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racketkelly's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
3.75
starrybooker's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
5.0
I remember reading another of Samantha Irby’s essay collections, Wow, No Thank You, and both liking it while wanting me. She’s an extremely funny writer, but I found it difficult to connect with her stories about middle-aged married life in the suburbs.
We Are Never Meeting In Real Life (written a few years earlier) took all the best bits of Wow, No Thank You and packaged them in a way I absolutely adored. Irby’s writing is witty and hilarious without feeling contrived - I feel like I’m out for drinks with my funniest friend, listening to her regale me with the latest boy/girl/health/cat-related drama.
One thing that did catch me off guard was how harrowing a lot of the stories Irby tells about her life are. Suffice to say she had a rough childhood, but she never lingers in the anguish or try to elicit any tears. It’s a fine line to walk between trying not to bog down your reader with sorrow while also trying not to seem glib about genuinely awful things, and Irby walks it perfectly.
We Are Never Meeting In Real Life (written a few years earlier) took all the best bits of Wow, No Thank You and packaged them in a way I absolutely adored. Irby’s writing is witty and hilarious without feeling contrived - I feel like I’m out for drinks with my funniest friend, listening to her regale me with the latest boy/girl/health/cat-related drama.
One thing that did catch me off guard was how harrowing a lot of the stories Irby tells about her life are. Suffice to say she had a rough childhood, but she never lingers in the anguish or try to elicit any tears. It’s a fine line to walk between trying not to bog down your reader with sorrow while also trying not to seem glib about genuinely awful things, and Irby walks it perfectly.
purplepierogi's review
4.0
okay I really enjoyed this one. I love hearing about people’s horrible / funny relationships, and once again the audiobook narration really makes it. perfect walking around audiobook
iriidescent's review
2.0
If you like A LOT of self-deprecating humor, this might be the book for you. As for me, I got about halfway through and couldn't go on. It had some really funny bits, not going to lie, but a lot of parts felt really forced to me.