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tobyyy's review
3.0
2.5/5 stars, rounded up.
I’ll be honest. This book has no plot. It’s 100% character-driven, each chapter a vignette from a different part of Oksana’s life, in chronological order. Sometimes the vignettes occur within a year of each other, other times there are huge gaps and huge events that occurred between chapters (such as the death of a family member and the birth of another).
The writing isn’t bad and the characters do feel very real. But if you’re looking for a book with a plot, this is not for you.
I’ll be honest. This book has no plot. It’s 100% character-driven, each chapter a vignette from a different part of Oksana’s life, in chronological order. Sometimes the vignettes occur within a year of each other, other times there are huge gaps and huge events that occurred between chapters (such as the death of a family member and the birth of another).
The writing isn’t bad and the characters do feel very real. But if you’re looking for a book with a plot, this is not for you.
readerette's review against another edition
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Well written, and the main character is complicated like a real person, and takes a lot of unkind actions (at least according to most prevailing Western norms). Interesting from a cultural perspective too if you are, like me, not Ukrainian.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Cursing, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Infidelity, and Pregnancy
Minor: Dementia, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Vomit, Antisemitism, Grief, Miscarriage, and Racism
lisanussd's review
4.0
I saw this book in the library on the display for *new* books and liked the cover. It’s a small book so the 250 pages flew by. It’s a first novel for Kuznetsova, and it spans Oksana’s life from age seven to late twenties. I had a hard time reading the part when Oksana attends Duke. She seemed lost and dangerous, almost unloveable. In fact, I had to put the book down, Oksana’s character reminded me of the main character in Goldfinch. However, as the book progressed, Oksana seemed to mature a little and then the book skips along. Each chapter seems to skip about 2 years so this creates a satisfying pace to the novel. The observations that Kuznetsova makes throughout the novel are sharp and penetrating. Observing a woman that she meets who has cancer, ...”she looks 40 though she’s over sixty with the Bay Area glow of a person whose blood is mostly kombucha and wheatgrass and whose muscles are sinewy from decades of downward dog. “(P. 214)
ducksfloat's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Lovely fast read. Cute and sweet and wholesome but also broke my heart. A bit of repetition I could do without.
alohomara's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.0
colleencalello's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
decembermagpie's review
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dementia, Child death, Death, Death of parent, and Miscarriage
cher_n_books's review
2.0
2.5 stars - It was alright, an average book.
Started strong at the start, but Oksana grew up too quickly and then the story was a slog. The abrupt forward jumps in time made everything feel too segmented and created a disconnect between the reader and the characters. A book about Baba, Oksana's grandmother, would have been far more fascinating I suspect.
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First Sentence: After I asked what America would be like, my grandmother sighed philosophically and released a mouthful of smoke out the passenger window.
Started strong at the start, but Oksana grew up too quickly and then the story was a slog. The abrupt forward jumps in time made everything feel too segmented and created a disconnect between the reader and the characters. A book about Baba, Oksana's grandmother, would have been far more fascinating I suspect.
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First Sentence: After I asked what America would be like, my grandmother sighed philosophically and released a mouthful of smoke out the passenger window.
qdove's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0