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ljrr's review against another edition
challenging
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
mkat303's review against another edition
5.0
The fact that this is a 46 hour book, so I chose to listen to the audio version, because I hate reading on a Kindle and there was no way I was carrying a book that large. The fact that I like to listen to most long books as audiobooks, anyway, particularly if they're somewhat "experimental", such as this one. The fact that most sentence in the book start with "The fact that" and maybe it is lacking in punctuation? Or periods? The fact that I'm not sure about the punctuation, as I never saw the print version. The fact that, while I found hearing "the fact that" all the time initially annoying, it stopped bothering me as I got further along in the book. The fact that there's also a lot of word play by the author. The fact that I think a lot of reviewers didn't actually make it through the book. The fact that it's about a middle-aged mother of four in Ohio who bakes pies for a living, while she takes care of her home and worries about the state of the world, particularly since Trump has just been elected. The fact that we learn a lot about the narrator's past and present throughout the book. The fact that it's about motherhood, but you don't need to be a mother or even like children (I don't) to appreciate the book. The fact that this book is also about a brave lioness. The fact that I'm still really moved by Chapter 50 (and much, much more) and the structure of the book. The fact that I don't really like books written in odd ways, but I loved this one. The fact that, yes, it's long, and yes, a few times (but not many) I thought, "this is too long," but then I really, really didn't want it to end. The fact that I know it's silly, but I want to buy a copy to have on my shelf because I loved it so much.
mklong's review against another edition
5.0
Obviously, it would be impossible to sum up all 1000+ pages in a short review, so I won’t try. I will say that it was more than a book to me, it was an experience, an immersive one that took over my thoughts during the months that I spent savoring it. I kind of can’t believe it’s over.
alailiander's review against another edition
4.0
The fact that the first thing I did after finishing this book was stare at the words ‘The End’ for 5 stunned seconds, the fact that the second thing I did was go back to the beginning and remind myself if it started with a capital letter or with ‘the fact that…’, the fact that reading stream-of-consciousness writing is exhausting – you don’t know when to blink – when to breathe, break, I mean, the fact that I’ve never read anything like this before and I can’t imagine I’m likely to again, the fact that I’m glad I kept going though, the fact is it wasn’t easy.
Yeah, no, I’m not doing that. I know, a bit pander-y really.
... the fact that we like Julie & Julia, only we just hate the Julie bits, the fact that why couldn’t they have just made a movie about Julia Child,
Ducks, Newburyport is a pretty incredible book. The form is bonkers, the story… I didn’t see it coming, but man it went some great places and at least one place so bonkers that I actually LOL-ed. At the same time, this is a work of staggering, decimating, heartbreaking social and political truths that are heavier (for that matter, so is the book for that matter – you try holding the behemoth tomb up to read for two hours straight, go ahead, I dare ya! than I thought I could bear. About 5 times per page. For 1,000 pages. It is just so much book, literally and metaphorically. I’ve never read a book that so zealously tested my mental and emotional stamina. The dense form of the prose and the general lack of context are mentally exhausting, and the near laundry lists of terrible crimes that happen daily across the US. How do we carry on when there is so much of that and so little of the good stuff some days?
... the fact that I don’t remember much, and everything I do remember makes me sad,
I went into this one excited by the challenge (such hubris, my friends) and was pretty into it – it felt so true: the culture, most of the references (and you could easily chalk the rest up to age, upbringing, and regional variation), but then I heard the author is British. I struggled with that. What had felt like commiseration suddenly felt like judgement. And, what tiny shred of national pride or something that still flickers inside me just wanted to fight back. “Oh yeah, tell me about racism. How’s your Brexit going?” It was kneejerk, and it isn’t really how I approach fiction – it isn’t true that you can only write what you know. But, this is home and this is politics and no matter how constantly frustrated I am by America right now, it is still hard to hear it disparaged by someone without that same stake in it. [Not that it actually matters: but I did go on and read more about her specific relationship to the US and it helped me read her writing this book as coming from a personal investment in the subject matter, and that was really helpful for me in carrying on with it.]
… the fact that if we all blow ourselves to smithereens, at least Pepito has existed, and that is good, the fact that it’s just plain good he was in the world,
There are many subjects covered here, and none answered, which I suppose is truer than the alternative. And, may I just say.
I didn’t know how much it would be about motherhood, particularly the mother–daughter relationship, and I really enjoyed that journey. Especially alongside that of the lioness.
... the fact that I'd really like to be reading Persuasion right now instead of latticing pies, the fact that I never seem to get past Anne’s first reunion with Captain Wentworth lately, because Jake interrupts, the fact that all the older kids were the same, the fact that I have to hide out like Anne Frank almost, to read anything, the fact that I should have a little closet to go to, with a chair, a lamp, and a lock on the door, the fact that I guess it’s called a bathroom,
My one complaint – and I will die on this hill – is this: It is just so completely implausibly impossible that this woman has 4 four youngish children and never once had a recent animated Disney movie song lyric pass through her brain. No. I imagine that Ellman and Galley Beggar just didn’t want to pay a crapola ton of money to Disney, and yeah, I get that – but this is just so unbelievable that it actually pains me.
Yeah, no, I’m not doing that. I know, a bit pander-y really.
... the fact that we like Julie & Julia, only we just hate the Julie bits, the fact that why couldn’t they have just made a movie about Julia Child,
Ducks, Newburyport is a pretty incredible book. The form is bonkers, the story… I didn’t see it coming, but man it went some great places and at least one place so bonkers that I actually LOL-ed. At the same time, this is a work of staggering, decimating, heartbreaking social and political truths that are heavier (for that matter, so is the book for that matter – you try holding the behemoth tomb up to read for two hours straight, go ahead, I dare ya! than I thought I could bear. About 5 times per page. For 1,000 pages. It is just so much book, literally and metaphorically. I’ve never read a book that so zealously tested my mental and emotional stamina. The dense form of the prose and the general lack of context are mentally exhausting, and the near laundry lists of terrible crimes that happen daily across the US. How do we carry on when there is so much of that and so little of the good stuff some days?
