Scan barcode
sonjaharrison's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I'm not a big fan of this format: rambling stream of consciousness? An attempt to defy format and structure? Interesting, but mildly annoying.
mackenzieabraham's review
3.0
3.75 - when I read this book, the timing was not ideal regarding things that were going on in my life so it made challenging for me to read. That being said, I enjoyed the unique formatting and prose style and by the end was able to reflect on the book as a whole with appreciation and understanding. While I was in the middle of it, it was hard for me to read because it wasn’t enjoyable to read. Heartbreakingly real, actually.
ohheyclaude's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
parisakamali's review against another edition
3.0
was not as mind blowing as i had expected, but everything's so subtle and offbeat you'll miss it if you don't pay all your attention to reading this
katieinca's review
5.0
An raw and beautiful little book. (And by little I mean I bet you could read it in 2 hours.)
If it reminds me of anything, it's Jeanette Winterson's writing. Short book, short sentences, lush vocabulary, layers, intensity of feeling, erring on the side of under-explaining. I scoffed when the bookshop staff recommendation said "as soon as I finished I turned back to the first page to start it again," but I did the same thing. Some serious gut punches in here, but don't worry, it won't make you cry on the train. Or it least it didn't me, and I'm a crier. Permeated by a fantastic dark sense of humor.
I will not be recommending it to any person in particular, because I worry that after they read it they would wonder what I was implying about their mental health or relationships. So instead I will say, perhaps you will not find this book interesting if you are a supremely confident and calm individual who finds emotions boring. If you've never worried about your life measuring up to your own expectations or that of others; and your brain chemistry and/or personal failings and/or the day to day mundane requirements of living being to blame, then, yeah, maybe don't bother with this one.
But it was exactly what I've been looking for - the emotional wringer of some of the best YA I've read, but with the backdrop of being 30s/40s rather than a teenager.
If it reminds me of anything, it's Jeanette Winterson's writing. Short book, short sentences, lush vocabulary, layers, intensity of feeling, erring on the side of under-explaining. I scoffed when the bookshop staff recommendation said "as soon as I finished I turned back to the first page to start it again," but I did the same thing. Some serious gut punches in here, but don't worry, it won't make you cry on the train. Or it least it didn't me, and I'm a crier. Permeated by a fantastic dark sense of humor.
I will not be recommending it to any person in particular, because I worry that after they read it they would wonder what I was implying about their mental health or relationships. So instead I will say, perhaps you will not find this book interesting if you are a supremely confident and calm individual who finds emotions boring. If you've never worried about your life measuring up to your own expectations or that of others; and your brain chemistry and/or personal failings and/or the day to day mundane requirements of living being to blame, then, yeah, maybe don't bother with this one.
But it was exactly what I've been looking for - the emotional wringer of some of the best YA I've read, but with the backdrop of being 30s/40s rather than a teenager.
ktswings's review
5.0
I spent the day reading this out loud to my husband. We might as well have read two different books. I could read this book all over again tomorrow and see it through a whole new person again. It was really incredible.
sandhyathara's review
emotional
reflective
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? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity
agw11588's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
awwcripes's review
4.0
Pretty good. Read the whole thing during a layover at Seatac. Not satisfied with the ending---but I loved the way the book was written. Snippets of a marriage. Lot of underlining good passages. Made me want to be a better husband.
wintrovia's review
3.0
I couldn’t decide when I first started reading this book if I thought the writing was awfully pretentious or beautiful. On reflection I think it’s a bit of both. There are some lovely observations and it’s clear the writer has a lot of talent. On the other hand, this talent feels to be squandered on a story that is high on melodrama but low on real intrigue.
The subject matter covered in this short novel is the exact kind of thing that soap operas across the world are doing every single day. The fact it’s written in a literary style with lovely observations makes it more interesting than Coronation Street but it’s still a bit drab.
I feel like a philistine for criticising the slow, meandering storyline but there really isn’t a lot going on in this book. The fact I stuck with it to the end is testament to the skill of the writer.
My review is probably overly harsh but it’s one of those books that I admired more than I enjoyed. Like a meal that is beautifully presented but tastes very bland: nice but unsatisfying.
The subject matter covered in this short novel is the exact kind of thing that soap operas across the world are doing every single day. The fact it’s written in a literary style with lovely observations makes it more interesting than Coronation Street but it’s still a bit drab.
I feel like a philistine for criticising the slow, meandering storyline but there really isn’t a lot going on in this book. The fact I stuck with it to the end is testament to the skill of the writer.
My review is probably overly harsh but it’s one of those books that I admired more than I enjoyed. Like a meal that is beautifully presented but tastes very bland: nice but unsatisfying.