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carlsnan's review
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I just wasn’t in the mood for it right now. I bet others would really enjoy this book!
samantasas's review
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
lbykes's review
Similar to my feelings on Blackouts, in that the historical pieces were more compelling than the character surrounding them. I think the voice was unconvincing to me - it's a person anxiously arguing with herself, backtracking, stream of consciousness on the verge of a breakdown, but who is also able to express herself with total precision and control. It read less like a novel and more like a friend's emails. Half-shifting from lecture mode into personal anecdote mode makes the novelistic bits too lecture-voiced to enjoy as fiction.
And I guess the character overall also I don’t find interesting. She's a nice lady, basically. Every time she approaches ungenerosity or ugliness she walks it back immediately. Which I understand as a person experiencing an inner monologue but do not find compelling dramatically. I liked learning about Keynes!
nrichtsmeier's review against another edition
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Started strong… ended with too much self-help talk.
vanlaw's review
2.0
An interesting thought exercise more than an enjoyable novel — but I couldn’t force myself into an interest in economics or Keynes to get into it to a suitable degree.
swee_p's review
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
clairezavoyna's review
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
mahmoudelhakim's review
3.0
The format is very interesting and full of possibilities. I just felt slightly disappointed towards the end of the book. I loved the writing itself, but I was left wanting something more. Perhaps in efforts to mimic the anxiety ridden mind, it just felt repetitive towards the end. Also, some of it felt preachy, and the time-relevant political anxieties (Early Trump) were forced and fueled by some forced characterization and virtue-signaling. I mean I loved the tangents, but a tangent of saying universal basic income is a “no brainer” (which, yeah, it sure is) feels much more performative than should be expected in an internal monologue. It feels contrived. Also, I could have done without the Obama thirst tbh.