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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
This book was ahead of its time, and interesting to read. Got it through my Books That Matter subscription which I've found is a great subscription service that has opened me to reading a lot different things. Found this a hard book to read and get into, but glad I persisted.
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is what I imagine being on E at a Holly GoLightly party would feel like.
When people ask me how autobiographical the book is I say, all the impulsive, outrageous things my heroine does, I did. All the sensible things she did, I made up. What a delight to live vicariously through Sally Jay Gorce/Elaine Dundy's screwball adventures and minor life revelations. We could all serve to be as off-the-cuff and wide-eyed
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I went to a movie once, and watched a dumb girl make a long series of bad decisions. This book is a bit like that. People make a big deal out of this book being one of the 'undiscovered treasures' of American literature. While I enjoyed it, and it was a smart, snappy little read, I failed to find it hilarious or particularly sympathetic. Get your stuff together, Sally Jay Gorce. You'd be more interesting if you were a little less oblivious and self-absorbed.
adventurous
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I went back and forth on this book. At first I was delighted, but then I was a bit overwhelmed by Sally Jay's lifestyle and (mis)adventures. The scene that mentions the 'dud avocado,' and the end of the book sealed it in an esteemed place for me.
well it's all fun and games until the guy you're in love with turns out to be a sex trafficker . i think i found this darker/sadder than the blurbs made it out to be, the threat of male violence is always lurking in the background, and things would've gone much worse for sally jay if she didn't have a rich uncle who sends her a monthly allowance. jean rhys's good morning, midnight is also about an english-speaking expat in paris, but the big difference is that rhys's protagonist has no money, and therefore has a much worse time and ends up in much more dire straits. after reading this, i'm motivated to read more books/consume more narratives about people who aren't rich and actually have to worry about money.
zop, zop
zop, zop
this is quite literally how fifteen year-old me navigate the world.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes