Scan barcode
vanessa1982's review against another edition
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Addiction, Violence, Alcohol, and Torture
am__flynn's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I really like Marian Keyes, but found this book very hard going for a number of reasons:
1. The writing style used for Lola's character. Was it meant to be diary style? Because if so, it didn't work. Inner narration? Didn't work. It made my eyes burn.
2. The transphobia, Jesus Christ the transphobia. Although none of the characters are actually transgender, the wilful use of a shortened term was unnecessary and gross. Yes. It was written 14 years ago, but STILL.
3. The casual racism
4. The fact that some of these characters felt like caricatures at times. The way they justified bad behaviour - either their own, or others - often lacked credibility. Lola, in particular - she might have been head over heels about Paddy but no grown adult thinks like she did.
Overall the book got compelling enough towards the end but it was a bit of a slog.
1. The writing style used for Lola's character. Was it meant to be diary style? Because if so, it didn't work. Inner narration? Didn't work. It made my eyes burn.
2. The transphobia, Jesus Christ the transphobia. Although none of the characters are actually transgender, the wilful use of a shortened term was unnecessary and gross. Yes. It was written 14 years ago, but STILL.
3. The casual racism
4. The fact that some of these characters felt like caricatures at times. The way they justified bad behaviour - either their own, or others - often lacked credibility. Lola, in particular - she might have been head over heels about Paddy but no grown adult thinks like she did.
Overall the book got compelling enough towards the end but it was a bit of a slog.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Rape
Moderate: Transphobia
emilayday's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I can't believe this is the same book I read 14 years ago and always randomly thought about and then I wasn't sure if it was two plot lines from the same book or two different books but I knew the cover art looked familiar when I saw this at the free library and then kept staring at it on my bookshelf. Anyway, it was great to reread the whole party about the alcoholic plotline again as someone who was then actively drinking vs now in recovery and I think Keyes really captured that storyline well.
Not that it's all a downer! There's some funny parts as well as Irish humor (US reader) and there's levity and even though it's a lot of pages, it's a face paced read.
I will say, it's also a different landscape now than it was then when the book first came out, as such you really have to be able to take a lot of insensitivity with a grain of salt to get at the bigger picture. Definitely racism and trans/queer phobia but then maybe that's the point of that character because it was mostly through Lola's lens on those incidences hmm. Still though.
Not that it's all a downer! There's some funny parts as well as Irish humor (US reader) and there's levity and even though it's a lot of pages, it's a face paced read.
I will say, it's also a different landscape now than it was then when the book first came out, as such you really have to be able to take a lot of insensitivity with a grain of salt to get at the bigger picture. Definitely racism and trans/queer phobia but then maybe that's the point of that character because it was mostly through Lola's lens on those incidences hmm. Still though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Rape, Violence, Domestic abuse, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Transphobia and Abortion
Minor: Islamophobia
More...