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3.42 AVERAGE
3.42 AVERAGE
I stayed up one night to finish the last 200 pages… it wasn’t really a page turner but just felt like I wanted to see where these people ended up. I feel like I was waiting for the shoe to drop, but it didn’t really happen. There was a “reveal” but that was pretty obvious (spoiler… well I guess except for Elizabeth lol).
I feel like Emma straub gets praise for writing about human/family lives, our thoughts and stories and isn’t really about “big reveals” so maybe that wasn’t the point. I guess I just wanted more intrigue.
I enjoyed following the stories of each character and seeing their thoughts about growing up/life. Didn’t necessarily love any of the characters, but didn’t hate them either. Andrew was kinda annoying and dumb, but I guess just trying to find himself. I did like reading the last little clips at the end showing snippets of where the characters ended up and —SPOILER KINDA? — they all kinda did find their things in the end and that was nice. So solid 3 stars. Maybe 3.5.
I feel like Emma straub gets praise for writing about human/family lives, our thoughts and stories and isn’t really about “big reveals” so maybe that wasn’t the point. I guess I just wanted more intrigue.
I enjoyed following the stories of each character and seeing their thoughts about growing up/life. Didn’t necessarily love any of the characters, but didn’t hate them either. Andrew was kinda annoying and dumb, but I guess just trying to find himself. I did like reading the last little clips at the end showing snippets of where the characters ended up and —SPOILER KINDA? — they all kinda did find their things in the end and that was nice. So solid 3 stars. Maybe 3.5.
I thoroughly enjoyed the characters in this book. Modern Lovers starts with a group of friends: Elizabeth, Andrew (Elizabeth's husband), Zoe, and Jane (Zoe's wife). Elizabeth, Andrew, and Zoe were in a band during their college years. As they each watch one another grow, marry, have children they also watch each other's difficulties, too.
Now they all live in the same neighborhood, Elizabeth is a real estate agent, Zoe and Jane own a restaurant, and Andrew is currently unemployed by his own decision. Jane and Zoe have been attending counseling, and Elizabeth is being pestered by a movie producer to sign over her life rights to a movie about their late former band-mate Lydia, who passed away. The discussion between Elizabeth and Andrew to sign over rights causes a big stir, and leads to the possibility of needing lawyers.
This novel is funny, heart-warming, and enjoyable. I highly recommend it for a summer read. I received this eBook in exchange for my review, thank you Netgalley!
Now they all live in the same neighborhood, Elizabeth is a real estate agent, Zoe and Jane own a restaurant, and Andrew is currently unemployed by his own decision. Jane and Zoe have been attending counseling, and Elizabeth is being pestered by a movie producer to sign over her life rights to a movie about their late former band-mate Lydia, who passed away. The discussion between Elizabeth and Andrew to sign over rights causes a big stir, and leads to the possibility of needing lawyers.
This novel is funny, heart-warming, and enjoyable. I highly recommend it for a summer read. I received this eBook in exchange for my review, thank you Netgalley!
I mean, I read to the end. I didn't really like or root for the characters. And it ended rather predictively. So. It's an eh to me.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was fun and entertaining and the writing was decent. The characters were vaguely interesting: Ditmas Park, Brooklyn middle aged hipsters with teenage kids. Everyone lives happily ever after. Nothing about it was challenging. I didn't learn anything, except that I'm not as beautiful or successful as the people in this book, with their first world problems.
I guess you shouldn’t judge books by their covers because this cover was really good but this book was awful.
this was so similar to the jettsetters (interesting because this author has a book called the vacationers with the literal same plot as jettsetters and i’m sure it’s the same format). jettsetters wasn’t good either, just to clarify. I hate the third person switching perspectives for every character each chapter. something good would finally happen then it would immediately switch to the next character’s storyline and it never returned to the previous character.
ruby and harry were the only reason I kept reading this but it wasn’t near enough content of them. they were actually really cute (not ruby she was kind of annoying) but a story of just them would have been so good.
my list of grievances:
there was a river dale reference in here I don’t think I need to explain further.
andrew sucked as a character why was he in a literally scam/ pyramid scheme and no one gave him shit for it. also elizabeth deserved better.
Jane was giving me nothing. aside from that she could cook well. that’s all she added to the plot.
ruby was so mean to harry he was so in love and obsessed with her and literally proposed to her and their story just didn’t go anywhere at the end.
why did everyone want a divorce in this book but then magically made up at the end
zoe and elizabeth why didn’t they live out their lesbian dreams and hook up
dust was kind of cool why wasn’t there more focus/ action with him. great love triangle possibility here.
so many loose ends. the house key they copied did they never get in trouble? the ring harry bought ruby did his parents not care? why did she decide to just…go to mexico do her and harry still talk?
this was so similar to the jettsetters (interesting because this author has a book called the vacationers with the literal same plot as jettsetters and i’m sure it’s the same format). jettsetters wasn’t good either, just to clarify. I hate the third person switching perspectives for every character each chapter. something good would finally happen then it would immediately switch to the next character’s storyline and it never returned to the previous character.
ruby and harry were the only reason I kept reading this but it wasn’t near enough content of them. they were actually really cute (not ruby she was kind of annoying) but a story of just them would have been so good.
my list of grievances:
there was a river dale reference in here I don’t think I need to explain further.
andrew sucked as a character why was he in a literally scam/ pyramid scheme and no one gave him shit for it. also elizabeth deserved better.
Jane was giving me nothing. aside from that she could cook well. that’s all she added to the plot.
ruby was so mean to harry he was so in love and obsessed with her and literally proposed to her and their story just didn’t go anywhere at the end.
why did everyone want a divorce in this book but then magically made up at the end
zoe and elizabeth why didn’t they live out their lesbian dreams and hook up
dust was kind of cool why wasn’t there more focus/ action with him. great love triangle possibility here.
so many loose ends. the house key they copied did they never get in trouble? the ring harry bought ruby did his parents not care? why did she decide to just…go to mexico do her and harry still talk?
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
Half way through I felt the same way I felt about most contemporary fiction novels that I read like… what is the point. But I think the book really pulled itself together towards the end. The last couple of chapters I was really rooting for all of the characters, and even though some of the middle was boring it was nice to see good things happen to all of them
Definitely my favorite Emma Straub book so far! A fast read with very enjoyable characters.
2.7/5 ⭐️
This book was okay. It was a slow start and the introduction to the characters wasn’t super strong, so it was a little difficult to emphasize with them. Picked up at the last 45 pages or so. Maybe would read again, maybe not. At least the cover is cute.
This book was okay. It was a slow start and the introduction to the characters wasn’t super strong, so it was a little difficult to emphasize with them. Picked up at the last 45 pages or so. Maybe would read again, maybe not. At least the cover is cute.
Not the best book I've read lately, but still entertaining.
Entertaining, but not super recommendable. A good beach read I guess.