Reviews

Benny & Shrimp by Katarina Mazetti

evenormandinc's review

lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.0

elvenavari's review

1.0

I'm... not sure what I just read. I have a feeling it was about a slightly older couple getting together but I'm not sure how the couple's friends and their issues fit into the plot line.

gcit2005's review

5.0

Best book I have ever read.

quietjenn's review

3.0

go sweden, with you're quirky, unconventional literature self.

aleksandra_mihajlovic_01's review

2.0

I liked first half of the book. The rest ...not so much.

aprille_storychick's review

2.0

Book #1 of 2011- *spoiler alert* I usually don't include spoilers, but it's impossible to write about this book without at least partially spelling out the end. So it all begins with 2 lonely, grieving Swedes run into each other in the cemetary. The couple that would never go together actually connects. The impulsiveness and strength of the pull between them makes you think they'll work out their differences and come around. Nah. There is never enough emotion for either to bend from their respective lifestyle/ habits and they part. In the end, their biological clocks are their only tie as they decide to have a kid, and "only that" together.
Is this a dose of reality slap in the face that that strong pull is just lust and not enough? I don't know. I walked away thinking they both needed to grow up and get lives.

calou's review against another edition

emotional funny sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

kellink's review

1.0

Did not like very much. It was fun at the beginning, however by the end I no longer liked the female character and hated the way it ended.

aprilbooksandwine's review

4.0

I read Benny & Shrimp by Katarina Mazetti in two quick sittings. I really enjoyed Benny & Shrimp. It's a quirky story of love between a farmer (Benny) and a librarian (Shrimp). I liked that this didn't read like a cheesy romance novel, bodices did not rip, chests did not heave.
Read the rest of my review here

erinmilmmil's review

1.0

I hated EVERYTHING about this book. The terrible, stupid plot line, with its stupid conflicts and "twists" that I had to read TWICE because each event was delved into in excruciating detail by each character (the chapters alternated from Benny's voice to Shrimp's). The crappy poetry intro to each chapter. The annoying characters, especially the librarian, who lived up to all stereotypes of a librarian by being plain and boring and "shrimpy", AND all the stereotypes of crazy women by being moody and obnoxious and over-reacting to everything.

The amazingly awful metaphors the author was fond of (seriously, like 5 per page). My favorite: "She had muscles down there like a milkmaid's hands after a whole summer up in the mountain pastures." And yes, its referring to what you think its referring to.

And then there was the ending. It was unexpected, but that didn't make it any less terrible. Since none of you will hopefully punish yourselves by reading this book, I will spoil it for you: They don't end up together, but Shrimp convinces him to father her children. Which he agrees to, even though by now almost engaged to someone else. And of course, she thinks he's NOT going to so she's crying or screaming or doing something irrational, but then he's there waiting to seduce her. The end. What the hell?

Anyway. Don't read it.

(note: I didn't even mention the creepy co-worker librarian with anti-social tendencies who spies on people instead of making friends.)