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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
mysterious
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
emotional
funny
reflective
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
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Racism, Xenophobia
Minor: Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders
What is it like to be a young creative person living abroad? Lerner's protagonist, Adam, floats aimlessly (at times synchronously) among romanticizing, rejecting, manipulating, and embracing the tropes of That Life. A lyrical representation of the folly of human perspective: the realization of ourselves as inevitably tied to others' perception of us in relation to our perception of them. A circuitous feedback loop where identity is easily lost, made redundant, or inaccessible. The writing invites the reader to feel like he, too, has been a young poet on fellowship in Spain and felt, at times, assured and just as frequently confused or defeated. The stakes are low, the feelings universal. A reality removed, distant. A work of fiction. A foreign environment. ...can foster a heightened reality. Less constraints. Again, it depends on your perception.
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Difficult to stick with. The main character is wholly unlikable for much of the book, and I know that's the point, but it didn't make it any easier to read. Some of the language was so dense it felt like one of those times where people figure that if they use obtuse enough language, it'll sound profound. Maybe the author did that to further illustrate the fraud complex of the main guy, but if that was the case it was unnecessary. Some passages were lovely, and eventually the guy pulls his head out of his ass, which is rewarding but not very. Interesting read, though.
challenging
funny
reflective
medium-paced