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corrinpierce's review against another edition
3.0
Started our a 2-star book for me, and if I made a practice of abandoning books, I might have done so. I am, despite plenty of terrible books, still a literary optimist, I guess, and this book improved greatly in the second half. Not a light-hearted read, that's for sure. The characters all came across as slightly unformed, and in the first half seemed to act randomly, without motivation. Greenman does tackle some Big Ideas that are slightly depressibg, really, but interesting. No new ground, though.
I am intrigued to read some of his other work after reading the interview w/Greenman. And I love his charts.
I am intrigued to read some of his other work after reading the interview w/Greenman. And I love his charts.
lola425's review against another edition
3.0
Greenman deftly writes about suburban marital ennui. The concept of slippage really interested me. At what point, once you lose your footing, can you right yourself. William seems to float through his life making daily bargains with himself just to get through. His marriage is stagnant, his wife trying to reinvigorate them by insisting on a new house. William takes comfort in the house that they live in, comfort if not joy. In fact, joy is conspicuously absent in this book. All the characters are angsty, none of the action serves to move anyone toward happiness or satisfaction . Still trying to figure out if I left the book depressed or not. I certainly left the book wondering about my own suburban existence.
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(except for maybe William's cold cocking his boss)leighnonymous's review against another edition
3.0
Easy and gentle to read, this book seemed to pass through my mind like a pleasant dream. The writing lulled me into something akin to a trance, broken up only by the occasional, brilliant turn of phrase. And there were many of those.
I liked the main character, William. He came across as witty in a dry and slightly sarcastic kind of way. This said, I didn't understand him, whatsoever. Or Louisa, his wife. Or Tom, his brother-in-law. Or the neighbors across the street. Their actions weren't authentic, but instead what you'd imagine a character in a book would do.
The plot coursed on, aimless. I couldn't really tell where it was going or why; but all of that was okay because I wasn't having a bad time with the book. At the end, though, it kind of bothered me. And also in retrospect.
Not a bad read but not a good one, either. It's entertaining enough while it's happening but don't expect to take anything from it.
I liked the main character, William. He came across as witty in a dry and slightly sarcastic kind of way. This said, I didn't understand him, whatsoever. Or Louisa, his wife. Or Tom, his brother-in-law. Or the neighbors across the street. Their actions weren't authentic, but instead what you'd imagine a character in a book would do.
The plot coursed on, aimless. I couldn't really tell where it was going or why; but all of that was okay because I wasn't having a bad time with the book. At the end, though, it kind of bothered me. And also in retrospect.
Not a bad read but not a good one, either. It's entertaining enough while it's happening but don't expect to take anything from it.
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