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nic_m_hud's review
3.0
This is one of the random novels that I found through my library's digital collections. I liked this book - it was sort of a smarter "Girls" with girls who aren't as slapstick or silly as Hannah. Young women who are in the arts and trying to make a living out of it. The main character is a bit of a sociopath, but still interesting enough to delve into her thoughts.
veelaughtland's review against another edition
1.0
It's been a while since I rated a book 1 star, and I did wonder if I was being a little too harsh with this one. Ultimately though, I have to be honest, and although I didn't hate this book, I would not recommend it to anyone in any shape or form.
The book follows two characters, Paulina and Fran, who meet while studying at art school, and the book follows their tempestuous relationship and how it affects them in later life post-college. On paper this book should have been perfect for me - it had all the elements I love in a book: campus novels, art school with pretentious art students, sex, LGBT themes, self-discovery, etc. But this book just did not deliver on these things. What it did deliver were two of the most annoying characters known to man.
Paulina is a mess, and a terrible person, and normally I quite enjoy unlikeable characters but there were genuinely no redeeming qualities to Paulina whatsoever. She was the ultimate mean girl, and she was completely self-obsessed and inflated with her own sense of superiority to the extent that it was just embarrassing. Fran on the other hand was bland bland bland - she didn't ever stick up for herself, and hung on to a clearly toxic friendship which made me feel like shaking her to wake her up.
LGBT themes? Few and far between. There's one character who is a lesbian, and the two main characters dabble but it felt completely and utterly pointlessly inserted into the plot in order to spice things up.
I wasn't blown away by the writing particularly, and the story felt unrealistic and slow. Don't get me started on Paulina's future endeavours (read the book if you want to find out, but it's highly improbable and cheesy). And GOD don't get me started on how much the two characters go on and on about their curls. I don't care. End of.
This honestly makes me sound like I hated the book, and I don't. I didn't struggle to read this - I pretty much zipped through it, and it was a very easy, light read. However, the problem was that I just didn't really care about anything or anyone in this book, and if it hadn't been so easy to read I probably would have put it down. Would not recommend this at all.
The book follows two characters, Paulina and Fran, who meet while studying at art school, and the book follows their tempestuous relationship and how it affects them in later life post-college. On paper this book should have been perfect for me - it had all the elements I love in a book: campus novels, art school with pretentious art students, sex, LGBT themes, self-discovery, etc. But this book just did not deliver on these things. What it did deliver were two of the most annoying characters known to man.
Paulina is a mess, and a terrible person, and normally I quite enjoy unlikeable characters but there were genuinely no redeeming qualities to Paulina whatsoever. She was the ultimate mean girl, and she was completely self-obsessed and inflated with her own sense of superiority to the extent that it was just embarrassing. Fran on the other hand was bland bland bland - she didn't ever stick up for herself, and hung on to a clearly toxic friendship which made me feel like shaking her to wake her up.
LGBT themes? Few and far between. There's one character who is a lesbian, and the two main characters dabble but it felt completely and utterly pointlessly inserted into the plot in order to spice things up.
I wasn't blown away by the writing particularly, and the story felt unrealistic and slow. Don't get me started on Paulina's future endeavours (read the book if you want to find out, but it's highly improbable and cheesy). And GOD don't get me started on how much the two characters go on and on about their curls. I don't care. End of.
This honestly makes me sound like I hated the book, and I don't. I didn't struggle to read this - I pretty much zipped through it, and it was a very easy, light read. However, the problem was that I just didn't really care about anything or anyone in this book, and if it hadn't been so easy to read I probably would have put it down. Would not recommend this at all.
jengipson's review
3.0
Ah. I'm not sure what it was about this book that attracted me. Maybe it was the focus on female friendship with an unusual bright flame of passion? Maybe it was the setting of an art college, something I once pursued. Maybe it was because both protagonist have wild and at time unruly hair like myself? It was probably all these things that made me decide I had to read this book, and I couldn't wait.
Reading this book left me with the dissatisfaction that Paulina and Fran felt with life. Which I believe is a reflection of how successful and talented a write Glaser is. I know that feeling of longing for excitement and adventure that Paulina is constantly chasing. I know the power that comes with a sexual exploit or a perfect outfit. And I am getting to know the immense disappointment that comes with becoming an adult. I found this book like a sad warning song. It hit too close to home. This book represents some of my greatest fears. Obviously, this book has impact.
So why only 3 stars? One reason is the ending. I read this on my kindle and I was convinced that it had suddenly died when I was 98% done because there has to be more pages! And secondly because this book has no right being that brutal. It hit below the belt and that is against the rules!
Overall: if you love fiery female relationships with lots of sexual tension this is for you. If you know that the dream of youth and the reality of adulthood are bitter pills to swallow this is for you. If you're an art student, or thinking about becoming one, this is for you.
Reading this book left me with the dissatisfaction that Paulina and Fran felt with life. Which I believe is a reflection of how successful and talented a write Glaser is. I know that feeling of longing for excitement and adventure that Paulina is constantly chasing. I know the power that comes with a sexual exploit or a perfect outfit. And I am getting to know the immense disappointment that comes with becoming an adult. I found this book like a sad warning song. It hit too close to home. This book represents some of my greatest fears. Obviously, this book has impact.
So why only 3 stars? One reason is the ending. I read this on my kindle and I was convinced that it had suddenly died when I was 98% done because there has to be more pages! And secondly because this book has no right being that brutal. It hit below the belt and that is against the rules!
Overall: if you love fiery female relationships with lots of sexual tension this is for you. If you know that the dream of youth and the reality of adulthood are bitter pills to swallow this is for you. If you're an art student, or thinking about becoming one, this is for you.
maaryaam's review against another edition
2.0
ayoo finally done.
It's a really thin and easy to read book so I gave it two stars, otherwise a strong one.
The story sounds so sweet and nice but the book is actually really bland and boring and pointless and two-dimensional. The characters are just intolerable because we just have to understand them at face value there's never any reasoning towards anything they just do things and you just have to be like well they've been a bitch the entire book so i guess:).
The love bits are just so? why? julian just with both girls and then they do the same thing at the end? idk man:) i didn't like it:) I have to go out rn so i really cannot spend more time on this review:) and i wont be returning to it either bc waste of time it just wasnt good bye:)
It's a really thin and easy to read book so I gave it two stars, otherwise a strong one.
The story sounds so sweet and nice but the book is actually really bland and boring and pointless and two-dimensional. The characters are just intolerable because we just have to understand them at face value there's never any reasoning towards anything they just do things and you just have to be like well they've been a bitch the entire book so i guess:).
The love bits are just so? why? julian just with both girls and then they do the same thing at the end? idk man:) i didn't like it:) I have to go out rn so i really cannot spend more time on this review:) and i wont be returning to it either bc waste of time it just wasnt good bye:)
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