Scan barcode
rw444's review
4.0
I read Prep a long time ago, and American Wife right before this. Despite the schlocky title and precious looking cover, it was a skillfully written book. Sittenfeld tends to write characters who are quiet, thoughtful, and not terribly dramatic in their words or actions. That may turn people off who want tantrums and hot sex scenes or whatnot, but I find her characters refreshingly normal and interesting in their normality and quiet struggles.
This book takes a look at Hannah, an insecure, quiet, dreamy, depressive, mixed-up woman, starting with her teenage years and taking her through her twenties. We see her grow, make mistakes, experience new people and places, and come to find some peace with herself and her life. Even though she was unlikable at times, frustratingly obtuse and unrealistic in her expectations, Hannah was real to me, and I could relate to her years as a depressed college student and her fumbling attempts at adulthood. The people in your life disappoint you, and you disappoint them. We all have to try, fail, and out of that we grow and become who we are. It was an honest portrayal of that struggle, and I enjoyed seeing her through to the beginning of her more realized self.
This book takes a look at Hannah, an insecure, quiet, dreamy, depressive, mixed-up woman, starting with her teenage years and taking her through her twenties. We see her grow, make mistakes, experience new people and places, and come to find some peace with herself and her life. Even though she was unlikable at times, frustratingly obtuse and unrealistic in her expectations, Hannah was real to me, and I could relate to her years as a depressed college student and her fumbling attempts at adulthood. The people in your life disappoint you, and you disappoint them. We all have to try, fail, and out of that we grow and become who we are. It was an honest portrayal of that struggle, and I enjoyed seeing her through to the beginning of her more realized self.
linneamarch's review against another edition
2.0
I liked this story well enough years ago when I checked it out of the library. Then recently I checked it out again, read about a fourth of the way through and realized I had already read it. It's incredibly forgettable, slightly boring and I found the main character annoying. All the things about the character Lee in Prep, that are endearing (self conscience, shy, introverted, basically how a great deal of us felt in high school), are too much in Hannah. I couldn't idenitify with her at all. Read Prep instead. Similar concept but a much better representation. Or best of all read American Wife which I adored.
cybrarygrl65's review against another edition
3.0
At first I rolled my eyes when my book club selected this book. It doesn't fall into the genre of what I expected we would read. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised at the rawness to a book I originally perceived as "chick-lit."
As I was reading through the life of Hannah Gavener, it pushed a lot of buttons for my own life and allowed me to ponder and reflect on issues that have haunted me through life.
There were aspects to the book that I didn't like but not enough to mention here. The cyclical nature of one of the story lines was well played. A quick summer read that may surprise you with it's depth and intensity.
As I was reading through the life of Hannah Gavener, it pushed a lot of buttons for my own life and allowed me to ponder and reflect on issues that have haunted me through life.
There were aspects to the book that I didn't like but not enough to mention here. The cyclical nature of one of the story lines was well played. A quick summer read that may surprise you with it's depth and intensity.
katyprimo's review against another edition
5.0
My affinity for this book is probably amplified because of certain characters and situations that I could understand deeply because of my own life experience, so your mileage may vary.
leiya_h's review against another edition
4.0
Love is not just about finding the right guy...(duuuh)..
I know the premise and the title sounds very cliche..but trust me..Curtis can really make a well covered subject being seen in a new light...
People really do need to love themself first before being able to love someone else...we are not govern by the guy we are seeing...we are who we are..be true to your self and the rest will follow suit..(damn that's deep!)
I cried a lot while reading this book...not just the streaking tears..it's the "hard to breath" kind of cry...why? cause it can get to be really relatable with your own story..one way or the other...
I know the premise and the title sounds very cliche..but trust me..Curtis can really make a well covered subject being seen in a new light...
People really do need to love themself first before being able to love someone else...we are not govern by the guy we are seeing...we are who we are..be true to your self and the rest will follow suit..(damn that's deep!)
I cried a lot while reading this book...not just the streaking tears..it's the "hard to breath" kind of cry...why? cause it can get to be really relatable with your own story..one way or the other...
librariann's review against another edition
5.0
Adult with older teen interest - 15+ (although teens who enjoyed 'Prep' may want to read this). Hannah reflects on the men in her life, from the father who kicked out her family in 1991, through several failed relationships, to the man who she believes is the love of her life.
minvanwin's review against another edition
2.0
Witness Sittenfeld's sophomore slump. Prep and American Wife are both great. This was a tolerable, light summer read. I liked how flawed and neurotic Hannah was. It's just a shame all the character development occurs in the last 15 pages in a letter to her shrink. This is a fine first draft--all the raw material is there--but not satisfying on the whole.
thesinginglights's review against another edition
2.0
Once again I am dedicating too much time to books that just aren't exciting to me. There are a lot of ways in which this book could have been better, lots of ways in which it was insightful and wise. But not enough to make a solid book, unfortunately. I had the chance to meet Sittenfeld once through work and she was charming and insightful. The flourishes in her work mean I am still curious about her work but this wasn't the right book for me.