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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
Levy can turn an amazing phrase, and her story is worth reading. Her parts on grief are powerful and vivid, finding words for emotions that are hard to describe. However, the memoir as a whole cast her in a mysteriously unflattering light--she came across as selfish, careless, and thoughtless.
Worth reading, overall, but somehow unsympathetic.
Worth reading, overall, but somehow unsympathetic.
Ariel Levy's memoir is moving and her writing is beautiful.
*I received a copy of The Rules Do Not Apply via a Goodreads giveaway.*
The Rules Do Not Apply traces the seemingly straightforward narrative Ariel Levy sets up for herself as a woman propelling herself toward her desires. However, along the way, Levy overlooks warning signs, willfully takes chances on detours, and endures unexpected suffering that is nevertheless universal.
Ariel Levy's forthright memoir invites readers in like old friends. So many times while I was reading the book, I felt as if I were lounging in mismatched comfortable clothes and conversing with a close friend--sharing whatever thought occurred as we followed our minds' connections and lost track of time. Levy's honesty about day-to-day moments within the larger narrative offers a much appreciated view into the everyday chaos of growing up as a woman, navigating relationships, and enduring trauma. I particularly appreciated the nostalgic but reasonable tone to her work, which benefits the discussion of loss and hindsight, because some things are 20/20 in hindsight, but some things still are better in the past. She shamelessly places on the page the thoughts that people think, but rarely verbalize.
I look forward to reading more of Levy's work.
The Rules Do Not Apply traces the seemingly straightforward narrative Ariel Levy sets up for herself as a woman propelling herself toward her desires. However, along the way, Levy overlooks warning signs, willfully takes chances on detours, and endures unexpected suffering that is nevertheless universal.
Ariel Levy's forthright memoir invites readers in like old friends. So many times while I was reading the book, I felt as if I were lounging in mismatched comfortable clothes and conversing with a close friend--sharing whatever thought occurred as we followed our minds' connections and lost track of time. Levy's honesty about day-to-day moments within the larger narrative offers a much appreciated view into the everyday chaos of growing up as a woman, navigating relationships, and enduring trauma. I particularly appreciated the nostalgic but reasonable tone to her work, which benefits the discussion of loss and hindsight, because some things are 20/20 in hindsight, but some things still are better in the past. She shamelessly places on the page the thoughts that people think, but rarely verbalize.
I look forward to reading more of Levy's work.
Levy is an incredible writer. I whipped through this book. Despite all the hard lessons, tragedies, sadnesses, and difficulties of her story, I felt the hope in the end. I can see how this is not for everyone, but I deeply appreciated it.
A good read. I always feel voyeuristic when I read intimate details about another person's relationships, but I always feel grateful for the openness because I always learn something. And just now a read an interview with the author where she mentions she wishes she could write fiction so she, "wouldn’t have hurt people’s feelings as much." That really creates mixed feelings for me! I love reading stories that are so revealing because I learn something from them, but I, myself, would never expose those I love like that. I'm not sure what the right answer is, and this is not the only story that creates this feeling for me.
I heard about this book through a Longform episode and I had a little bit of background on her story. I remember thinking at the time (because I was going through some tough stuff) that it sounds like this was the kind of book I needed. I'm glad I finally got around to reading it because I really loved it. The writing was superb. And I thought all of her troubles were just her being the victim of outside forces, and while some were, some were also because of her. I like that she acknowledged this and it was a theme throughout the book, how she was kind of cocky and thought she could have it all (I'm not exactly saying this in the right way). Anyway, it was really great and I found it insightful. And really well-written
The modern woman's life. Her choices, and their consequences. But there is no ultimate moral of the story.
The writing is beautiful, and unyielding. In every page, an undercurrent of yearning, anger, or sadness propels the reader. I couldn't stop reading this book and had to finish it in one sitting.
The forcefulness of the writing imparts of sense of physical strength to the words. So even when the author is describing the most vulnerable, grief-stricken moments, there was still a tenor of anger, of power. Usually a cryer for even moderate dramas, I did not cry here.
The last part (part 3) was weak, which is a shame because everything was so compelling up to then.
The writing is beautiful, and unyielding. In every page, an undercurrent of yearning, anger, or sadness propels the reader. I couldn't stop reading this book and had to finish it in one sitting.
The forcefulness of the writing imparts of sense of physical strength to the words. So even when the author is describing the most vulnerable, grief-stricken moments, there was still a tenor of anger, of power. Usually a cryer for even moderate dramas, I did not cry here.
The last part (part 3) was weak, which is a shame because everything was so compelling up to then.
I couldn’t put this book down. Levy’s writing - the pace, the staccato rhythm, the words themselves - pulled me in, as did getting to the part of the story that I already knew. For much of the book I found her grating, but I appreciated her honesty and lack of excuses for who she is and how she behaved at many times.
Some people have boring, average lives with boring, average dramas. Some of those people manage to crank out an amazingly written memoir anyway. Levy is not one of those. Her story isn't compelling. Her language isn't compelling. Her selfish, oblivious self-centeredness isn't either. This is a meh book about a meh human written meh-ly.
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage