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abrooklynbookshelf's review
2.0
To be quite honest, this whole book kind of reads as a self-conscious assertion that the author is on the right side of every single divisive hot topic (race, class, feminism, the me too movement, politics, etc.) and yet so much of this—especially race—is handled pretty poorly. If we’re going to set that aside, then the bigger issue is that Allie is an insufferable character who whines 100% of the time, has no ability to set or respect boundaries, and also blames literally everyone else for problems that she herself causes. And nobody else is much better. Most notably, Lana, who receives all of this weird adoration simply because she is an immigrant and campaigning for women’s equality, as if this inherently cancels out all of her very shitty qualities.
This book dives into far too much, has no discernible interesting plot (it is truly just a daily deluge of Allie’s various anxieties and problems), and is a chore to get through.
Would be happy to fight (read: emphatically go deeper) about any of these thoughts, because I’m honestly surprised that this review seems to be so wildly different from everyone else’s.
This book dives into far too much, has no discernible interesting plot (it is truly just a daily deluge of Allie’s various anxieties and problems), and is a chore to get through.
Would be happy to fight (read: emphatically go deeper) about any of these thoughts, because I’m honestly surprised that this review seems to be so wildly different from everyone else’s.
hayleybeale's review
2.0
Allie ghostwrites memoirs and novels for the quite famous. After her latest project, a well-paying memoir for a sleazy TV producer falls through when it’s revealed he’s sexually assaulted women in his office, Allie’s finances become worryingly stretched. When the opportunity arises she write a “mom-moir” about Lana Breban, a prominent feminist who wants to run for political office but needs her image softening up a little, Allie is thrilled. But Lena gives her so little information about herself and her family, Allie starts to draw from her own life.
I found Allie’s living situation quite stressful: she can barely afford her rent, she has to leave Cass her young son, with an elderly neighbor, and she’s never quite sure of the status of her relationship with her live-in boyfriend Kurt. I found Allie a bit of a limp lettuce leaf - she allows things to happen, she doesn’t stand up for herself, and she has trouble expressing what she wants - and this passivity just grates. She is a single parent and I found her son rather irritatingly whiny. I appreciate he’s not a typical boy or even a typical kid, but like his mother he is very passive and appears to make little effort to make his own life more enjoyable. Quite why easygoing and caring Kurt wants to be part of this family is unclear to me.
One part that did ring true for me is Allie’s mother competitive relationship with her friend Patty. That this leads to catastrophe for Allie has an inevitability to it that works to drive the plot along.
I feel a bit harsh judging the characters like this, but it made the book a bit of a drag to read. Allie’s inability to deal with what life has given her, her lack of gumption to make things better, even her wishy washiness with Kurt just make her a drag. I’m honestly surprised that Lana would actually try and help her and, of course, Allie is a bit lame about that too.
Ghostwriters are such a well-worn plot device and metaphor and I thought this was going to have an interesting twist on that, but i just found Impersonation to be a book that I couldn’t wait to finish for all the wrong reasons.
Thanks to Algonquin Books and Netgalley for the digital review copy.
I found Allie’s living situation quite stressful: she can barely afford her rent, she has to leave Cass her young son, with an elderly neighbor, and she’s never quite sure of the status of her relationship with her live-in boyfriend Kurt. I found Allie a bit of a limp lettuce leaf - she allows things to happen, she doesn’t stand up for herself, and she has trouble expressing what she wants - and this passivity just grates. She is a single parent and I found her son rather irritatingly whiny. I appreciate he’s not a typical boy or even a typical kid, but like his mother he is very passive and appears to make little effort to make his own life more enjoyable. Quite why easygoing and caring Kurt wants to be part of this family is unclear to me.
One part that did ring true for me is Allie’s mother competitive relationship with her friend Patty. That this leads to catastrophe for Allie has an inevitability to it that works to drive the plot along.
I feel a bit harsh judging the characters like this, but it made the book a bit of a drag to read. Allie’s inability to deal with what life has given her, her lack of gumption to make things better, even her wishy washiness with Kurt just make her a drag. I’m honestly surprised that Lana would actually try and help her and, of course, Allie is a bit lame about that too.
Ghostwriters are such a well-worn plot device and metaphor and I thought this was going to have an interesting twist on that, but i just found Impersonation to be a book that I couldn’t wait to finish for all the wrong reasons.