... the fact that I don’t remember much, and everything I do remember makes me sad,
I went into this one excited by the challenge (such hubris, my friends) and was pretty into it – it felt so true: the culture, most of the references (and you could easily chalk the rest up to age, upbringing, and regional variation), but then I heard the author is British. I struggled with that. What had felt like commiseration suddenly felt like judgement. And, what tiny shred of national pride or something that still flickers inside me just wanted to fight back. “Oh yeah, tell me about racism. How’s your Brexit going?” It was kneejerk, and it isn’t really how I approach fiction – it isn’t true that you can only write what you know. But, this is home and this is politics and no matter how constantly frustrated I am by America right now, it is still hard to hear it disparaged by someone without that same stake in it. [Not that it actually matters: but I did go on and read more about her specific relationship to the US and it helped me read her writing this book as coming from a personal investment in the subject matter, and that was really helpful for me in carrying on with it.]
… the fact that if we all blow ourselves to smithereens, at least Pepito has existed, and that is good, the fact that it’s just plain good he was in the world,
There are many subjects covered here, and none answered, which I suppose is truer than the alternative. And, may I just say
Spoiler
Lucy Ellmann, when you took those cubs away from the lioness I didn’t think I’d ever be able to forgive you because those interjections were the only relief from anything in this book, and I really wanted to give up on it then. It was all too much. But, now, I take it back, and thank you for that whole storyline. It was so worth it. Every minute. Even the awful onesI didn’t know how much it would be about motherhood, particularly the mother–daughter relationship, and I really enjoyed that journey. Especially alongside that of the lioness.
... the fact that I'd really like to be reading Persuasion right now instead of latticing pies, the fact that I never seem to get past Anne’s first reunion with Captain Wentworth lately, because Jake interrupts, the fact that all the older kids were the same, the fact that I have to hide out like Anne Frank almost, to read anything, the fact that I should have a little closet to go to, with a chair, a lamp, and a lock on the door, the fact that I guess it’s called a bathroom,
My one complaint – and I will die on this hill – is this: It is just so completely implausibly impossible that this woman has 4 four youngish children and never once had a recent animated Disney movie song lyric pass through her brain. No. I imagine that Ellman and Galley Beggar just didn’t want to pay a crapola ton of money to Disney, and yeah, I get that – but this is just so unbelievable that it actually pains me.
mybestfriendisabook's review against another edition
If I had a greater capacity and patience, I could digest a couple pages per day but it’s too much for me :/
tianav's review against another edition
4.0
Ohhhhh my god this book is so long and so dense and so difficult to read but the story is actually quite entertaining and endearing. I’m glad I read this book but I would only recommend to those who are prepared to tackle it.
plathfanclub's review against another edition
5.0
What a book! I've honestly not read anything like it. It was really hard to keep going at times - the book is almost entirely made up of one single sentence, tracing the train of thought of a stay at home mum in Ohio, but there was also something weirdly compelling about it. The threads started to come together towards the end and, while I wouldn't say there is a traditional plotline, things do happen.
Ann Powers once described Lana Del Rey as living in 'America's messy subconscious', and it's what came to mind while I read this book. The narrator's thoughts span pretty much everything: mundane tasks at home, baking, humorous observations, word play, past trauma, grief ('Mommy'), loneliness, illness, sex, gun crime, environmental destruction, male violence....it's fascinating from a social/historical lens as well as a literary perspective, and by the end I was hooked.
The narrator is really likeable - I will genuinely miss living inside her head. I would definitely also buy a recipe book if she released one! There are passages about a lioness and her cubs woven into the stream of consciousness narrative; I wasn't sure about them at first, but they made sense eventually.
I'm not sure I'd rush to read it again because of the size and difficulty, but I also know that re-reading it would be so rewarding, especially now I know what happens. Maybe in a few years!
Ann Powers once described Lana Del Rey as living in 'America's messy subconscious', and it's what came to mind while I read this book. The narrator's thoughts span pretty much everything: mundane tasks at home, baking, humorous observations, word play, past trauma, grief ('Mommy'), loneliness, illness, sex, gun crime, environmental destruction, male violence....it's fascinating from a social/historical lens as well as a literary perspective, and by the end I was hooked.
The narrator is really likeable - I will genuinely miss living inside her head. I would definitely also buy a recipe book if she released one! There are passages about a lioness and her cubs woven into the stream of consciousness narrative; I wasn't sure about them at first, but they made sense eventually.
I'm not sure I'd rush to read it again because of the size and difficulty, but I also know that re-reading it would be so rewarding, especially now I know what happens. Maybe in a few years!
violetisreading's review against another edition
3.0
Loved the ideas and themes explored in this book and the perspective it took on critiquing contemporary America. However, I feel like everything could have been said in half the number of pages. I found myself relieved that I had finally gotten to the end rather than being sad it was over - and that says something in itself... Some of Ellmann’s qualms and critiques are so repeated that it seemed to trivialise a potentially potent point she could have been making. Nonetheless I’ve never read a book like it so hats off to her for the originality.
flingornas_herre's review against another edition
5.0
Helt klart årets läs. Kanske också topp tre av läs i livet???
lizzie_r's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
An absolute gem for the people who can stick with Ellman's disregard for formal punctuation. She only uses the comma, preferring to follow the rhythms of her protagonist's inner monologue. Across memories, the mundane, and the metaphysical, she is able to fashion a sense of deep human understanding.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer and Grief