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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
This book really confused me. I thought the premise was very Black Mirror and id heard so much hype/recommendations but it really didn't click with me!
I found it really hard to keep up with all the different characters and found the pay off at the end wasn't really worth it - maybe I just wasn't paying enough attention but I wasn't hooked in.
I think the experience was better when I sat down and read an entire chapter or two in one go, then I got more into it, but as I wasn't enjoying it too much I just didn't make the time to do that!
In saying that, there were a few chapters I did enjoy. Specifically the one with email correspondence which felt laughably similar to my work email correspondence.
I do like how all the characters linked up, with the chapters with the kids at the country club onwards especially, but could have used a family tree or map or glossary at the start of the book.
I found it really hard to keep up with all the different characters and found the pay off at the end wasn't really worth it - maybe I just wasn't paying enough attention but I wasn't hooked in.
I think the experience was better when I sat down and read an entire chapter or two in one go, then I got more into it, but as I wasn't enjoying it too much I just didn't make the time to do that!
In saying that, there were a few chapters I did enjoy. Specifically the one with email correspondence which felt laughably similar to my work email correspondence.
I do like how all the characters linked up, with the chapters with the kids at the country club onwards especially, but could have used a family tree or map or glossary at the start of the book.
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
This is such an interesting idea, but it was so impossible to keep track of the characters and the timelines. The book's description blurb also doesn't help at all since it makes it seem like the book will feature Bix... Who disappears after chapter/short story #1. It's basically a collection of short stories with varying degrees of relatedness.
I started reading this because I read the previous book. I wasn't sure I even liked it, but I wanted to finish.
Once I changed my approach to these books I could appreciate them. There are so many characters and intersections that I was having trouble keeping it all straight. So instead of wracking my brain for the connections I treated every chapter like a short story. The connections are there, and I would have a vague idea of where I had seen the characters before, but it wasn't necessary to place every detail. Once I started reading the book this way I really enjoyed if.
Her writing is fantastic. Smart, witty, satirical, touching. The way some chapters are completely different stylistically captures the different personalities at various times in their lives.
I almost stopped right at the beginning, but I'm glad I finished it.
Once I changed my approach to these books I could appreciate them. There are so many characters and intersections that I was having trouble keeping it all straight. So instead of wracking my brain for the connections I treated every chapter like a short story. The connections are there, and I would have a vague idea of where I had seen the characters before, but it wasn't necessary to place every detail. Once I started reading the book this way I really enjoyed if.
Her writing is fantastic. Smart, witty, satirical, touching. The way some chapters are completely different stylistically captures the different personalities at various times in their lives.
I almost stopped right at the beginning, but I'm glad I finished it.
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
I couldn't get rid of this quick enough. It made no sense. Not the individual chapters and definitely not the book as a whole. Some of the characters (all of whom were impossible to keep track of) appeared in multiple chapters but it was exhausting to try and root out any connections between them... only to have them disappear from the book completely in a chapter or two. I kept expecting things to circle around but they never did. Some of the chapters had no relevance on anything whatsoever, so what was the point of that exactly? What even was the story here???????? Don't bother.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Challenging, inventive, complex, original, compelling, This is a complex novel, with many different characters and interconnected stories. This book is a loose sequel to A Visit from the Goon Squad. Having read the original book years ago I had no memory of the characters or plot, so went blind into this story. I don’t think it impacted my reading, however I did keep checking back on a list of characters from the original book to see how they are all related. I’m torn between thinking this book is absolute genius, but also feeling challenged almost to the point of not being able to pull all the pieces together.
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated