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apalershadeofwhite's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The fact that there was no traditional dialogue and punctuation format took me off guard, at first, but I did get a little more used to it the longer I read the book. I had a similar reaction to it when I read Bullet Train, but this entire book had no dialogue punctuation at all. It took me a second at first to realise when someone was talking. I got more used to it because a phrase would be followed by a comma and then "[so-and-so] said" and a full stop, but the phrase after that had me questioning and took me out of the reading flow. I was more often than not super confused about whether it was internal dialogue of the narrator or something a character had actually said out loud in the scene.
There was a very blurred line between writer and narrator, for me. I found that Frances often observed things like she already knew someone's secrets or hidden meanings, but it there was no way for her to actually know those things so the knowledge came down to the author projecting their knowledge onto the narrator. Most times a narrator is written in a way where the readers knows what they know, but in this book it's like Frances knows things but she doesn't know that she knows them or she shouldn't know them.
Overall, I found the first part of the novel quite bland and I wasn't really enjoying it. It took me a long while to actually get into reading it. I originally felt like I was just observing these characters that I was super interested in, like watching through a window. It did start picking up and I was interested by the second part, however, and I felt less detached and more involved in the narrative. I found myself thinking as I was reading that I could have easily put the book down and not come back to it for a while, which is actually what I ended up doing lol. But I did read part two in one sitting because it found it really engaging and evocative.
Despite part two being a wreck, not wanting to watch the awful thing/s happening but being unable to look away, it was melancholically gripping. It was emotional, biting, punching you where it hurt. These characters were feeling and going through these awful things that would make you feel sad anyway, but Rooney described them in such a way that was so real and universally felt. Sometimes they were put in the simplest of terms and sometimes written in the most beautifully sad prose within the entire text. I often felt my face get a little hot when reading what Frances, especially, was going through as I was more connected to her as the narrator. It was just so emotionally hard-hitting, part two.
I do understand the appeal of this kind of narrative. It felt real. I usually read to escape, so reading a book that is incredibly based on and in real life is not usually one I would pick up, but I'm a sucker for wanting to analyse the print and visual adaptations of stories so I decided to read this. I can still appreciate the plot and the writing, though. Reading it does feel like talking to someone and having a conversation (ha). There are sometimes things mentioned by the characters that really specific or usually aren't included or deemed necessary for a traditional novel. The characters would also sometimes say things that I didn't full understand, which reminded me of conversations with people where you pretend you know what they are on about just so you can carry on with the conversation and not feel stupid for asking. For example, Frances says "I was cold like a fish" in the middle of a paragraph about how her father had an alcoholic temper which took me off guard for a moment. It was just very real. I can definitely see the appeal of it, but it's not entirely my style because I like to really be taken into a novel and forget that real people exist haha.
The ending though? Vicious and mean and I hated it but I also loved it. The "come and get me"? So good. As soon as i read that line I was like, it better not be the end but then the next page was the acknowledgements and I cursed at the word haha. It was a great place to end but at the same time I wanted to know more still.
Throughout the entire narrative, I did enjoy being able to see all the different kinds of nuances of human emotion. I like that a lot in any kind of writing. The author didn't stray what was difficult, but it wasn't done in a disrespectful way. There were some uncomfortable moments but I think they were important to the overall story as it made sense with the writing style and chracters that Rooney had been building for the entire book.
Random notes:
- I very much liked that a lot of the narrative came down to the little things. E.g. Melissa pouring "bowl-sized glasses" of wine to two strangers she'd met mere hours ago, or less, showed that she was financially stable and possibly even well-off.
- I really enjoyed the rapport between Nick and Frances. I think because they were both presented as awkward and quiet characters, especially in contrast to their extroverted companions, it felt very natural for them to bounce off each other.
- I found the immediate hierarchy between Bobbi and Frances that was presented to us quite interesting. Immediately we were given the impression that Bobbi was the dominant one in the relationship and Frances was basically a doormat lol. I think this contrasted super well with the fact that she ended up being quite bold and having an affair with a married man because Bobbi was upset with her for kissing Nick but she had kissed Melissa.
- I liked that the characters were all a bit morally grey, which helped push the narrative that this reading experience almost was like an actual conversation with friends. You don't agree with everything they do or say or think, but at the same time you still want to know what was going to happen.
There was a very blurred line between writer and narrator, for me. I found that Frances often observed things like she already knew someone's secrets or hidden meanings, but it there was no way for her to actually know those things so the knowledge came down to the author projecting their knowledge onto the narrator. Most times a narrator is written in a way where the readers knows what they know, but in this book it's like Frances knows things but she doesn't know that she knows them or she shouldn't know them.
Overall, I found the first part of the novel quite bland and I wasn't really enjoying it. It took me a long while to actually get into reading it. I originally felt like I was just observing these characters that I was super interested in, like watching through a window. It did start picking up and I was interested by the second part, however, and I felt less detached and more involved in the narrative. I found myself thinking as I was reading that I could have easily put the book down and not come back to it for a while, which is actually what I ended up doing lol. But I did read part two in one sitting because it found it really engaging and evocative.
Despite part two being a wreck, not wanting to watch the awful thing/s happening but being unable to look away, it was melancholically gripping. It was emotional, biting, punching you where it hurt. These characters were feeling and going through these awful things that would make you feel sad anyway, but Rooney described them in such a way that was so real and universally felt. Sometimes they were put in the simplest of terms and sometimes written in the most beautifully sad prose within the entire text. I often felt my face get a little hot when reading what Frances, especially, was going through as I was more connected to her as the narrator. It was just so emotionally hard-hitting, part two.
I do understand the appeal of this kind of narrative. It felt real. I usually read to escape, so reading a book that is incredibly based on and in real life is not usually one I would pick up, but I'm a sucker for wanting to analyse the print and visual adaptations of stories so I decided to read this. I can still appreciate the plot and the writing, though. Reading it does feel like talking to someone and having a conversation (ha). There are sometimes things mentioned by the characters that really specific or usually aren't included or deemed necessary for a traditional novel. The characters would also sometimes say things that I didn't full understand, which reminded me of conversations with people where you pretend you know what they are on about just so you can carry on with the conversation and not feel stupid for asking. For example, Frances says "I was cold like a fish" in the middle of a paragraph about how her father had an alcoholic temper which took me off guard for a moment. It was just very real. I can definitely see the appeal of it, but it's not entirely my style because I like to really be taken into a novel and forget that real people exist haha.
The ending though? Vicious and mean and I hated it but I also loved it. The "come and get me"? So good. As soon as i read that line I was like, it better not be the end but then the next page was the acknowledgements and I cursed at the word haha. It was a great place to end but at the same time I wanted to know more still.
Throughout the entire narrative, I did enjoy being able to see all the different kinds of nuances of human emotion. I like that a lot in any kind of writing. The author didn't stray what was difficult, but it wasn't done in a disrespectful way. There were some uncomfortable moments but I think they were important to the overall story as it made sense with the writing style and chracters that Rooney had been building for the entire book.
Random notes:
- I very much liked that a lot of the narrative came down to the little things. E.g. Melissa pouring "bowl-sized glasses" of wine to two strangers she'd met mere hours ago, or less, showed that she was financially stable and possibly even well-off.
- I really enjoyed the rapport between Nick and Frances. I think because they were both presented as awkward and quiet characters, especially in contrast to their extroverted companions, it felt very natural for them to bounce off each other.
- I found the immediate hierarchy between Bobbi and Frances that was presented to us quite interesting. Immediately we were given the impression that Bobbi was the dominant one in the relationship and Frances was basically a doormat lol. I think this contrasted super well with the fact that she ended up being quite bold and having an affair with a married man because Bobbi was upset with her for kissing Nick but she had kissed Melissa.
- I liked that the characters were all a bit morally grey, which helped push the narrative that this reading experience almost was like an actual conversation with friends. You don't agree with everything they do or say or think, but at the same time you still want to know what was going to happen.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Self harm, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Blood, and Suicidal thoughts
gabbygarcia's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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
Graphic: Chronic illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Infidelity, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Mental illness
Minor: Cursing, Vomit, Domestic abuse, and Infertility
juliamakena's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Blood, Self harm, Chronic illness, and Infertility
Moderate: Blood, Miscarriage, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
amylia_k's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I struggled to get into this book the first few chapters, however, after that I couldn’t put it down. There were so many unexpected moments and turns in the story which I was not expecting!
The relationship between the characters and the reader is so complicated, and it’s difficult to know wether to root for them or hate them. Overall, a good read, I love Sally Rooneys style of writing too!
The relationship between the characters and the reader is so complicated, and it’s difficult to know wether to root for them or hate them. Overall, a good read, I love Sally Rooneys style of writing too!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm, Blood, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts
vixenreader's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The ending leaves a lot to be desired, especially with the character of Bobbi, but it is still an incredible novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Infidelity, Chronic illness, Medical content, Sexual content, Cursing, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Classism, Outing, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Blood, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, and Biphobia
Minor: Miscarriage, Bullying, and Sexism
There are explicit details about endometriosis and I found Bobbi to be an awful friend who exploits Frances, but does not take accountability for her own shitty actions.evieb's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Self harm
Minor: Alcoholism
famuamu's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Self harm, Grief, Infidelity, Infertility, Chronic illness, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Infertility, Eating disorder, Miscarriage, Vomit, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, and Medical trauma
nabila99's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Mental illness, Blood, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual content, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Alcoholism
Minor: Classism, Child abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, and Infertility
rbacon's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
The Sally Rooney book I've been searching for! I think what made this one my favourite of the three is that at the start you do actually like the characters. Which makes you care more about them hurting themselves and others bc you see the change in them. Also only having one narrative makes it easier to follow and gives you more insight into Frances. Also also endometriosis representation! And periods! In books!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Blood
Moderate: Self harm, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Chronic illness
nicolinebl's review against another edition
reflective
sad
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
3.5
Definitely prefer this book over Rooney's other novel Normal People, although, to be fair, I was probably a bit too young to read that book back then (time for a re-read!). Her characters are never very likeworthy and definitely remind me of the main characters in Exciting Times & A Year of Rest and Relaxation. Even though Frances wasn't likeable, she was quite relatable in other ways. I guess you will always relate more to a flawed character than some miss-perfect.
I'm not quite sure how to describe what I thought of this book other than it feeling like taking a road-trip, getting to know the characters through observing and listening to them. It is a book that is very much about its characters and their actions. It's not a wild adventurous story but I was still on the edge of my seat, curious where the story would go. This is the second book by Sally I've read and her characters tend to be quite pretentious, not sure if that is on purpose or not. I do like the philosophical and intellectual conversations they have with each other though.
I'm not quite sure how to describe what I thought of this book other than it feeling like taking a road-trip, getting to know the characters through observing and listening to them. It is a book that is very much about its characters and their actions. It's not a wild adventurous story but I was still on the edge of my seat, curious where the story would go. This is the second book by Sally I've read and her characters tend to be quite pretentious, not sure if that is on purpose or not. I do like the philosophical and intellectual conversations they have with each other though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Infidelity, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Infertility, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Mental illness, and Miscarriage
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Drug use, Sexual assault, War, Eating disorder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Medical content, Sexism, Racism, Rape, and Misogyny