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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
Let me preface this by saying that this is a strong debut and I'm curious what the author has in store next. And now that that's out of the way - could we please, please, please, stop comparing debut authors to Sally Rooney?
I liked the summer, the heatwave, the whale in the Thames! I liked all that, how everything is constrained into a single weekend or so during the heatwave and how it shows the messiness of life and how we live with thousands of thoughts and issues at the same time, yet we try to be good people. So, yeah, loved all that.
I really liked the atmosphere and the mundanity of it all. I liked its realism because I'm a big fan of our messiness as human beings.
On the not so bright side, I did not connect with any of the characters - there are so many and we jump so fast through them that at first I was confused who is who and trying to get to know them. Too many characters, too little time. It felt unbalanced of sorts.
But as I said, quite a strong debut.
I liked the summer, the heatwave, the whale in the Thames! I liked all that, how everything is constrained into a single weekend or so during the heatwave and how it shows the messiness of life and how we live with thousands of thoughts and issues at the same time, yet we try to be good people. So, yeah, loved all that.
I really liked the atmosphere and the mundanity of it all. I liked its realism because I'm a big fan of our messiness as human beings.
On the not so bright side, I did not connect with any of the characters - there are so many and we jump so fast through them that at first I was confused who is who and trying to get to know them. Too many characters, too little time. It felt unbalanced of sorts.
But as I said, quite a strong debut.
fast-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
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-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
this was definitely a page turner and it was fun and casual until it got pretty deep towards the end.
it was an exposition on navigating queerness in london with the backdrop of a hot summer and a whale stuck in the thames. it was neat to see this theme transcend across the different characters, despite their age.
it’s about ed and maggie who are on precipice of the end of their relationship, it’s about brothers phil and callum and how they navigate loneliness, depression, and their moms cancer. it’s about the marine biologist news lady and how she’s dealing with the whale stuck in the thames.
the ending was kind of messy and really felt a bit unresolved, but then again that’s how life is at times.
…
“the sad old PCs growling on their desks”
“he wants more from his weekend than this. he wants
more from his life.”
“but the words 'i love you’ are famously inadequate for describing the depth of the feeling. sometimes only gestures suffice.’
it was an exposition on navigating queerness in london with the backdrop of a hot summer and a whale stuck in the thames. it was neat to see this theme transcend across the different characters, despite their age.
it’s about ed and maggie who are on precipice of the end of their relationship, it’s about brothers phil and callum and how they navigate loneliness, depression, and their moms cancer. it’s about the marine biologist news lady and how she’s dealing with the whale stuck in the thames.
the ending was kind of messy and really felt a bit unresolved, but then again that’s how life is at times.
…
“the sad old PCs growling on their desks”
“he wants more from his weekend than this. he wants
more from his life.”
“but the words 'i love you’ are famously inadequate for describing the depth of the feeling. sometimes only gestures suffice.’
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
challenging
emotional
reflective
I usually really dislike modern novels that contain themes of people pleasers numbing themselves with drugs, sex, parties, any "modern romances" that are about people who hate themselves and each other, but refuse to talk about anything to change where they are. and honestly I was slightly worried that this is what this book was. but because it was quite witty in the beginning I decided to keep reading and I was positively surprised.
I really enjoyed the writing. I enjoyed the characters being flawed and ins cure but genuinely likeable, they were normal people, not caricatures of normal people. I enjoyed seeing both points of views of a relationship in one scene/conversation, even if it made me sad they neither of them feels fully comfortable to say their feelings out loud.
a great book, one that I will keep thinking about.
I really enjoyed the writing. I enjoyed the characters being flawed and ins cure but genuinely likeable, they were normal people, not caricatures of normal people. I enjoyed seeing both points of views of a relationship in one scene/conversation, even if it made me sad they neither of them feels fully comfortable to say their feelings out loud.
a great book, one that I will keep thinking about.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Classism
emotional
reflective
slow-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
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes