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tobyyy's review against another edition
3.0
2.5/5 stars, rounded up.
I’ll be honest. This book has no plot. It’s 100% character-driven, each chapter a vignette from a different part of Oksana’s life, in chronological order. Sometimes the vignettes occur within a year of each other, other times there are huge gaps and huge events that occurred between chapters (such as the death of a family member and the birth of another).
The writing isn’t bad and the characters do feel very real. But if you’re looking for a book with a plot, this is not for you.
I’ll be honest. This book has no plot. It’s 100% character-driven, each chapter a vignette from a different part of Oksana’s life, in chronological order. Sometimes the vignettes occur within a year of each other, other times there are huge gaps and huge events that occurred between chapters (such as the death of a family member and the birth of another).
The writing isn’t bad and the characters do feel very real. But if you’re looking for a book with a plot, this is not for you.
readerette's review against another edition
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Well written, and the main character is complicated like a real person, and takes a lot of unkind actions (at least according to most prevailing Western norms). Interesting from a cultural perspective too if you are, like me, not Ukrainian.
Moderate: Sexual content, Cursing, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Infidelity, and Pregnancy
Minor: Dementia, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Vomit, Antisemitism, Grief, Miscarriage, and Racism
lisanussd's review against another edition
4.0
I saw this book in the library on the display for *new* books and liked the cover. It’s a small book so the 250 pages flew by. It’s a first novel for Kuznetsova, and it spans Oksana’s life from age seven to late twenties. I had a hard time reading the part when Oksana attends Duke. She seemed lost and dangerous, almost unloveable. In fact, I had to put the book down, Oksana’s character reminded me of the main character in Goldfinch. However, as the book progressed, Oksana seemed to mature a little and then the book skips along. Each chapter seems to skip about 2 years so this creates a satisfying pace to the novel. The observations that Kuznetsova makes throughout the novel are sharp and penetrating. Observing a woman that she meets who has cancer, ...”she looks 40 though she’s over sixty with the Bay Area glow of a person whose blood is mostly kombucha and wheatgrass and whose muscles are sinewy from decades of downward dog. “(P. 214)
ducksfloat's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Lovely fast read. Cute and sweet and wholesome but also broke my heart. A bit of repetition I could do without.
alohomara's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.0
colleencalello's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
decembermagpie's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Moderate: Dementia, Child death, Death, Death of parent, and Miscarriage
cher_n_books's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars - It was alright, an average book.
Started strong at the start, but Oksana grew up too quickly and then the story was a slog. The abrupt forward jumps in time made everything feel too segmented and created a disconnect between the reader and the characters. A book about Baba, Oksana's grandmother, would have been far more fascinating I suspect.
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First Sentence: After I asked what America would be like, my grandmother sighed philosophically and released a mouthful of smoke out the passenger window.
Started strong at the start, but Oksana grew up too quickly and then the story was a slog. The abrupt forward jumps in time made everything feel too segmented and created a disconnect between the reader and the characters. A book about Baba, Oksana's grandmother, would have been far more fascinating I suspect.
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First Sentence: After I asked what America would be like, my grandmother sighed philosophically and released a mouthful of smoke out the passenger window.
qdove's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-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
4.0