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bibispizzas's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
4.75
martine_01's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
es_blackwood's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
2.0
yea it’s well written i’ve just never disliked a protagonist so deeply i hate that i had to listen to his worthless inner monologue
bryw4nk's review against another edition
funny
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? Yes
1.5
jennymills21's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ruby4sure's review against another edition
4.0
Rob is the kind of person 15 year old me wanted to be and 18 year old wanted to be with and 24 year old me wants to avoid at all costs
The first 60% of the book is absolutely hilarious, so self aware and as relevant now as it was in 1995 - 'standing like a prawn'.
There are a couple of reasons it's not a 5 (and tbh I would say it's a 3.5).
After reading Zadie Smith the descriptions of London felt a bit superficial/stereotypical but I suppose this is because it has become more of a cliche in the 30 years since it was written and idm too much as I was only coming here for a snack book.
Robs character development was also the clunkiest thing I have ever read - the first 2/3rds post breakup, he is whiny and miserable but at least self aware and trying to figure out where he went wrong. Around the point of the funeral, he just absolutely switches to a cruel and vindictive jaded bastard - like saying to Laura about if she had used protection w her new partner, and putting Barry down - and it just comes out of nowhere? And Laura's switch at the end from 'hes a mess and making me unhappy' to 'i can fix him' and 'him being a flop isn't the problem, I am too successful and I want to relive my 20 year old fantasy of living on minimum wage with my DJ boyf' felt a bit shoddy as there was literally nothing that prompted this. The final turning point of him making a mixtape of music his girlfriend would actually like was quite a nice symbol but it came out of nowhere? Like what prompted him to shape up?
Idk, it's a fun and original read. I care very little about Rob and Laura but Dick and Anna deserve all the good things in the world
The first 60% of the book is absolutely hilarious, so self aware and as relevant now as it was in 1995 - 'standing like a prawn'.
There are a couple of reasons it's not a 5 (and tbh I would say it's a 3.5).
After reading Zadie Smith the descriptions of London felt a bit superficial/stereotypical but I suppose this is because it has become more of a cliche in the 30 years since it was written and idm too much as I was only coming here for a snack book.
Robs character development was also the clunkiest thing I have ever read - the first 2/3rds post breakup, he is whiny and miserable but at least self aware and trying to figure out where he went wrong. Around the point of the funeral, he just absolutely switches to a cruel and vindictive jaded bastard - like saying to Laura about if she had used protection w her new partner, and putting Barry down - and it just comes out of nowhere? And Laura's switch at the end from 'hes a mess and making me unhappy' to 'i can fix him' and 'him being a flop isn't the problem, I am too successful and I want to relive my 20 year old fantasy of living on minimum wage with my DJ boyf' felt a bit shoddy as there was literally nothing that prompted this. The final turning point of him making a mixtape of music his girlfriend would actually like was quite a nice symbol but it came out of nowhere? Like what prompted him to shape up?
Idk, it's a fun and original read. I care very little about Rob and Laura but Dick and Anna deserve all the good things in the world
annie__bananie's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
crash369's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this one. Having never seen the movie, it was definitely not at all what I expected, but it was good.