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nathiddles_106's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
kaanda's review against another edition
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
A really beautiful peek into someone’s life while they peek into other’s lives as well. Relatable and emotional.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Death of parent, and Suicide
christyn412's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
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
3.75
i really enjoyed this book! it's vignette style so lovely for people who like the structure of House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros but it focuses on various places in Italy. definitely different from Jhumpa Lahiri's other novels but worth picking up (especially if you're traveling or if you're a writer looking to find some inspiration)!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
ukponge's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity
dhritigupta's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
4.75
review from reread in jan 2024, 4.75:
“Is there any place we're not moving through?”
i loved this so much more on the second read. jhumpa lahiri is so good at writing things in a way that make me feel both lonely and seen at the same time, a perfect book for the new year
review from first read in feb 2023, 4.25:
this book gives me the same feelings as people watching. as always, jhumpa lahiri is elegant in her introspection. the everyday experiences of loneliness and self-contained joy she described resonated with me more than i expected them to.
i thought the format was a cool idea, but it didn’t always keep my attention. i kept getting distracted without a more cohesive plot! at moments the language could be a bit flowery/pretentious too. overall a nice book that leaves you closer to a lonely middle-aged woman than you thought you were!
“Is there any place we're not moving through?”
i loved this so much more on the second read. jhumpa lahiri is so good at writing things in a way that make me feel both lonely and seen at the same time, a perfect book for the new year
review from first read in feb 2023, 4.25:
this book gives me the same feelings as people watching. as always, jhumpa lahiri is elegant in her introspection. the everyday experiences of loneliness and self-contained joy she described resonated with me more than i expected them to.
i thought the format was a cool idea, but it didn’t always keep my attention. i kept getting distracted without a more cohesive plot! at moments the language could be a bit flowery/pretentious too. overall a nice book that leaves you closer to a lonely middle-aged woman than you thought you were!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Fatphobia
gh7blis's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
The plotless book follows an unnamed female narrator in her mid-40's, living in an unknown Italian city/town. The story is divided to short vignettes that feel like diary entries titled by her locations (at the piazza, doctor's waiting room, her collegue's child's baptism by the sea, etc.).
The woman seems detached from her life, as she flips through her unhappy childhood, her ex lovers and daily groceries. She is introverted and often observes the people she encounters with vivid imaginations of strangers' lives.
This is my first novel from Lahiri, and I'm already loving the way she makes mundane things so captivating, incredibly moody and melancholic. I resonated a lot with the narrator and her want for human interaction.
The woman seems detached from her life, as she flips through her unhappy childhood, her ex lovers and daily groceries. She is introverted and often observes the people she encounters with vivid imaginations of strangers' lives.
This is my first novel from Lahiri, and I'm already loving the way she makes mundane things so captivating, incredibly moody and melancholic. I resonated a lot with the narrator and her want for human interaction.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
awebofstories's review against another edition
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
4.0
Sometimes you realize that something is in your wheelhouse, even though it doesn't sound like it should be. For me, it is these little vignette collection novels that don't seem to be about anything. I've read enough of them now to know that it is something I quite like...and this was no exception.
I have read Jhumpa Lahiri in the past and knew how beautiful her writing was. I've enjoyed what I read, but I prefer her short stories to her novels. Because this is sort of a hybrid between the two, it worked very well for me.
It's easy- and misleading- to say this is just a book about a woman wandering around town. On a very superficial level, that would be accurate. But it is more about a woman who is very comfortable in her own small world but has realized that she needs to expand her borders. The actual intent behind the book sneaks up on you, and you won't realize until the end that you've read a fully-realized novel.
I read this slowly, and I would recommend it. Because of its nature, trying to read it in one to two sittings (which is completely possible with this slim volume) would be a mistake, and you will miss the nuances.
I get that the vignette-collection-novel may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I love a big old mug of it, which I got with this book.
I have read Jhumpa Lahiri in the past and knew how beautiful her writing was. I've enjoyed what I read, but I prefer her short stories to her novels. Because this is sort of a hybrid between the two, it worked very well for me.
It's easy- and misleading- to say this is just a book about a woman wandering around town. On a very superficial level, that would be accurate. But it is more about a woman who is very comfortable in her own small world but has realized that she needs to expand her borders. The actual intent behind the book sneaks up on you, and you won't realize until the end that you've read a fully-realized novel.
I read this slowly, and I would recommend it. Because of its nature, trying to read it in one to two sittings (which is completely possible with this slim volume) would be a mistake, and you will miss the nuances.
I get that the vignette-collection-novel may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I love a big old mug of it, which I got with this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
polarheights's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent
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