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kerrymc's review against another edition
3.0
Totally exasperating! I actually found myself getting angry reading this book because it was as if the author just couldn't help herself from being the very smartest person (writer) possible, and then doing it at the expense of the actual story. On the other hand, that a book could get me so worked up means that there must be something there as well... The word play, the rhyming, the tangents, the characters in their smart-ness and smugness were totally maddening. But there were hysterical bits in there, as well. I "think" she was meaning to be funny with the Wednesday night party scenes. The dialogue seemed very close to what my college professor friend and his wife have described to me. I wanted to slap all of them except perhaps Emmie and Noel(le). The quote below summed up to me what seemed to be the author's style and intent. I think she achieved her idea of a great book, but not mine.
"I had also learned in literature - perhaps as in life - one had to speak not of what the author intended but of what a story intended for itself....But the creation itself had a personality and hopes and its own desires and plans and little winks and dance steps and collaged intent"
I give it a 5 for creative writing and a 1 for a totally meaningless story and characters I cared nothing about at best and found totally annoying at worst. A 3 seems like it is neutral when in fact I hated and loved it at the same time.
"I had also learned in literature - perhaps as in life - one had to speak not of what the author intended but of what a story intended for itself....But the creation itself had a personality and hopes and its own desires and plans and little winks and dance steps and collaged intent"
I give it a 5 for creative writing and a 1 for a totally meaningless story and characters I cared nothing about at best and found totally annoying at worst. A 3 seems like it is neutral when in fact I hated and loved it at the same time.
readsewknit's review against another edition
3.0
This was a book club selection that led to much discussion.
It was published in 2009 and deals with 9/11, racism, and war. It's beautifully written but several of us struggled with the wide range of plot lines going on and how much meandering Tassie did, although an argument could be made that Tassie's behavior is true to form for someone at her stage of life.
I jumped between the ebook and the audiobook to finish in time.
It was published in 2009 and deals with 9/11, racism, and war. It's beautifully written but several of us struggled with the wide range of plot lines going on and how much meandering Tassie did, although an argument could be made that Tassie's behavior is true to form for someone at her stage of life.
I jumped between the ebook and the audiobook to finish in time.
zsazsa_huppert's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
lindsayharmon's review against another edition
2.0
2.5. I love her short stories, but this was just lost on me.
superlegitjoy's review against another edition
4.0
As usual for Lorrie Moore, this was a well written book. The “Wednesday night” sessions grew long and tedious in bits. But everything else in this book was charming to read— clever, critical, mindless all mixed together. And one of my favorite ending lines ever.
spaffrackett's review against another edition
3.0
Read this less attentively than it deserves. Moments of anxiety and terror will stay with me.
katdid's review against another edition
4.0
On a technical level this is probably a five star book, in that Moore is crazy talented. There were many things I liked about it but at the same time I couldn’t entirely connect with it. It was unsatisfying, in the way that real life can be unsatisfying. Weirdly though for me the ending was a knockout! and I don’t even know why, because it shouldn’t have been. I have the feeling that this book will probably stay with me for a while.