Thanks to Algonquin Books and Netgalley for the digital review copy.
glendareads39's review
3.0
Impersonation was an interesting and insightful book. The book explore different topics such as politics, motherhood, feminism, the me too movement and the 2016 Election. Allie Lang hired to write feminist lawyer Lana Breban's memoir. Lana had no interest in her own book or sharing anything about herself with Allie.
Both of these women face criticism for their mothering and careers, but there was also a clear class and privilege difference between them. In this way, the book explores how feminism can mean completely different things depending on societal class and race. The story was mostly character driven.
Both of these women face criticism for their mothering and careers, but there was also a clear class and privilege difference between them. In this way, the book explores how feminism can mean completely different things depending on societal class and race. The story was mostly character driven.
mundinova's review against another edition
3.0
Is this book anti-liberal feminism?
I'm really confused by this book. I'm not sure if the author is trying to tear down liberals and feminism or show how hard it is to do everything right. Part of me doesn't like this book because of how angry it made me feel, at both Allie and Lana. The way Lana uses Allie and Allie's inability to stand up for herself paints feminists in a bad light; like we're liars out to use people. But then a good book will make you feel emotions and anger is an emotion.
So conflicted. I need someone else to read this so we can talk about it.
This book would be perfect for book clubs; lots to unpack and discuss.
I received a copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Story: 4 stars
Character Development: 4 stars
Writing: 4 stars
I'm confused and angry: - 3 stars
https://readingbetweenthestitches.wordpress.com/2020/11/24/impersonation-by-heidi-pitlor-3-stars/
I'm really confused by this book. I'm not sure if the author is trying to tear down liberals and feminism or show how hard it is to do everything right. Part of me doesn't like this book because of how angry it made me feel, at both Allie and Lana. The way Lana uses Allie and Allie's inability to stand up for herself paints feminists in a bad light; like we're liars out to use people. But then a good book will make you feel emotions and anger is an emotion.
So conflicted. I need someone else to read this so we can talk about it.
This book would be perfect for book clubs; lots to unpack and discuss.
I received a copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Story: 4 stars
Character Development: 4 stars
Writing: 4 stars
I'm confused and angry: - 3 stars
https://readingbetweenthestitches.wordpress.com/2020/11/24/impersonation-by-heidi-pitlor-3-stars/
sonia_reppe's review
5.0
At first glance, it's novel about a single mom trying to make ends meet with substitute teacher gigs and by ghost-writing memoirs for celebrities. It broadens into a look at America's current political climate, public shaming, views on feminism, motherhood, hypocrisy, and all the gray areas surrounding "ends justifying the means."
37-yr-old Ally is struggling to work and raise her 5-yr-old and get out of debt when she gets a gig ghost-writing for a well-known lawyer/feminist/activist. When Lana wins a bid for the senate, the stakes are higher, and Lana's publicists push Ally to engineer a totally fake memoir, a "softer, feminine" motherhood memoir, one that hides the truth: that as Lana travels all around the world advocating for women's rights, a nanny raises her son. Ally, as a feminist liberal, goes along with it, rationalizing that Lana does a lot of good for people, especially women.
Through Ally's eyes, the book asks us to think about issues of gender inequality, the unfair pressure for women to be hands-on mothers lest they be viewed as failures or "bad;" the struggles of a single mom; fake images; and big-time hypocrisy.
I liked reading this and questioning what the author wanted me to think. Lana and Ally don't come off that bad, they are good-hearted, just doing the best they can in a man's world, even if lying is justified in their view. I like that interpretation seems open to the reader. Very enjoyable read.
(The woman's marches that sprang up all over the country are witnessed by Ally with pride and swoony, gushy feeling. Yet maybe the author was simply adding to the book's theme of agendas being spun and masses of people falling for it...Lots of layers here).
37-yr-old Ally is struggling to work and raise her 5-yr-old and get out of debt when she gets a gig ghost-writing for a well-known lawyer/feminist/activist. When Lana wins a bid for the senate, the stakes are higher, and Lana's publicists push Ally to engineer a totally fake memoir, a "softer, feminine" motherhood memoir, one that hides the truth: that as Lana travels all around the world advocating for women's rights, a nanny raises her son. Ally, as a feminist liberal, goes along with it, rationalizing that Lana does a lot of good for people, especially women.
Through Ally's eyes, the book asks us to think about issues of gender inequality, the unfair pressure for women to be hands-on mothers lest they be viewed as failures or "bad;" the struggles of a single mom; fake images; and big-time hypocrisy.
