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3.42 AVERAGE
3.42 AVERAGE
3.5 ⭐️
I love a character driven book and enjoyed most of the characters here. Wish the ending was more climactic as it felt like it sped through to resolution. I don’t think the title fits the book at all and interestingly enough, the last page offers a way more compatible title IMO.
I love a character driven book and enjoyed most of the characters here. Wish the ending was more climactic as it felt like it sped through to resolution. I don’t think the title fits the book at all and interestingly enough, the last page offers a way more compatible title IMO.
There were times in this book where I found myself getting upset with the characters because of the choices they were making. The character Elizabeth drove me crazy in this regard. Her husband Andrew wasn't much better. I was bothered by how Zoe felt like divorce was a good option basically because she was bored. However I don't find myself getting bothered by characters unless the author has made me interested in them. That's a sign of good writing in my humble opinion. :)
I really wanted to like this book, but I just Could Not Even care about the characters. I gave it more than a week and more than 100 pp to change my mind.
This book was repulsively "Brooklyn" but it was also good fun, especially for a native Brooklyner who went to a liberal arts school in the late 90s and whose now-husband lived in Ditmas Park for the first 4 years they were together.
I really liked this - it was a fun, interesting story with complicated and rich characters. My only qualm is that I really didn't like
Spoiler
Andrew. For some reason, he just seemed like more of a jerk than everyone else to me. So I had a hard time reconciling that with the way the story ends. I feel like we're supposed to think they're all similarly fumbling through midlife/adolescence, two super complicated times, but he just made me mad throughout. haha
Very much enjoyed this book. I picked it because after a few "heavy" books I was looking for a light and easy read. It met my expectations, without being too mindless. I found it interesting to see how the relationships changed and flowed throughout the book. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend for a quick and easy read.
3.5 stars. I actually read this over a month ago, but I wanted to document my thoughts before I totally forget about this book. This was a thoroughly enjoyable novel, in the style that I easily gravitate towards (each chapter is from a different character's perspective). Essentially, 3 of the characters were in a college band together, the 4th member went on to become an iconic rock star with one of their songs. The book is about these 3 remaining friends and their kids, living in present day Brooklyn. Marriage, friendships, mid-life crises, and teen crushes are all themes here, and it's a quick read. Definitely recommended.
Did the author want us to hate Elizabeth? Did she intentionally make her a terrible person? Because she was terrible.
I don't wish to change the ending, just how it was presented. The excerpts from articles provided information about the characters and what happens down the road, but presenting it in that way felt detached and impersonal. You read a book filled with emotion and I grew to care about some of these characters so the ending was disappointing.
I am disappointed in the way the author (and publishers) approached placing Ruby into the book. At first she is presented as a young feminist and she is struggling with her identity. This is all presented in passing though. She is a young, half black, Jewish girl with two mothers. However, she has very little character development. The struggle she has with her identity is never examined, nor by the end of the writing is there a resolution, no indication that she has processed these feelings. Why even put this in? Why place these details, then never bring them up again?
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. There were really good parts, and it felt true to what modern love really is. I wish that some of it was done better, though. I wish Elizabeth wasn't written so blatantly terrible. I wish Ruby had some actual development (because the rest of the characters did). I wish the ending was better.
I don't think I will recommend anyone to read this book, but I also don't think I would discourage anyone to read it either.
I don't wish to change the ending, just how it was presented. The excerpts from articles provided information about the characters and what happens down the road, but presenting it in that way felt detached and impersonal. You read a book filled with emotion and I grew to care about some of these characters so the ending was disappointing.
I am disappointed in the way the author (and publishers) approached placing Ruby into the book. At first she is presented as a young feminist and she is struggling with her identity. This is all presented in passing though. She is a young, half black, Jewish girl with two mothers. However, she has very little character development. The struggle she has with her identity is never examined, nor by the end of the writing is there a resolution, no indication that she has processed these feelings. Why even put this in? Why place these details, then never bring them up again?
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. There were really good parts, and it felt true to what modern love really is. I wish that some of it was done better, though. I wish Elizabeth wasn't written so blatantly terrible. I wish Ruby had some actual development (because the rest of the characters did). I wish the ending was better.
I don't think I will recommend anyone to read this book, but I also don't think I would discourage anyone to read it either.
Good summer read. Liked it much better than The Vacationers.