You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
this wouldve benefited from less character povs and more individual character exploration instead because while i liked the characters i didnt care much about them
Great read! Straub’s observations, mostly in the voice of her main character Astrid, were incisive and witty. In fact, Astrid, who could easily have simply stayed on the predictable and socially expected path of her life, may be my new favorite flawed, messy, but willing to evolve, character. Good storytelling about the stories we tell ourselves about lives and choices.
Thanks to WNYC and NYPL was able to read this as part of the August #GetLitWithAllOfIt book club! Great way to break in my kindle, eternally grateful to the NYPL for keeping me entertained these past few months!
This is a great summer read, I knew absolutely nothing going in except that it continues to be on lots of summer reading list. I was happily surprised at the LGBTQ themes and that it's set in a fictional community in an area that I'm stereotypically obsessed with - the Hudson Valley. The LGBTQ narratives felt a little commonplace - would have liked to spend even more time with some of those characters as they navigated their world.
Due to the social and political climate I'm reading this book during - some of the issues and fights felt a bit petty and privileged, but what kept me hooked was the sibling relationships. I'm a sucker for complex, unique sibling connections and this book definitely delivered on that front.
I haven't read anything else by Emma Straub but could be tempted to pick up another one of her books for summer reading.
This is a great summer read, I knew absolutely nothing going in except that it continues to be on lots of summer reading list. I was happily surprised at the LGBTQ themes and that it's set in a fictional community in an area that I'm stereotypically obsessed with - the Hudson Valley. The LGBTQ narratives felt a little commonplace - would have liked to spend even more time with some of those characters as they navigated their world.
Due to the social and political climate I'm reading this book during - some of the issues and fights felt a bit petty and privileged, but what kept me hooked was the sibling relationships. I'm a sucker for complex, unique sibling connections and this book definitely delivered on that front.
I haven't read anything else by Emma Straub but could be tempted to pick up another one of her books for summer reading.
This was a fine book as a fun read with a slight social justice-y bend. It was more meandering than anything with little driving force (what was supposed to be the climax? I kept waiting for there to be a big drama, big reveal, big something and that was barely implied but maybe I was expecting some Liane Moriarty ish). She said some stuff about how men are kind of useless, which like yeah, we know. All the characters had their own perceptions of each other but they didn't really go anywhere with that and I don't know that the characters were transformed by the end of it. Just a lot of treading water. Most positive thing was Cecelia learning lessons I wish I had learned when I was her age--something about the difference between secrecy and privacy (?) so as not to reveal her friend's secret but to still stand up for her. Idk it was fine.
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think the book was very well written and each character had their own quirks. The first half was great but the story started to drag on in the second half. It was heavy read in the sense that a lot of social topics were thrown in at once. There wasn’t really a plot? But keeping up with the characters kept me turning to the next page.
My book club wanted something light and fun and picked this book. I think it worked on both counts. Not a brilliant book, but not terrible. A good distraction from weightier events and world issues. I knew from the beginning that everything would turn out all right for these folks. There is lots of inclusivity here but it is very superficial.