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lottie1803's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
3.75
fbroom's review
5.0
Set in 1996 where the main character (unnamed, let’s call him X) is attending his first semester at Columbia’s MFA program. He is from a well-off family who could support him. He lives in his great aunt’s rent controlled, two bedroom apartment by himself. He spent 4 years at NYU first and then 2 years working at some glossy men's magazine maintaining a low key and lonely life.
At the MFA workshop, he reads from his novel and ends up with some harsh feedback from his colleagues and teacher. Only one classmate defends him. Billy is from a small town in Illinois. He is different. He is a Republican who goes to Church. He’s never been on a plane before moving to New York. He went to community college before Columbia. He hasn’t seen things or read big things. The two classmates start talking. Even though they’re completely different, they do share the fact that both of their parents are divorced and both of them were raised mainly by their mothers.
When X stumbles on Billy’s work. He is shocked by how talented Billy is. They start reviewing each other’s work even though X doesn’t really end up giving back much while Billy almost re-writes everything X gives him. Billy changes everything. Suddenly X realizes how lonely he is and how much he’s been missing. Their friendship starts blossoming. X offers Billy the spare bedroom and Billy moves in.
They start doing things together including meeting up random girls at bars. X invites him to thanksgiving. Billy invites him back to Christmas in Illinois. Before that, Billy gets an invitation to a cousin’s wedding in Pennsylvania and X tags a long. The trip changes things. Even though X never shares his true thoughts or feelings throughout the book, we feel for him. He is disconnected with himself and remains the same way.
I loved this book. I felt for both characters. X is lonely and living in this strange bubble. He never opens up. He remains the same disconnected guy. It is sad.
At the MFA workshop, he reads from his novel and ends up with some harsh feedback from his colleagues and teacher. Only one classmate defends him. Billy is from a small town in Illinois. He is different. He is a Republican who goes to Church. He’s never been on a plane before moving to New York. He went to community college before Columbia. He hasn’t seen things or read big things. The two classmates start talking. Even though they’re completely different, they do share the fact that both of their parents are divorced and both of them were raised mainly by their mothers.
When X stumbles on Billy’s work. He is shocked by how talented Billy is. They start reviewing each other’s work even though X doesn’t really end up giving back much while Billy almost re-writes everything X gives him. Billy changes everything. Suddenly X realizes how lonely he is and how much he’s been missing. Their friendship starts blossoming. X offers Billy the spare bedroom and Billy moves in.
They start doing things together including meeting up random girls at bars. X invites him to thanksgiving. Billy invites him back to Christmas in Illinois. Before that, Billy gets an invitation to a cousin’s wedding in Pennsylvania and X tags a long. The trip changes things. Even though X never shares his true thoughts or feelings throughout the book, we feel for him. He is disconnected with himself and remains the same way.
I loved this book. I felt for both characters. X is lonely and living in this strange bubble. He never opens up. He remains the same disconnected guy. It is sad.
ohennui's review against another edition
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Drug use and Sexual content
robbo13's review
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
scalytor's review
emotional
reflective
sad
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
3.75
ljutavidra's review
5.0
4,5
Odlično. Nešto mi je još malo falilo da zaokružim ocenu, ali vrlo mi se dopalo. Mali, nenametljiv roman sa originalnom premisom i realnim likovima. Ništa grandiozno, ništa fensi, ali onakav "slice of life" kakav volim da pročitam.
Tedi Vejn, imaš moju pažnju.
Odlično. Nešto mi je još malo falilo da zaokružim ocenu, ali vrlo mi se dopalo. Mali, nenametljiv roman sa originalnom premisom i realnim likovima. Ništa grandiozno, ništa fensi, ali onakav "slice of life" kakav volim da pročitam.
Tedi Vejn, imaš moju pažnju.
jsncnrd's review
4.0
Wow. Apartment surprised me. It's a short book, coming in at just under 200 pages -- but it used every page to its advantage. It made bold statements about some very intriguing emotional topics.
Apartment does an amazing job at demonstrating that loneliness can be both immense and all-consuming while simultaneously being claustrophobic and suffocating. Depression and isolation can drive people to make chaotic choices. The desperation for connection can sometimes make people do things that will only drive others further away.
The inclusion of homoerotic undertones as a metaphor for the isolation of being queer -- especially in the 1990's -- added another layer of complexity that I appreciated.
Apartment is a quick read, but it's one that left quite an impact. If you're a fan of books that are visceral, cerebral, or melancholy -- this is the one.
Apartment does an amazing job at demonstrating that loneliness can be both immense and all-consuming while simultaneously being claustrophobic and suffocating. Depression and isolation can drive people to make chaotic choices. The desperation for connection can sometimes make people do things that will only drive others further away.
Spoiler
The ending and epilogue were so deeply depressing -- even when liberated from the confines of a small apartment and cast into the real world, the narrator continues to live his life in a closed-off, insignificant manner -- remaining depressed and lonely years after the events of the story.The inclusion of homoerotic undertones as a metaphor for the isolation of being queer -- especially in the 1990's -- added another layer of complexity that I appreciated.
Apartment is a quick read, but it's one that left quite an impact. If you're a fan of books that are visceral, cerebral, or melancholy -- this is the one.
ablakespace's review
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
junothrp's review
4.0
(Small) SPOILER AHEAD: look for ⚠️ (mention about the kind of ending in the second-to-last paragraph)
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ 3.7 stars
Although a somewhat slim read—my preference anyway—I found this book enchanting while I was in the thick of it, although I do have some mixed feelings about it after finishing it.
Sentences were a little densely packed sometimes, with indirect language and some uncommon vocabulary thrown in as well, but, overall, I found the writing style consistent and, eventually, easy to accustom myself to after gaining familiarity with it. I had a love/dislike (far from hate) relationship with the linguistic flourishes of Wayne's writing; sometimes endearing and earning my interest, other times coming off as almost needlessly flashy.
Apartment is just under 200 pages and segmented unequally into two parts, the years 1996 and 1997, each composed of smaller chapters roughly 20-35 pages long, making it a book that is easily digestible in one or two sittings.
Upon finishing the book, I couldn't help but feel very disappointed with the ending. Although it does lend itself to the depressing realism of distant memories turning melancholy as one ages, loose ends still felt like they were left untied—overall, in a word, unsatisfying. Usually, I do find some creative value in the imperfect, realistic ⚠️"bad endings," but this one just seemed to fall flat for me. However, the first 90% of the novel had me convinced that it was going to be a new favorite of mine that I had just discovered... only to be disappointed in the last 15 pages or so.
But! I do think this book, despite my criticisms, could be ideal for someone looking for something very subtly and covertly queer with a discursive writing style, all while full of saddening realism.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ 3.7 stars
Although a somewhat slim read—my preference anyway—I found this book enchanting while I was in the thick of it, although I do have some mixed feelings about it after finishing it.
Sentences were a little densely packed sometimes, with indirect language and some uncommon vocabulary thrown in as well, but, overall, I found the writing style consistent and, eventually, easy to accustom myself to after gaining familiarity with it. I had a love/dislike (far from hate) relationship with the linguistic flourishes of Wayne's writing; sometimes endearing and earning my interest, other times coming off as almost needlessly flashy.
Apartment is just under 200 pages and segmented unequally into two parts, the years 1996 and 1997, each composed of smaller chapters roughly 20-35 pages long, making it a book that is easily digestible in one or two sittings.
Upon finishing the book, I couldn't help but feel very disappointed with the ending. Although it does lend itself to the depressing realism of distant memories turning melancholy as one ages, loose ends still felt like they were left untied—overall, in a word, unsatisfying. Usually, I do find some creative value in the imperfect, realistic ⚠️"bad endings," but this one just seemed to fall flat for me. However, the first 90% of the novel had me convinced that it was going to be a new favorite of mine that I had just discovered... only to be disappointed in the last 15 pages or so.
But! I do think this book, despite my criticisms, could be ideal for someone looking for something very subtly and covertly queer with a discursive writing style, all while full of saddening realism.