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getlitwithamy's review against another edition
2.0
This had so much potential but it completely missed the mark for me
bjr2022's review against another edition
4.0
If you've ever free-fallen into an experience, knowing there was probably nothing good to come from it, but it arose and you said "What the hey, you never know"—and the whole time you were rolling with it, you knew it was stupid, and you assumed intimacy that felt natural but had no roots, you may enjoy this book. If you've ever been close with somebody who was or later became famous, but you know how he is in real life, you will be interested in this book. If you've worked with comedians, you will find much to resonate with. And if you've suffered from being a professional wait-er—as in: one who waits for other people to do something so that you can do something—this book is for you.
Twenty-nine-year-old world-weary June Bloom loses her TV writers' assistant job when the comedy show, Stay Up with Hugo Best, fires Hugo Best, and she accepts a weekend invitation to his house in tony Greenwich, Connecticut. What makes the story rich is the self-awareness of June and Hugo, and the overall wisdom of author Erin Somers.
This is a well-written literary novel about a slick subject, but the author's wisdom makes it anything but slick. I really enjoyed it right up until the preamble to the ending, But it's not what the very talented Erin Somers chose, and it's her book.
Twenty-nine-year-old world-weary June Bloom loses her TV writers' assistant job when the comedy show, Stay Up with Hugo Best, fires Hugo Best, and she accepts a weekend invitation to his house in tony Greenwich, Connecticut. What makes the story rich is the self-awareness of June and Hugo, and the overall wisdom of author Erin Somers.
This is a well-written literary novel about a slick subject, but the author's wisdom makes it anything but slick. I really enjoyed it right up until the preamble to the ending,
Spoiler
which although realistic—transactional sex with a famous person (and I've known plenty of women who have acted like June Bloom did), made me kind of sick. I could also see a character with June's level of self-awareness, along with a pretty easy childhood (no trauma to twist her up), coming to her senses during a conversation with a fellow unemployed writer from the show about his (the writer's) assumption that she was going to have sex with 68-year-old Hugo for payback. It could have shocked her out of her "amorphous and existential" problems, leading to a completely different preamble, where instead of giving the famous Hugo Best a blow job, she ends up comforting him like a mother—marking the beginning of a new level of maturity for her with a man who will never grow up. All the rest could have followed as written, and the protagonist would have experienced a change/growth.dizzymissliz's review against another edition
slow-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
1.5
ew.
ew. ew. ew.
milennial sugar daddy propoganda!!! /j
in this book a television host who literally does stuff with a 16 year old (i dIdNt KnOw sHe WaS 16" is idolized and excused for his actions by the other characters. it is repeatedly said that he, a 68 yr old man, loves young women including the 29 yr old protag.
so he sucks.
the protag is an insufferable privileged milennial that wanted to experience what being poor was like so she moved to nyc. in the book, she becomes flirtatious and sexual with a 17 YEAR OLD BOY she repeatedly refers to as a child.
maybe the author was doing all this for irony, but she really seemed to be taking herself seriously so idk.
it's just gross, the characters are bland, unlikeable, and problematic, and the plot goes nowhere except "oh i fucked an old man and now my life is changed for the worse" oh btw the sex scene was DISGUSTING.
but anyways, this author is very talented and i loved the way she described things. the book is just.... yeah...
ew. ew. ew.
milennial sugar daddy propoganda!!! /j
in this book a television host who literally does stuff with a 16 year old (i dIdNt KnOw sHe WaS 16" is idolized and excused for his actions by the other characters. it is repeatedly said that he, a 68 yr old man, loves young women including the 29 yr old protag.
so he sucks.
the protag is an insufferable privileged milennial that wanted to experience what being poor was like so she moved to nyc. in the book, she becomes flirtatious and sexual with a 17 YEAR OLD BOY she repeatedly refers to as a child.
maybe the author was doing all this for irony, but she really seemed to be taking herself seriously so idk.
it's just gross, the characters are bland, unlikeable, and problematic, and the plot goes nowhere except "oh i fucked an old man and now my life is changed for the worse" oh btw the sex scene was DISGUSTING.
but anyways, this author is very talented and i loved the way she described things. the book is just.... yeah...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Racism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Abortion and Terminal illness
itsmadseliz's review against another edition
1.0
This book is quirky, but not quite charming. It was a bit too crude and the plot, narration, and characters rambled through the pages. My only sense of satisfaction came from finishing a book that had been sitting unread on my shelf. If you want to foray into debauchery and self-destruction without any shred of redemption, then you might find this book fun, witty, or entertaining.
g_elizabeth84's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
sassychortle's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Oh how I loved most of this book! It's an easy, light read but without lacking depth, is incredibly funny at times and very melancholy at others. I loved it right until the end and now when I think of it, it's kind of awful. Maybe it had to end that way? I was so disappointed. It's like seeing someone you admire do something like pick their nose and eat it.
aeggenberger's review against another edition
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
benmsmith's review against another edition
4.0
I received an ARC of this from NetGalley in exchange for a review.
I liked this one, though I'd rate it a 3.5 out of 5 rather than a full 4. It's a good character study in the aftermath of a long-time late night host retiring (or was he forced to retire?), sketching in the host (who's clearly some mix of Leno, Letterman, and others), the writer's room assistant trying to figure out her next steps in the wake of the show ending, his son, and a handful of others. This draws out tension over the Memorial Day weekend this takes place, and while I didn't love the very ending of how this one plays out, it was a pleasurable read that was easily devoured in a few commutes and does a good job at showing both the good and bad sides of each of the main characters.
I liked this one, though I'd rate it a 3.5 out of 5 rather than a full 4. It's a good character study in the aftermath of a long-time late night host retiring (or was he forced to retire?), sketching in the host (who's clearly some mix of Leno, Letterman, and others), the writer's room assistant trying to figure out her next steps in the wake of the show ending, his son, and a handful of others. This draws out tension over the Memorial Day weekend this takes place, and while I didn't love the very ending of how this one plays out, it was a pleasurable read that was easily devoured in a few commutes and does a good job at showing both the good and bad sides of each of the main characters.
breazy_reader_724's review against another edition
4.0
Overall I enjoyed this book although ultimately it didn't ever turn the corner for me. The writer did a good job of keeping me interested and entertained, although for some reason in my mind the titular character spoke to me as if he was played by Hugh Grant, which other than the first name similarity (and I guess the one-syllable last name ending in "t"), makes no sense really. I just heard the character, an American, speaking to me with an English accent, and even picturing Hugh Grant playing him in my mind's eye. Despite that, I liked the protagonist character, and felt like the world she inhabited made sense, but ultimately the book doesn't show any revelation or major plot development. There were points where I thought the story would turn darker, and it really didn't, and others where it seemed to get lighter, but never really did that either. The relationship between the story narrator/protagonist and Spencer (you'll have to read to get the particulars) made me somewhat uncomfortable as well. Nonetheless an enjoyable read. Will look for this author's future efforts.
e11en's review against another edition
3.0
A dry and deeply ruminative little novel about fame, gender and the transience of life and happiness.