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emce821's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book was a delight to read. The characters are lovable and relatable. I felt very seen with how similar my internal monologue is to Olive's. My only gripe was how much the years blended together, I at times wondered where I was in the timeline! However, this may be due to the pace at which I read, rather than the writing style.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infertility and Pregnancy
Minor: Eating disorder and Death of parent
katharina_s's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Pregnancy, Infertility, and Sexism
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Death, Transphobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Death of parent
Minor: Eating disorder and Blood
laurataylor's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Grief, Infertility, and Infidelity
jemzijem's review
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Eating disorder and Infidelity
abbiemreads's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Olive was a book unlike anything I’ve read before. It covered the conversation of motherhood and expectations so thoroughly and filled me with uncountable emotions that snuck up on me out of no where as I read further and further.
This book was leant to me by my 30 year old, and recent mother of a 2 year old, sister and I can’t help but think she must have been at the perfect cross roads in her life to read this. Despite the constant pregnancy announcements and the feeling of everyone I have ever been close to moving on with their lives, on crazy journeys and becoming more adult than I’ve ever felt, I think this book was a year or two early for me.
That doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it, or that I couldn’t relate to the characters. If anything I found it resonated quite well, it was just asking questions and showing view points I imagine would hit harder in a few years time. (I did have a good sob at the first scene though - thanks to my sister not telling me it was friends leaving their uni house when I started reading this 2 days after I left mine)
But I know it’s one that I’ll be thinking about for a while, and definitely a book I’ll be looking to reread when I reach those milestones.
Olive, Bea, Cec, Isla and their friendship makes me so happy. Seeing genuine female friendships, with each character developed fully, warms my heart and seems to be everything I’ve been searching for in those 20-to-30-something novels about growing up.
Even if some parts seemed cheesy or predictable it’s given me incredible food for thought, starting a discussion in my own mind that I’m sure I’ll extend to my friends soon. Olive is a talking point and something completely unique to my usual reads, which makes me glad to have stepped out of my comfort zone.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy and Infertility
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Infidelity, Death of parent, and Death
kb_sherman's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infertility and Pregnancy
Minor: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Death, Death of parent, and Eating disorder
mimela78's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
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
2.5
This is a story of women and friendship. Olive is looking at her life through the lens of her friends' lives and how their relationships have changed since they shared a house during their university years. All of her friends are married while she is in the midst of a major breakup. Olive has to find her own path to happiness while trying to maintain her friendship with her three best friends. Each of the women in this friend group are incredibly selfish and self-centered. This is the driving force for the plot and leads to an interesting conclusion.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent and Eating disorder
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