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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
Well. I ended up enjoying the book more than I expected to. Reading a novel about an MFA student trying to write fiction was a bit too self-conscious at times, but the ending it pulled off was believable; I’m glad it didn’t try to tie everything together neatly.
I’m not sure what to make of this book.
What I liked.
- Owen was sympathetic toward the people who voted for Donald Trump, although he disagreed with them.
- Owen/Cole highlighted the hypocrisy of people with “liberal” ideals.
- The granddad!
What I did not like.
- Bah. It read like a writing project for school, not a published novel. I understand that blurring the boundaries between the writer, the character, and the reader was the point, but it was too much like Cole was saying, “Look at me! Aren’t I clever!”
- The flashing neon foreshadowing and metaphors.
- I hated the romance. It was like watching Anakin flirt with Padmé without cool lightsaber battles with droids to break up the eye-rolling, and Anakin was 16, and this dude is pushing 30.
- There were two major events in the book for Owen, and I do not think he faced consequences for them. The lack of consequences happens in real life, but if Cole puts an event in a book, it should have a follow-through. People shouldn’t just move on.
What I liked.
- Owen was sympathetic toward the people who voted for Donald Trump, although he disagreed with them.
- Owen/Cole highlighted the hypocrisy of people with “liberal” ideals.
- The granddad!
What I did not like.
- Bah. It read like a writing project for school, not a published novel. I understand that blurring the boundaries between the writer, the character, and the reader was the point, but it was too much like Cole was saying, “Look at me! Aren’t I clever!”
- The flashing neon foreshadowing and metaphors.
- I hated the romance. It was like watching Anakin flirt with Padmé without cool lightsaber battles with droids to break up the eye-rolling, and Anakin was 16, and this dude is pushing 30.
- There were two major events in the book for Owen, and I do not think he faced consequences for them. The lack of consequences happens in real life, but if Cole puts an event in a book, it should have a follow-through. People shouldn’t just move on.
I picked this book up on a whim, drawn to the beautiful, minimalist cover. I am so happy I did.
Set in rural Kentucky in the days leading up to and months following the 2016 election, this debut novel tells the story of Owen. Owen is a character so beautifully written, I won’t soon forget him. Or Pop, whom I loved very much. This is a comfort read — perfect for early spring or late fall. I was happy I read it when I did because I can’t believe that it would have had the same effect on me if I’d have read it in the summer.
The story was slow paced, told in shorter jolts of several paragraphs at a time (there are no chapter designations, there is a part 1 and a part 2). Going through it, you would think that there was no overarching plot, that it was just Owen’s life from August 2016 to spring of 2017. But in the last 20 pages there is a climax and a resolution. Typically I dislike when novels do this, I always think the resolution is rushed and hurried. But this worked beautifully. The ending is left quite open, and I will daydream about Owen for days to come surely.
The only downfall I can think of is that the ugly “Read with Jenna” bubble isn’t a sticker on this one. It’s printed on it and thus will be a boil on the beautiful cover forever. Maybe in future printings it will no longer adorn and I can donate this copy and buy a prettier one. I can hope.
Set in rural Kentucky in the days leading up to and months following the 2016 election, this debut novel tells the story of Owen. Owen is a character so beautifully written, I won’t soon forget him. Or Pop, whom I loved very much. This is a comfort read — perfect for early spring or late fall. I was happy I read it when I did because I can’t believe that it would have had the same effect on me if I’d have read it in the summer.
The story was slow paced, told in shorter jolts of several paragraphs at a time (there are no chapter designations, there is a part 1 and a part 2). Going through it, you would think that there was no overarching plot, that it was just Owen’s life from August 2016 to spring of 2017. But in the last 20 pages there is a climax and a resolution. Typically I dislike when novels do this, I always think the resolution is rushed and hurried. But this worked beautifully. The ending is left quite open, and I will daydream about Owen for days to come surely.
The only downfall I can think of is that the ugly “Read with Jenna” bubble isn’t a sticker on this one. It’s printed on it and thus will be a boil on the beautiful cover forever. Maybe in future printings it will no longer adorn and I can donate this copy and buy a prettier one. I can hope.
Lots to like here, I will be interested to read his next book. Details are great. There’s a lot of unevenness in the story - drags sometimes, leaps ahead others…and I hated the protagonist. Probably 3.5 stars but I think his next book could be great.
A slow start but well written and thought provoking.
This was more like a 3.5. I did enjoy it for the most part. I liked the second half of the novel better than the first, the second half delved into the family/political/class dynamics of the two characters more. I was not a fan of the no quotation marks writing style. If you are looking for major plot developments, this is not the book for you.
