Scan barcode
plumdustsuns's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
2.0
I like Simon, I believe, but Rooney’s choice with the age gap with him and Eileen made me SO UNCOMFORTABLE. Yes, they’re both older now but it was insinuated that he had these feelings since she was young even though he didn’t act on it.
I’m not sure if I feel the best towards Eileen, though. While I understand her, she also undermined Alice’s work and mental health a lot and I don’t think that was fair or nice of a friend to do. Especially as someone who’s also in the literary field, it’s a little hypocritical.
But I’ve liked reading Rooney’s work so far (just read this and Normal People though). I like how she is able to portray the everyday life and the ‘seemingly mundane’ as dramatically and importantly as it feels. The ending of this felt a lot better and less sterile than that of Normal People’s (the book, at least).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Pandemic/Epidemic, Toxic relationship, Classism, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Suicide, and Toxic friendship
sleeson's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I don’t know how I wanted to rate this. 2.5ish?? I didn’t like the book but I enjoyed the style of the writing. I mean I must have because I finished this novel rather quickly. Rooney is such a strange writer. I never know how to review her books. Moderate profanity. Moderate sexual content.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Sexual content
jadziaaudrey's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Cursing, and Alcohol
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Infidelity, and Abandonment
Minor: Animal cruelty, Injury/Injury detail, and Pregnancy
jasminrain's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-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
4.0
I adore Rooney's way with words. This book is so beautifully written and the way in which she describes the world and moments is really extraordinary. I loved the letters and the intellectual discussion between the two main characters through them - they gave me a lot to think about. But as a story and characters, it was nothing out of ordinary. I didn't enjoy the characters or their relationships. There was just so much gaslighting and toxic relationships, and incidents such as sexual coercion that went unaddressed and the book seemed to normalise. On a lighter note, I also couldn't relate to any of the characters. For lots of people this seems to be the reality that we live in, but for me it seemed absurd.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual violence, Self harm, Bullying, Classism, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
mansinnikam's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.25
*exhales deeply*
Where do I even start? It was a blissful, rainy Sunday when I received an ARC of this book on my e-reader. I was thoroughly underwhelmed and maybe disappointed by Normal People last year, so my expectations were quite low on this one. The title attracted me and something about the mysterious aura around the author makes me want to pick her stuff up or follow up the tags, pages about her.
Beautiful World, Where are you is simply Beautiful in its messiness. It is beautiful in its severely stripped down characters proudly displaying their insecurities, fears, feelings and spite on display. Sally Rooney's characters feel spiteful at the world and its making and everything that we live for. They search for the why's and ponders around the airy, brushed upon topics.
This book is a monochromatic celebration of the silent, blurred and often glanced over moments of life. The everyday nitty-gritty of religion and belief, of need turning to satiable, irreversible hunger, of privilege and mental illness at its worst. Its about people who remain even when they aren't available always.
Its been a while since I finished this books, the words and characters have started to blur in my mind, although the disoriented satisfaction of reading this book has imprinted itself on my heart.
Where do I even start? It was a blissful, rainy Sunday when I received an ARC of this book on my e-reader. I was thoroughly underwhelmed and maybe disappointed by Normal People last year, so my expectations were quite low on this one. The title attracted me and something about the mysterious aura around the author makes me want to pick her stuff up or follow up the tags, pages about her.
Beautiful World, Where are you is simply Beautiful in its messiness. It is beautiful in its severely stripped down characters proudly displaying their insecurities, fears, feelings and spite on display. Sally Rooney's characters feel spiteful at the world and its making and everything that we live for. They search for the why's and ponders around the airy, brushed upon topics.
This book is a monochromatic celebration of the silent, blurred and often glanced over moments of life. The everyday nitty-gritty of religion and belief, of need turning to satiable, irreversible hunger, of privilege and mental illness at its worst. Its about people who remain even when they aren't available always.
Its been a while since I finished this books, the words and characters have started to blur in my mind, although the disoriented satisfaction of reading this book has imprinted itself on my heart.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts
jasmijn's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-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
3.25
Meh. I just didn't really vibe with this one. The good part about it was that it was quite short, and that the email correspondence chapters in between was actually nice to read. I'd love to have a friend who'd just go on intellectual rants in emails to me, that'd be awesome.
I wasn't expecting a lot of plot from this one, but there were so little events of actual relevance to the characters that I wasn't sure why I was reading about them in the first place.
If you want to read about the bleakness of modern life, this is perfect though. Plenty of characters in jobs they hate and who are desperately on tinder in order to feel something again. A little to bleak for my taste, though.
I wasn't expecting a lot of plot from this one, but there were so little events of actual relevance to the characters that I wasn't sure why I was reading about them in the first place.
If you want to read about the bleakness of modern life, this is perfect though. Plenty of characters in jobs they hate and who are desperately on tinder in order to feel something again. A little to bleak for my taste, though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Sexual content
Minor: Gaslighting
georgiagrace's review against another edition
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Mental illness
sambashua's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Toxic friendship
itsocchiolism's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
least favorite book I’ve ever read. the writing is so pretentious, and not it a fun way!! every single character is boring and unlikeable. I wanted to put it down and stop reading it about sixty pages in, but i figured since this is the first Sally Rooney book I’d picked up, that i should give her a fair shot and finish it, but wow the entire time i just wanted it to be over. There’s no real plot or character development, so what was the point? one and a half star bc there were like three quotes i didn’t hate
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gaslighting, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, and Mental illness
nicolet's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I’ve officially read all the novels Sally Rooney has published to this date, and I can officially say she has solidified herself as one of my favorite authors. I love her writing because it makes me feel like even if I haven’t gone through the exact situations of her characters, the emotions and thoughts are ones I think most have thought and felt.
This book surprised me with how much older the tone is compared to Conversations With Friends and Normal People. The characters are older and their issues reflect that. I really thought the commentary on life and what it means to be young in the world we live in today was interesting and genuine. I loved the conversations about God and what it means to be religious. I related a lot to the character of Simon and how I see my faith, so reading that it was nice to see how someone else inadvertently helps others come to terms with their beliefs. He also isn’t the type to condemn others or push his beliefs which I appreciate.
Something I really liked about this book (and I’m not sure if it was intentional) but one of my favorite monologues is the opening one from Love, Actually. I have always thought it captured how even in the bad moments of life, you can find love and good things. This book felt like that monologue. The characters are searching for what the purpose of life is in such horrible times, and they are able to find that even if things get darker and the world gets bleaker, there will always be beautiful things.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts