Reviews

How Should a Person Be? by Sheila Heti

pingu23's review against another edition

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reflective

2.75

fusskins's review against another edition

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4.0

Brilliant and beautiful! Heti has such an incredibly, self-aware voice that this book is at times painful to read. She examines her own insecurity and narcissism so bravely. She is inspiring. A must read.

thrilled's review against another edition

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2.0

this didn't add much beauty to my life, but i do agree that girls should never betray their friends by buying the same dress

annabhatt's review against another edition

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4.0

this was a casi cobb recommendation so it was hard to separate my feelings for it from casi cobb. that being said, i think even if it wasn't recommended to me by casi, i would've thought of her anyway because of the writing style.

anyway. i did enjoy this book. i don't think it impacted me in a huge way one way or another, but it was an easy read and once i committed to it i sped through it. i enjoyed the way it was written (i love a list!! and this book had no shortage of lists) and the way in which plot sort of snuck up on you. i always enjoy anything written about female friendship, especially when it is complex and issues are silly issues are worked through.

overall: solid! a good time. not super memorable. probs 3.5/5

kaymarieplz's review against another edition

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1.0

the only reason i even finished this book was because i wanted to make sure i didnt miss anything in order to have a full list of everything i hated about this book and to list them during bookclub. then i realized the list is too long so i will just say jesus christ i am so glad this effing dribble is over with...and can i have my $10 back?

amycrea's review against another edition

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2.0

Spoiler alert:

If your protagonist comes to a major life realization while sticking her nose in a guy's hairy ass, I'm probably not your target audience.

dianametzger's review against another edition

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4.0

This book floored me in a lot of ways: clever, insightful writing and really bold ideas. This is the best quasi-memoir, more so millennial philosophy and psych book that I've read in quite some time. Asks all the right questions and doesn't promise answers, but gives a lot to think about it the end. Truly about a woman in her late twenties looking at the people around her, trying to learn from them exactly how a person should be--in their own lives and in the eyes of those around them. No wonder Heti is interviews editor at The Believer; what a perfect fit.

the_pershina's review against another edition

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emotional reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

quietdomino's review against another edition

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after endlessly going back and forth on this, i've decided that the fact that i can't decide whether this book is genuinely admirable or horribly admirable means that the book is good. Thought-provoking it is definitely. Encouraging as a discourse on the bounds of female creative ambition, possibly not.

houndsofstars's review against another edition

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this was so bizarre and a bit outdated so idk if it was for me