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itschelseaw's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Mid-way through Oh William! I hated William. He is very unaware of himself and the impact of his actions on others. I found myself annoyed with Lucy constantly saying she left him, as if her leaving wasn't proceeded by him cheating on her multiple times. I did find myself saying "Oh William!" out loud a couple of times, which ended up delighting me!
Lucy was by far the more interesting character to me, and as the narrator we got a lot more insight into her life and her motivations, especially those surrounding her children and ex-husband. Again, I take umbrage with her constantly saying she left him, as if they had had an agreement that William could cheat (I don't believe they did), and therefore Lucy was in the wrong to no longer accept that. However, she's my mom's generation, so I cannot say whether my mom would've reacted the same way had my dad cheated while he was still alive.
Lucy's insights into herself and revelations about her own life were what kept me going with this story, and ultimately what made me like it. Not quite 4 stars, because her seeing William for the reality that he's... just a man... didn't come until the last 10 minutes of the book. But! It was a satisfying 10 minutes to hear her go through the process of taking down the pedestal she had William on. She showed him grace time and again, and he seemed to not know how to extend that same grace back to her.
The second to last line of the book was particularly beautiful, to the point that I wrote it down. "We are all mythologies - mysterious. We are all mysteries, is what I mean." I think that ended up summing up the book quite well, in a beautiful way. They, Lucy and William, told stories about both themselves and each other, and the other people in their lives. To see their story about William's mom unravel was so interesting, and the impact that had on both of them was also fascinating. William turned back into a child it seemed; even more petulant than when they had started the trip. Lucy, however, seemed to use it as a catalyst to look at the other mythologies she had crafted in her own life, ultimately ending with seeing her mythology she created around William for what it was: a mythology.
Lucy was by far the more interesting character to me, and as the narrator we got a lot more insight into her life and her motivations, especially those surrounding her children and ex-husband. Again, I take umbrage with her constantly saying she left him, as if they had had an agreement that William could cheat (I don't believe they did), and therefore Lucy was in the wrong to no longer accept that. However, she's my mom's generation, so I cannot say whether my mom would've reacted the same way had my dad cheated while he was still alive.
Lucy's insights into herself and revelations about her own life were what kept me going with this story, and ultimately what made me like it. Not quite 4 stars, because her seeing William for the reality that he's... just a man... didn't come until the last 10 minutes of the book. But! It was a satisfying 10 minutes to hear her go through the process of taking down the pedestal she had William on. She showed him grace time and again, and he seemed to not know how to extend that same grace back to her.
The second to last line of the book was particularly beautiful, to the point that I wrote it down. "We are all mythologies - mysterious. We are all mysteries, is what I mean." I think that ended up summing up the book quite well, in a beautiful way. They, Lucy and William, told stories about both themselves and each other, and the other people in their lives. To see their story about William's mom unravel was so interesting, and the impact that had on both of them was also fascinating. William turned back into a child it seemed; even more petulant than when they had started the trip. Lucy, however, seemed to use it as a catalyst to look at the other mythologies she had crafted in her own life, ultimately ending with seeing her mythology she created around William for what it was: a mythology.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Sexual assault
ukponge's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Infidelity, and Infertility
lrystarr's review
emotional
reflective
sad
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Abandonment
feebles640's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Grief, Abandonment, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Death of parent, Eating disorder, Miscarriage, War, and Death
Minor: Child abuse and Fatphobia
jessiemurphy's review
emotional
funny
reflective
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse
molly_hn's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I read this book in a day. My mother told me I would and I adamantly refused to believe her. But I did! This novel is a gorgeous reflection on ageing, on marriage and divorce, on mother-daughter relationships, on trauma, on inter generational trauma and overcoming it, on why we are drawn to the people we are drawn to, male ego development and the loss of thrust, introspection… it’s simply gorgeous. If you have ever been witness to complicated parental relationships, this book will speak to your soul. The realism is perfect and the grit is intentionally held back due to the first-person narration. The author holds what we might hold if we were speaking, she allows memory to lead and the prose is written in a stream of consciousness form, with rambles, with uncertainty and with lots of trailing edges. This may be annoying to some but I found myself craving Lucy’s voice far after finishing. It cements the character’s voice into your mind. I have not read any of the other novels in the series. I adored this book.
Content Warnings
Minor: Eating disorder and Child abuse
hkburke2's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Add usual, a reflective, challenging, thought provoking book from Stout. Her writing style feels so evocative of the character so she really shows by the way she tells, I guess? Very quick read, slowly paced.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Death of parent, and Miscarriage
Minor: Ableism
quinn_kc's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Child abuse
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