and her struggle with her beliefs and the world around her.
katiebellmoore's review against another edition
2.0
I was very disappointed in this book and especially in the person who recommended it to me. It looked like a summer read on the shelf but I was convinced it was more. Wrong. This is nothing more than a screenplay for depressing people. There is absolutely no depth. The only reason I have rated it two stars is because I was slightly interested enough to finish the book.
pbandjane_library's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Abortion and Miscarriage
teaandtropes's review against another edition
3.0
I would give it a 3.5 to end it out. I really thought I wasn't going to be able to get through this because it reminded me of the book The Nest and I hated that book but this book is redeeming because I cared about all of their stories despite all of the characters being pathetic and annoying. Tell me how that works, I don't know. I wasn't rooting for the mom to get an even split of money from her husband I just needed to know how it ended and that everyone resolved their personal issues. I wouldn't recommend it but I will say it was well written and I will give other books by this author a shot.
apasc's review against another edition
4.0
It took a little bit to get into, but then I really liked it. It was like The Real Housewives of Orange County.
lbb00ks's review against another edition
So much dysfunction, so little time. The descent of these characters is unbelievable, and yet, it isn't because you enjoy them so much. One of the best characterizations of a teen's sexual misstep that I've read in some time.
whitmc's review against another edition
5.0
Precisely what I needed to kick my reading slump to the curb and head into summer. I was in Austin for work, and made it to Book People, which is even more amazing than the rumors. I had a plan: find a sales person and ask them for a recommendation to get me out of my slump. But first, I filled my arms with kids books and presents to make walking around reading the backs of books with a stranger that much easier. I found my guy, crossed my fingers that he had the magical skill that most great indie bookstore workers have, and launched into my request. I knew he was going to do it right when he asked what I read lately, pre-slump, that made me happy. Easy, Commonwealth by Ann Patchett. I also confessed that both Swing Time and Manhattan Beach left me uninspired and I quit both halfway through. I wanted good writing, but fast-paced, light enough that I can pick up and put down between chasing the kids. He led me around the store, grabbing books right and left. This was one he pressed into my hands, saying "It's flying off the shelf." I didn't even read the back. I picked it based on the ice cream. And I'm so glad I did. I probably would have written it off a bit if I had read the description on the back, which accurately describes the plot, but not the cunning writing and great character development. It's also set in Silicon Valley, which, let's face it, I get enough of in real life, so would not have been too excited about that part either. But I'm glad I just took it to the register and paid because this was a great book. The character development and insight is believable, although so so hard to watch. The setting is spot-on--country club Silicon Valley in the new money rising years of pre-2008 crash, and the writing is awesome. So funny, brash, and self-deprecating. I really enjoyed this.
whodatro's review against another edition
3.0
Who wrote the description for this book, "smart, comic page turner." There was nothing comical about this book at all.
A man who's company’s IPO has made him a millionaire overnight serves his wife of 29 years divorce papers via messenger. She's blindsided and in denial and then discovers that he has tricked her into signing away her rights to millions he's just made. This is just the beginning. She spirals into Meth addiction, after her pool boy tells her it's better than Vicadin and has the side of effect of weight loss.
Meanwhile her 14 year-old daughter has become popular after losing weight and mistakes attention for affection. She's had sex with 6 boys in her school. She learns that she's been deemed the school slut and that they are keeping a scorecard in the boys bathroom. She also becomes pregnant.
The other daughter, 29 and failed magazine creator, feminist and know-it-all, is kick out by her actor boyfriend, and is 100K in credit card debt. She is called home after learning about the divorce.
They all spend the summer existing together, but clueless about all of the secrets they are hiding. The mother miraculously kicks her meth addiction without treatment, the daughter has a miscarriage, rhe oldest daughter helps her mother by getting someone to publicly shame the father. We are told the husband wants to settle at the end. Mom and her two daughters heal, become the family they should, eat ice cream sundaes and life goes on.
It's a decent book, but the whole time I kept reading, I kept thinking these people can't be this naive and clueless about life.
A man who's company’s IPO has made him a millionaire overnight serves his wife of 29 years divorce papers via messenger. She's blindsided and in denial and then discovers that he has tricked her into signing away her rights to millions he's just made. This is just the beginning. She spirals into Meth addiction, after her pool boy tells her it's better than Vicadin and has the side of effect of weight loss.
Meanwhile her 14 year-old daughter has become popular after losing weight and mistakes attention for affection. She's had sex with 6 boys in her school. She learns that she's been deemed the school slut and that they are keeping a scorecard in the boys bathroom. She also becomes pregnant.
The other daughter, 29 and failed magazine creator, feminist and know-it-all, is kick out by her actor boyfriend, and is 100K in credit card debt. She is called home after learning about the divorce.
They all spend the summer existing together, but clueless about all of the secrets they are hiding. The mother miraculously kicks her meth addiction without treatment, the daughter has a miscarriage, rhe oldest daughter helps her mother by getting someone to publicly shame the father. We are told the husband wants to settle at the end. Mom and her two daughters heal, become the family they should, eat ice cream sundaes and life goes on.
It's a decent book, but the whole time I kept reading, I kept thinking these people can't be this naive and clueless about life.