This book had me feeling torn. I finished this book loathing the protagonist despite reading certain passages that I related to. Those feelings of wanting to escape your hometown and the common discriminations and close-mindedness of family and friends. I just hope I wasn't as insufferable as Owen in my most "I got to get out of this town" moments when I was younger. I kept waiting for Owen to mature and maybe look back and see how the people from his home have shaped him into who he has become and that those same people genuinely care about him. Maybe the instant arguments and conflict are done to show the tense nature of family dynamics after the 2016 election but it seemed overdone and, if anything, a flaw in Owen's character to suddenly discard any and all positive aspects of these people due to who they may had voted for. (Yes, I know how someone votes says a lot about themselves and it has become increasing difficult to have actual discourse with someone with opposing views but we got to keep trying, right?)
The protagonist and his love interest, Alma, also had moments of being annoying in that they seem to be the quintessential hipsters who have to present themselves as having better taste and opinions than everyone else. The same ones that look down on even the people they are most like and wish to surround themselves with compared to others (especially those on the opposite end of the political spectrum). I definitely wondered if their necks were hurting from looking down on everyone while on their high horse.
Despite these quarrels, I was sucked into the story and the writing. There are some beautiful passages in here and the spiritual journey of Owen as he tries to figure out his life along with navigating his relationship with his family, friends, and Alma definitely felt real. I also wish there was more with some supporting characters like Cort, James, and Rando as toward the end of the book they are given their small bit of closure and then are gone.
I do need to say something about the characterization of Western Kentucky and Paducah, since I am from there. Yes, there are a lot of conservative folks in this Republican state (surprise!). However, there is also a large group of people in the area that are not. People who do not agree with the majority and would likely had made up the entire friend group of Owen. Yet, this book is written as if they do not exist. I'm not sure if this was a publisher choice to really drive in the point of where Owen was from or if it reflects the feeling of shocked defeat that those people felt after the election. Perhaps rendered silent in defeat. I do not know.
This is definitely a book I complained about yet also made me contemplate and reflect. For that, I'm thankful for it being written.
The protagonist and his love interest, Alma, also had moments of being annoying in that they seem to be the quintessential hipsters who have to present themselves as having better taste and opinions than everyone else. The same ones that look down on even the people they are most like and wish to surround themselves with compared to others (especially those on the opposite end of the political spectrum). I definitely wondered if their necks were hurting from looking down on everyone while on their high horse.
Despite these quarrels, I was sucked into the story and the writing. There are some beautiful passages in here and the spiritual journey of Owen as he tries to figure out his life along with navigating his relationship with his family, friends, and Alma definitely felt real. I also wish there was more with some supporting characters like Cort, James, and Rando as toward the end of the book they are given their small bit of closure and then are gone.
I do need to say something about the characterization of Western Kentucky and Paducah, since I am from there. Yes, there are a lot of conservative folks in this Republican state (surprise!). However, there is also a large group of people in the area that are not. People who do not agree with the majority and would likely had made up the entire friend group of Owen. Yet, this book is written as if they do not exist. I'm not sure if this was a publisher choice to really drive in the point of where Owen was from or if it reflects the feeling of shocked defeat that those people felt after the election. Perhaps rendered silent in defeat. I do not know.
This is definitely a book I complained about yet also made me contemplate and reflect. For that, I'm thankful for it being written.
Two rules to make it to the end of a book: well-written or good plot. This was a struggle as the story wasn't all that gripping. The first-person story being told by a writer should make the prose engaging and it was for the most part. The ending was off-beat but the next page revealed the author had gone to the Iowa writers workshop. Coincidence?
One irritation that never resolved: central character found a minimum-wage job on a tree crew at a college. Author seemed to know a lot about tree work and we got glimpses of it and the central character's noting of trees throughout. However, can't square the belittling of his job with the specialized nature of an arborist who straps on the harnesses and climbs the trees. That is a skill and not an entry-level if-you-can't-find-anything-else type of job.
One irritation that never resolved: central character found a minimum-wage job on a tree crew at a college. Author seemed to know a lot about tree work and we got glimpses of it and the central character's noting of trees throughout. However, can't square the belittling of his job with the specialized nature of an arborist who straps on the harnesses and climbs the trees. That is a skill and not an entry-level if-you-can't-find-anything-else type of job.
Bits of normality strung together into a life anyone could see themselves in. So filled with details of the area and time, so easy to relate.