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asurasantosha's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
So, I'm pretty convinced this book is highly rated almost entirely because of the second part of the book. The second part of this book has a plot and it has depth and emotion. The second part is something a reader could imagine, place themselves into, possibly relate to. Perhaps that's just my take because I've had an extremely similar life experience to the story told in the second half of this book. Except my own nephew was in this world for eight years before we had to say good bye in nearly the exact same way. I felt like when they were saying goodbye to baby in the hospital, I was reading about my own experience.
Outside of the redeeming bits of Part 2, I did not enjoy this book. The first part doesn't in any way feel like a novel to me. It's almost a long series of thought vomit. It was so hard to follow any plot, events, storylines. I am in fact still not convinced any of this book is a novel. It might be prose poetry. There are some beautiful, lyrical, or thought-provoking quotes in this book. There are a great many of them in fact. Some of the individual lines are genius and really make you think. I just wasn't a fan of the experiemental-ness of the format. I don't like when the word "novel" is on the cover, and there is a summary on the back about the "story", except there is no story and you don't feel like you're reading a novel at all for the first 60% of the book.
The fact that part one and part two felt so completely different from one another was another lost point from me. I think I get what she was going for, but part one was just so long and so nearly unbearable. I considered dnf-ing this book multiple times.
So if you really like lyricism in books, don't care about plot or characters. Like literature that's quite philosophical, don't mind taking a long while to get somewhere in a book, you will probably like this one.
If you are impatient for things to happen, like getting attached to or invested in characters, love a good storyline, and care more about pacing than descriptions, maybe skip this one.
Outside of the redeeming bits of Part 2, I did not enjoy this book. The first part doesn't in any way feel like a novel to me. It's almost a long series of thought vomit. It was so hard to follow any plot, events, storylines. I am in fact still not convinced any of this book is a novel. It might be prose poetry. There are some beautiful, lyrical, or thought-provoking quotes in this book. There are a great many of them in fact. Some of the individual lines are genius and really make you think. I just wasn't a fan of the experiemental-ness of the format. I don't like when the word "novel" is on the cover, and there is a summary on the back about the "story", except there is no story and you don't feel like you're reading a novel at all for the first 60% of the book.
The fact that part one and part two felt so completely different from one another was another lost point from me. I think I get what she was going for, but part one was just so long and so nearly unbearable. I considered dnf-ing this book multiple times.
So if you really like lyricism in books, don't care about plot or characters. Like literature that's quite philosophical, don't mind taking a long while to get somewhere in a book, you will probably like this one.
If you are impatient for things to happen, like getting attached to or invested in characters, love a good storyline, and care more about pacing than descriptions, maybe skip this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Sexual content
baratheonbooks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion and Child death
lagaialettrice's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Medical content, Child death, and Death
read_by_gee's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
confused. I don’t know what to rate this. I think because it felt like reading social media as if you were scrolling, it sometimes came across a bit random, and I also felt like because of that experience of reading trying to replicate the social media experience it made the story and characters feel distant and I felt nothing for them. But I feel like maybe that was the point ?? I really dont know
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Death
buntatamilis's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Medical content
mlovesbooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Imagine my surprise when I finished another sad book and picked up this one to finish the second half of what I thought was a fun, goofy read.
Patricia Lockwood is so good at making you laugh and cry in the same sentence.
Patricia Lockwood is so good at making you laugh and cry in the same sentence.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness and Child death
realbooktingz's review
emotional
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
kirkspockreads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
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? Yes
5.0
Reader, I cried.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Death, Sexism, Grief, Misogyny, and Child death
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Pregnancy
Minor: Abortion and Gun violence
ablasich's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
This book defies description. The nameless faceless character is any one of us and absolutely someone you may know. Definitely a tale told in 2 parts.
I almost put this book down part way through the first half. The jumbled and hectic style didn’t make sense to me. Small nuggets of insight and humor kept me going and I’m glad I did.
I don’t want to give spoilers for the second half but it does get REAL and delivers and emotional gut punch. Check content warnings if you are triggered by topics. By the end, this book will leave you with a confusing mix of awe and sadness.
I almost put this book down part way through the first half. The jumbled and hectic style didn’t make sense to me. Small nuggets of insight and humor kept me going and I’m glad I did.
I don’t want to give spoilers for the second half but it does get REAL and delivers and emotional gut punch. Check content warnings if you are triggered by topics. By the end, this book will leave you with a confusing mix of awe and sadness.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Chronic illness
tealord's review against another edition
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Terminal illness