I liked reading this and questioning what the author wanted me to think. Lana and Ally don't come off that bad, they are good-hearted, just doing the best they can in a man's world, even if lying is justified in their view. I like that interpretation seems open to the reader. Very enjoyable read.
(The woman's marches that sprang up all over the country are witnessed by Ally with pride and swoony, gushy feeling. Yet maybe the author was simply adding to the book's theme of agendas being spun and masses of people falling for it...Lots of layers here).
theoverflowingbookshelf's review
3.0
Heidi Pitlor’s new novel, Impersonation, follows a woman as she juggles work, caring for her son, and caring for herself as well. Set to be released on August 18th, this “timely, insightful, and bitingly funny story of ambition, motherhood, and class” takes a look at what life in America is like for one woman at this moment in time.
I loved the concept of a ghostwriter being the focus on the novel since it’s a profession not many people know about. However, what seemed to be a story of two women facing the same struggles actually is just a story about one woman trying to be the best mother she can be. I also was hoping for more interactions between Lana and Allie. Instead, all of the focus was on Allie and Lana is just seen through her eyes and it seemed borderline obsessive at times.
The narration quickly shifts from Allie’s writing to the past to the present which can cause a bit of mental whiplash at times. The book starts off slow and the direction of the novel is hard to navigate in the first two sections. It isn’t until the third and final part of the book that it becomes more fast-paced and palatable.
Additionally, I couldn’t really connect with the characters like I was anticipating. Maybe it’s because I’m not a mother myself, but I just found it hard to relate to being a middle-aged single mother struggling to raise her son well and comparing herself to those around her.
This novel also takes a very politicized stance on certain ideas, which I wasn’t really expecting. Topics like #MeToo Movement and the events leading up to the 2016 Presidential Election are brought up in terms of how Allie tries to portray Lana and how Allie wishes the country could be.
While this novel was interesting and might be a five star read for others, it wasn’t really my cup of tea. However, if you want to read a novel that digs deep into motherhood, feminism, and American politics, then I would definitely give this one a read!
*I received an ARC from Algonquin Books in exchange for my honest opinion.
I loved the concept of a ghostwriter being the focus on the novel since it’s a profession not many people know about. However, what seemed to be a story of two women facing the same struggles actually is just a story about one woman trying to be the best mother she can be. I also was hoping for more interactions between Lana and Allie. Instead, all of the focus was on Allie and Lana is just seen through her eyes and it seemed borderline obsessive at times.
The narration quickly shifts from Allie’s writing to the past to the present which can cause a bit of mental whiplash at times. The book starts off slow and the direction of the novel is hard to navigate in the first two sections. It isn’t until the third and final part of the book that it becomes more fast-paced and palatable.
Additionally, I couldn’t really connect with the characters like I was anticipating. Maybe it’s because I’m not a mother myself, but I just found it hard to relate to being a middle-aged single mother struggling to raise her son well and comparing herself to those around her.
This novel also takes a very politicized stance on certain ideas, which I wasn’t really expecting. Topics like #MeToo Movement and the events leading up to the 2016 Presidential Election are brought up in terms of how Allie tries to portray Lana and how Allie wishes the country could be.
While this novel was interesting and might be a five star read for others, it wasn’t really my cup of tea. However, if you want to read a novel that digs deep into motherhood, feminism, and American politics, then I would definitely give this one a read!
*I received an ARC from Algonquin Books in exchange for my honest opinion.
openmypages's review
3.0
Impersonation is to ghostwriting and feminism what Black Buck is to sales and consumerism. Both of these books make you equally thrilled and angry. You will love and hate Allie and Lana the same way you loved and hated Darren and Rhett.
Allie is a freelance ghostwriter, she is stuck having to balance her own mediocre "must make ends meet" world with the worlds of her fabulous subjects. She's a woman who had her own dreams and is having to balance the reality of how life turned out. So as someone who is not a mother, a freelancer or someone who would particularly call myself feminist, I was reading this book as a window into those things. And of course for the humor. To be honest, I’m connecting slightly better with her monster of a client, Lana than I am Allie, the protagonist. But then again, I’m a career first professional woman and Allie is anything but.
The writing is sharp and I’m easily driven from page to page. There's lots of liberal messaging so be prepared for that, regardless of which side you are on, it is easy to find humor in the austerity of it.
Allie is a freelance ghostwriter, she is stuck having to balance her own mediocre "must make ends meet" world with the worlds of her fabulous subjects. She's a woman who had her own dreams and is having to balance the reality of how life turned out. So as someone who is not a mother, a freelancer or someone who would particularly call myself feminist, I was reading this book as a window into those things. And of course for the humor. To be honest, I’m connecting slightly better with her monster of a client, Lana than I am Allie, the protagonist. But then again, I’m a career first professional woman and Allie is anything but.
The writing is sharp and I’m easily driven from page to page. There's lots of liberal messaging so be prepared for that, regardless of which side you are on, it is easy to find humor in the austerity of it.
mollyfischfriedman's review
4.0
This book was a thoughtful and critical exploration of feminism, motherhood, and what we as a society expect of women in the post-2016 world. Allie was really compelling as a flawed but self-aware narrator, and the flaws of the other people in her life made her own frustrations that much more understandable. While some plot points felt forced, I in general appreciated the bumpy nature of Allie's life and her career as a ghostwriter and that her life was messy and didn't need to be tied up in a bow for things to be okay.
emswantree's review
2.0
This book had a lot of promise for me. A single parent living on the margin who is a ghostwriter for the rich and famous sounds like an interesting storyline. Right? But Allie (the single parent ghostwriter) is not a great narrator. She lacks any dynamic characteristics and I didn’t connect with her at all. Maybe that was the point I thought. Maybe she as the ghostwriter is this clean slate of a person so she can take on the famous people she writes for? But if that is the case, then it would be important to have a lot of meaningful interaction with the people she is writing for. And that doesn’t happen either. So the boredom continues. The crisis in this book you see coming so early on that when it happens you feel grateful. A “let’s put this behind us” kind of moment.
It just all felt like eating too much vanilla ice cream. Vanilla ice cream is fine but about three bites in you kind of wish for a chocolate chip or a strawberry or just anything to add to the flavor. I know this analogy is not my best but my point is this book needed a lot of chocolate chips.
ablondebooknerd's review
3.0
“No human being can be a mother and save the world at the same time. Our expectations of women are, as always, absurd.”
I’ve been reading more memoirs lately and so the concept of a book told from a ghostwriter’s perspective was fascinating to me. Unfortunately I had a hard time with Allie. She was a chameleon who gets into the heads of her clients in order to write as them. But it feels as if because she’s done this so many times, she no longer has a clear voice and can’t seem to stand up for herself at all. It wasn’t that I didn’t like her, I just felt indifferent at times. Also she doesn’t like dogs....
However, the book is set in the months leading up to the 2016 presidential election and the year following it really anchored the story. The author did an excellent job of bringing back first the hope, joy and optimism that many women felt thinking that finally we’d have our first female president and then the pain, frustration, and sickening feeling when we realized we still live in a misogynistic world that belittles us. I felt those emotions so strongly while reading and remembering my experiences during that time.
The mental gymnastics that Allie would do to defend Lana’s actions felt so familiar. I think most women probably do this at some time or another for a family member, boss, friend, or politician. Overall, it’s a book that I will need to continue to think about and digest in the coming days.
Thank you to Algonquin Books and Heidi Pitlor for the #gifted ARC of IMPERSONATION in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve been reading more memoirs lately and so the concept of a book told from a ghostwriter’s perspective was fascinating to me. Unfortunately I had a hard time with Allie. She was a chameleon who gets into the heads of her clients in order to write as them. But it feels as if because she’s done this so many times, she no longer has a clear voice and can’t seem to stand up for herself at all. It wasn’t that I didn’t like her, I just felt indifferent at times. Also she doesn’t like dogs....
However, the book is set in the months leading up to the 2016 presidential election and the year following it really anchored the story. The author did an excellent job of bringing back first the hope, joy and optimism that many women felt thinking that finally we’d have our first female president and then the pain, frustration, and sickening feeling when we realized we still live in a misogynistic world that belittles us. I felt those emotions so strongly while reading and remembering my experiences during that time.
The mental gymnastics that Allie would do to defend Lana’s actions felt so familiar. I think most women probably do this at some time or another for a family member, boss, friend, or politician. Overall, it’s a book that I will need to continue to think about and digest in the coming days.
Thank you to Algonquin Books and Heidi Pitlor for the #gifted ARC of IMPERSONATION in exchange for an honest review.