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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
slow-paced
A big book. A good book. But like almost everything I've read in the last five years, it could have lost 100 pages through strong editing and been a much better book.
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3 1/2 stars. Interesting story, but really, it could have been about anyone. Not super "interesting," although maybe that's the most ironic part of what this group of friends declared themselves.
“Talent could go in so many directions, depending on the forces that were applied to it, and depending on economics and disposition, and on the most daunting and determining force of all, luck.”
The search for meaning in Wolitzer’s novel is subtler than in Miller’s book; the existential questions are being explored more with inner dialogues and veiled conversations. But the ideas presented are just as potent.
It starts at a summer camp for artsy teenagers. Six of them form a group of high-minded creatives who anoint themselves the Interestings. Honestly, I didn’t find the plot itself all that interesting, but the characters certainly were, especially as they moved into middle-age in the second half of the book.
Early on, it’s sure possible that the story didn’t resonate with me simply because I’ve moved on from that teen/twentysomething creative idealism — it’s more a fault of my own reading than with Wolitzer. But as the Interestings aged into careers and families, successes and failures, and crises beyond just their art, it seemed to speak more to real life.
Most resonant to me was how each sought to define the role of their creative work and talents in their life. There’s only one character who seems to have “it” and becomes wildly successful, but even that one wrestle with the role of luck and connections and gender. Others give up their creative side entirely, having been scarred by past experiences. And a couple of them simply realize that their gifts aren’t enough to make a career of; how do they then fold their passions into the practicalities of having a family? And bills to pay?
While is was a little slow for my liking at times, Wolitzer does know how to craft a sentence, especially when it comes to dialogue. I loved this line, for instance: “Everything you do, it’ll all feel really slow for a long time. But looking back, much later, it will have seemed like it was fast.” The play with tense there, especially in those last eight words, is brilliant.
I can’t decide who I’d recommend this book to. So, reader, I’m leaving you to your own devices on this one.
The search for meaning in Wolitzer’s novel is subtler than in Miller’s book; the existential questions are being explored more with inner dialogues and veiled conversations. But the ideas presented are just as potent.
It starts at a summer camp for artsy teenagers. Six of them form a group of high-minded creatives who anoint themselves the Interestings. Honestly, I didn’t find the plot itself all that interesting, but the characters certainly were, especially as they moved into middle-age in the second half of the book.
Early on, it’s sure possible that the story didn’t resonate with me simply because I’ve moved on from that teen/twentysomething creative idealism — it’s more a fault of my own reading than with Wolitzer. But as the Interestings aged into careers and families, successes and failures, and crises beyond just their art, it seemed to speak more to real life.
Most resonant to me was how each sought to define the role of their creative work and talents in their life. There’s only one character who seems to have “it” and becomes wildly successful, but even that one wrestle with the role of luck and connections and gender. Others give up their creative side entirely, having been scarred by past experiences. And a couple of them simply realize that their gifts aren’t enough to make a career of; how do they then fold their passions into the practicalities of having a family? And bills to pay?
While is was a little slow for my liking at times, Wolitzer does know how to craft a sentence, especially when it comes to dialogue. I loved this line, for instance: “Everything you do, it’ll all feel really slow for a long time. But looking back, much later, it will have seemed like it was fast.” The play with tense there, especially in those last eight words, is brilliant.
I can’t decide who I’d recommend this book to. So, reader, I’m leaving you to your own devices on this one.
I felt like I was reading this book forever but I did enjoy most of it. It could have been slightly condensed at times but I was never bored so I don’t begrudge the length. The story really is an examination of friendship, the highs the lows and all the pit falls that involve long term friendships, especially those formed during adolescence where everything is heightened and friendship is EVERYTHING.
The group of friends first meet up at a arty summer camp and quickly coin themselves ironically as “The Interestings” the story follows a few of the main characters and how their lives continually intersect. Their tight kinship holds so much weight, and the meaningfulness of these friendships get tested in many different ways over the ensuing years. The friends tackle many different stages of their friendship. Through marriages, careers, kids, divorce and their own immortality. While the core friends remain solid for the most parts, a few break away and jealousy, regret, shame, and individual inadequacies are exposed and this is what I enjoyed most about my reading experience. The author really finds all the nitty gritty parts of navigating the transitions from adolescence friendship to adulthood and does it so well.
The group of friends first meet up at a arty summer camp and quickly coin themselves ironically as “The Interestings” the story follows a few of the main characters and how their lives continually intersect. Their tight kinship holds so much weight, and the meaningfulness of these friendships get tested in many different ways over the ensuing years. The friends tackle many different stages of their friendship. Through marriages, careers, kids, divorce and their own immortality. While the core friends remain solid for the most parts, a few break away and jealousy, regret, shame, and individual inadequacies are exposed and this is what I enjoyed most about my reading experience. The author really finds all the nitty gritty parts of navigating the transitions from adolescence friendship to adulthood and does it so well.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved this, although I'm not totally sure why. Maybe feeling nostalgia for a time that I never lived in (when there weren't cell phones and people went to camp). Just really good.
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced