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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
Overall, I think I liked this book.
Someone else said that the tone was unreal and dreamlike and I think that’s the perfect descriptor. The writing is excellent. I loved the imagery and description of seemingly simple thoughts. The protagonist is deeply unlikeable, but something in me was rooting for her to change or be redeemed somehow.
Basically, this story is about a 22 year old girl who scams and mooches off of people. She steal, she’s an addict, she has sex with random people. It’s kind of weird but very interesting and character and setting driven.
A lot of people probably won’t like this book, but a lot of people will. If you like unlikeable protagonists and meandering plots then I think this is for you.
Someone else said that the tone was unreal and dreamlike and I think that’s the perfect descriptor. The writing is excellent. I loved the imagery and description of seemingly simple thoughts. The protagonist is deeply unlikeable, but something in me was rooting for her to change or be redeemed somehow.
Basically, this story is about a 22 year old girl who scams and mooches off of people. She steal, she’s an addict, she has sex with random people. It’s kind of weird but very interesting and character and setting driven.
A lot of people probably won’t like this book, but a lot of people will. If you like unlikeable protagonists and meandering plots then I think this is for you.
challenging
funny
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had no expectations going into this book. It was my first read by Emma Cline, and I didn't look into the premise much before starting it, I just dove in.
I really really enjoyed it. I can see how some people found it boring. The pace of the novel is slow, and what the author focuses on is a bit mundane, plus the main character learns nothing along the way. and I really loved every moment of it (especially the part where the main character learned nothing).
Alex is not a good person. After her weathly boyfriend Simon basically dumps her, she is forced to fend for herself, hoping that over the next five days away from Alex, he will take her back. If only she can show up at his Labor Day party looking nice, he will forgive her, so she thinks.
She is selfish, manipulative, and willing to lie, cheat, and steal to make her week away from Simon work out smoothly for her. I loved watching as she chameleoned herself into every social situation. All she had to do was look put together, smile, and validate the people around her, and she would gain a few more hours of comfort. Unfortunately, she would also ruin it every time because she continually makes terrible decisions.
I loved following her path of destruction and her mindset that deluded her into thinking she was doing the best she could. The whole week that we follow Alex is just a means to an end for her, and she behaves as if there are no consequences for any of her actions, even though many of those actions end up causing her negative consequences. Consequences that she refuses to look at, believing that she can just immediately put the past behind her.
I really enjoyed the slower pace of this book as well. I always like when an author dives into the mundane moments of life and allows me to see them from a different perspective. Every place that Alex goes, all of the people that she sees are all laid out in vivid detail. Characters that we never meet are given very lifelike vignettes, as if I'm there and people watching with her. We are following along this slow journey with Alex as she finds her next temporary sanctuary that she inevitably ruins and then goes onto the next.
Something that really suprised me about this story was, even though the pace was slow and focused in on the mundanity of her moment to moment decisions, as I reached the ending chapters my heart was beating as fast as if I were reading a thriller. Somehow, Emma Cline was able to weave this story slowly and carefully while silently winding it tighter and tighter until I was racing to the end to see where all of this tension was leading to. I certainly wasn't rooting for a happy ending for our terrible protagonist, but I was still surprised when I realized how tense I was feeling by the end of the novel. Although, I won't give away here what the ending entails.
I feel like this novel was a really interesting slice in the life of a person that makes bad decisions led by selfishness and lack of accountability. But, part of me still liked her. And I think that's a testament to Emma Cline's ability to write an engaging and lifelike character. I've written a lot in this review, but I still feel like I haven't exactly put a finger on what it was about this book that I liked so much. Either way, it swept me up and I couldn't put it down till it was done.
I really really enjoyed it. I can see how some people found it boring. The pace of the novel is slow, and what the author focuses on is a bit mundane, plus the main character learns nothing along the way. and I really loved every moment of it (especially the part where the main character learned nothing).
Alex is not a good person. After her weathly boyfriend Simon basically dumps her, she is forced to fend for herself, hoping that over the next five days away from Alex, he will take her back. If only she can show up at his Labor Day party looking nice, he will forgive her, so she thinks.
She is selfish, manipulative, and willing to lie, cheat, and steal to make her week away from Simon work out smoothly for her. I loved watching as she chameleoned herself into every social situation. All she had to do was look put together, smile, and validate the people around her, and she would gain a few more hours of comfort. Unfortunately, she would also ruin it every time because she continually makes terrible decisions.
I loved following her path of destruction and her mindset that deluded her into thinking she was doing the best she could. The whole week that we follow Alex is just a means to an end for her, and she behaves as if there are no consequences for any of her actions, even though many of those actions end up causing her negative consequences. Consequences that she refuses to look at, believing that she can just immediately put the past behind her.
I really enjoyed the slower pace of this book as well. I always like when an author dives into the mundane moments of life and allows me to see them from a different perspective. Every place that Alex goes, all of the people that she sees are all laid out in vivid detail. Characters that we never meet are given very lifelike vignettes, as if I'm there and people watching with her. We are following along this slow journey with Alex as she finds her next temporary sanctuary that she inevitably ruins and then goes onto the next.
Something that really suprised me about this story was, even though the pace was slow and focused in on the mundanity of her moment to moment decisions, as I reached the ending chapters my heart was beating as fast as if I were reading a thriller. Somehow, Emma Cline was able to weave this story slowly and carefully while silently winding it tighter and tighter until I was racing to the end to see where all of this tension was leading to. I certainly wasn't rooting for a happy ending for our terrible protagonist, but I was still surprised when I realized how tense I was feeling by the end of the novel. Although, I won't give away here what the ending entails.
I feel like this novel was a really interesting slice in the life of a person that makes bad decisions led by selfishness and lack of accountability. But, part of me still liked her. And I think that's a testament to Emma Cline's ability to write an engaging and lifelike character. I've written a lot in this review, but I still feel like I haven't exactly put a finger on what it was about this book that I liked so much. Either way, it swept me up and I couldn't put it down till it was done.
dark
funny
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
I couldn’t stop reading it but I don’t even know what to think and how could it end like that and she’s so awful
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
really liked this! deeply unsatisfying in a way that was very compelling
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The writing was wonderful and the only reason I kept reading. The ending was less than satisfying.
Look I loooove Emma Cline’s short stories. And I loved The Girls…I hate this.
The main character was dull and selfish. 290 pages of her thoughts was painful. Same vibe as My Year of Rest and Relaxation. Completely different story, but characters are written similarly and are similar. Only giving it a second star bc of the end tbh.
The main character was dull and selfish. 290 pages of her thoughts was painful. Same vibe as My Year of Rest and Relaxation. Completely different story, but characters are written similarly and are similar. Only giving it a second star bc of the end tbh.