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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’m surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I understand how many compare this to “Catcher in the Rye” and compare the author to Truman Capote. I see some comparisons to “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” too. The writing of this book captivated me. I wanted to underline so many sentences and the powerful truth behind them was easy to connect with. This book took me back to my time in Rome. I know people like this and it feels very European to us, Americans. And while I don’t find the characters lovable and don’t understand how people can live their lives in this way, I enjoyed this. It’s a quick read with an honest tone filled with flawed characters.
dark
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
sad
slow-paced
I was at the end of my tether.
rip Arianna you would’ve loved Lana Del Rey
rip Arianna you would’ve loved Lana Del Rey
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I hate giving classic novels less than 4 stars, but here we are. I think this was the right book at the wrong time for me. It would have been great to read over a day or two poolside on vacation, but it was not to be. Reading it chapter-by-chapter in the evening spread over a week made it seem slow and unnecessarily drawn out.
It's also pretty melancholy. My daughter described it as "the perfect summer depression novel", but I'm at a point in my life where I'm really content with my family, relationships, life in general, so it wasn't something that resonated with me. I'm sure if I had been an angsty twenty-something when I discovered it, I would have loved it. Perhaps I'm too much of an optimist to enjoy this story? Still, I recommend reading it if only for a glimpse into Italian culture.
It's also pretty melancholy. My daughter described it as "the perfect summer depression novel", but I'm at a point in my life where I'm really content with my family, relationships, life in general, so it wasn't something that resonated with me. I'm sure if I had been an angsty twenty-something when I discovered it, I would have loved it. Perhaps I'm too much of an optimist to enjoy this story? Still, I recommend reading it if only for a glimpse into Italian culture.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I imagine Sally Rooney read this before writing Normal People. Two people meant to be together, that won't say it, making every choice that will keep them apart. And are shocked when they aren't happy apart.
I liked it a lot in the beginning. The protagonist roamed the city of Rome and had a chill life. It made me romanticize my week (the week between jobs).
But then it became a story of women falling for him and his apathy and rejection et cetera. It started stinking (subtly) of self-centeredness, where women are living decorations that serves to romanticize his uniqueness and plight.
His play idea also sounded terrible. Not sure if that's intentional, but doubt it.
But then it became a story of women falling for him and his apathy and rejection et cetera. It started stinking (subtly) of self-centeredness, where women are living decorations that serves to romanticize his uniqueness and plight.
His play idea also sounded terrible. Not sure if that's intentional, but doubt it.
I liked the vibe, but was confused on the plot and characters for most of the book. It would be better on a reread.
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes