Reviews with content warning for Pregnancy - Beautiful World, Where Are You

I’ve never seen a better piece of evidence that Sally Rooney was a competitive debater.
If I were in a different headspace, I imagine I would have liked this book.
Unfortunately, I was not in the right headspace for this book, so all I heard was a bunch of narcissists saying perfectly mundane statements like they’re the most revolutionary of intellectual ideas in the world.
Oh well, at least I’ve been reading better books at the same time.

Thoughts from the second half:

Okay I admit that even though I am not in the right headspace to appreciate this book, it’s definitely growing on me.
It still feels like a load of ideas have been shoehorned in by someone who really wants to write serious non-fiction but isn’t allowed to.
If anyone wants to chat at any point about how hard Sally Rooney projects into her own characters, feel free to hit me up.
Either way the characters have grown on me a lot.
As much as I still feel like she was overly reliant on sex scenes as a narrative tool, I still want to know why she didn’t give me an orgy.
The book was weirdly Shakespearean at times.
Yeah, no, I don’t regret reading this - it definitely grew on me.
This is the first audiobook with an Irish narrator that I’ve ever sped up the speed of.

Content Warnings

laurabunnett's review against another edition

Go to review page

sad medium-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

I found this book pretty boring an uninteresting. Every character had their own set of "issues", but these were largely unexplored. Why did Alice's mother and brother dislike her? What was the cause of her nervous breakdown?

Also, way too much sex scenes, especially as I was listening to the audio reading of this. Listening to an Irish woman describe mediocre sex between two mediocre characters was unnerving and far too often for my liking. I felt these scenes never really contributed to the plot either.

Content Warnings

lucyeanderson's review

Go to review page

emotional hopeful informative reflective slow-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

5.0

it definitely would appear that i give 5 stars out left right and centre, maybe because i honestly get emotionally attached to almost every book i read - but this one was truly a million out of ten. i’m concerned that sally rooney may actually be able to see into my brain, because particularly eileen was one of the most relatable characters i’ve ever experienced. i loved seeing the relationships of the two couples develop - i really rooted for them and the realistic way the progression of their relationships was detailed. felix and simon were also two ends of a spectrum of men that any young woman can relate to - i saw them in my own friends and partners visually and mentally. i also think alice and eileen’s friendship is one of the first time i’ve truly seen a long distance friendship accurately portrayed in a new adult book. it made me think of my own best friend, and sparked a two hour phone call when we hadn’t spoken in weeks. the email chapters were some of my favourites, and their discussion of society, history and religion really furthered the plot while providing an interesting and attention-holding intermission. it made me think on a lot of subjects more deeply, such as what it is to be a young woman in the current times and the priorities i have in my life. it showed me that prioritising loving and spending time with others is not a bad thing, but is rather something to aspire to. this book means a lot to me, and to think of a world without sally rooneys writing is something i’m not prepared to do. as always adore adore adore.

Content Warnings

ericispublius's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional relaxing medium-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

3.75

Content Warnings

alyssaherrington's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Sally Rooney’s ability to put emotion in word will always be a reason why i love her work. She so beautifully captured what it feels like to experience the contrast of every day life - feeling the magnitude of the world and how small it may make you feel, or the crux of thinking your own problems may be trivial in comparison to the greater multitude & how insincere it sometimes feels to care about who you’re hooking up with or who you love and your common relationships that make up your life. i thought this was a beautiful read that captured the nuances of various relationships you may have in your life and how they make you who you are.

Content Warnings

ellaford's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is my favourite release from Sally Rooney yet. The way this is written gives so much yet leaves so much for interpretation, and her magic with describing emotional complexities we all feel is just amazing. This book is funny, dark, sexy, reflective and a great commentary on the state of the world.

Content Warnings

sina4books's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Content Warnings

dorin_d's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful reflective 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? Yes

3.5

Content Warnings

More...