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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
I was excited to receive this ARC from Bookish First and it did not disappoint! The parallels to Eleanor Oliphant are certainly noticeable, and overall I enjoyed this one. Not quite as much as Eleanor Oliphant, but still an enjoyable, quirky read. I’d also call this a fast read as I read the last 38% in a single sitting because I just had to know how the book ended. Let’s just say the ending read more like a thriller than I would have anticipated. As a thriller lover I certainly won’t complain, and the twist at the end caught me by surprise.
My main complaint is Ava seemed to give up her rigid, tedious ways with such ease at the beginning. As someone so set in her ways, I expected more of a fight from her when Mat comes to Städa. To then do a 180 and revert back when Mat is transferred just seems bizarre and unbelievable. I would have expected a slow character growth over the course of the book but Ava started strong, fell apart, and then finally came into her own. The final chapter left me with a smile on my face as she headed to Underdogs.
All that aside, I thought the book was well written and very witty. I could certainly relate to Ava and found myself chuckling throughout the book. She was lucky to have a friend like Jamie and I’m so glad he didn’t give up on her! While I was annoyed at him before the truth about Mat was revealed, by the end I was wishing he were real.
Finally, to top it all off, can you really go wrong with a book that has a rescue dog? The answer is no, you cannot. I’m glad Brutus was a part of the story and he made it that much more enjoyable.
My main complaint is Ava seemed to give up her rigid, tedious ways with such ease at the beginning. As someone so set in her ways, I expected more of a fight from her when Mat comes to Städa. To then do a 180 and revert back when Mat is transferred just seems bizarre and unbelievable. I would have expected a slow character growth over the course of the book but Ava started strong, fell apart, and then finally came into her own. The final chapter left me with a smile on my face as she headed to Underdogs.
All that aside, I thought the book was well written and very witty. I could certainly relate to Ava and found myself chuckling throughout the book. She was lucky to have a friend like Jamie and I’m so glad he didn’t give up on her! While I was annoyed at him before the truth about Mat was revealed, by the end I was wishing he were real.
Finally, to top it all off, can you really go wrong with a book that has a rescue dog? The answer is no, you cannot. I’m glad Brutus was a part of the story and he made it that much more enjoyable.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this book was really fun to read without reading anything about the plot beforehand, including even the quick summary. I got to experience all the twists and turns *with* Ava.
This book was quirky, touching, and funny, with an underlying thriller-light plot line. Sure, I predicted the twists, but there was still plenty to surprise me, and a satisfying ending. Queer and neurodivergent characters added a fresh flair that was deftly handled. And the office parody aspects were just right. A delightful read.
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Goofy and sinister. A fun skewering of male privilege, corporate cultishness, and millennial consumerism full of therapy apps, subscription toothbrushes, podcasts, and affordable scandinavian-inspired furniture cleverly ripped off their real-world counterparts. I read it knowing very little about the plot which I would recommend. The arc of the prickly, practical, precise main character was enjoyable and also infuriating. I think maybe the ending scenes leaned a little bit too unhinged and cartoon-y, but I had tons of fun with this book and devoured it in one sitting which helped bring me out of a reading slump, so I feel very fondly towards it.
This is a Very Nice Book that plays nicely on the fetishization of Basic Fine Objects in a culture that must ever reinvent the Useful Toothbrush to capture the imagination of the Malleable Consumer. I do feel that this aspect of the Very Nice Book became somewhat tiresome and intrusive after a while and not every Essential Daily Object needed naming. I did care about our Sensitive Damaged Protagonist with her Clearly Narcissistic Boyfriend, but didn't buy the Unforeseen Plot Twist towards the end. All in all, a Fairly Compelling Read and an Amusing Solution to Protagonist's Very Big Problem.
Something a bit different, modern work, modern relationships.
I really don't know how I feel about this book. It was just sort of strange. I was captivated by the story, Ava was an interesting protagonist but at times, her journey felt a little much. Her relationships, both past and present, were the driving point in the book and they were certainly something. Some of the other characters and subplots were a little unnecessary and I wanted a more clear ending. Where did that final box ever end up??
I feel like The Very Nice Box never makes me want to trust anyone again. So take that for what it is.
I feel like The Very Nice Box never makes me want to trust anyone again. So take that for what it is.