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ula_j's review against another edition
3.0
Like the book description says, this is about a guy who is unemployed, about to lose his house, and he thinks his wife is cheating on him. I loved the first half of this book (maybe the first 1/3 of the book) but then it got a little crazy towards the end. And i'll put this under a spoiler but he ends up trying to get in the weed dealing business (much like the show Weeds) with ideas to sell it to middle/upper class white folks. He doesn't get anywhere near as far Nancy did in Agrestic because he's an idiot but he tries.
What I do love about this book is that Walter really does great job of writing about the recession. It's a funny and sad chronicle of the times.
What I do love about this book is that Walter really does great job of writing about the recession. It's a funny and sad chronicle of the times.
lisanussd's review against another edition
2.0
Just too irreverent without enough wit. Loved Beautiful Ruins
lorayne's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book! Jess Walter has quite the knack of writing a story in which you should be so angry with the main character, but because of the wit and sarcasm of the protagonist, you are laughing out loud most of the time instead. The book is about Matthew Prior, a news reporter who has been laid off. He is on a downward spiral heading toward losing everything in his life--house and wife included. This story is very current, focusing on the mortgage crisis, as well as the death of the newspaper. It wasn't till the end of the book where I finally became so irritated with all of Matthew's choices that I wasn't laughing as much. Overall, the story showed that there's light at the end of any tunnel so long as we choose to better ourselves, even if it's after a number of failures that don't seem repairable.
cpalisa's review against another edition
4.0
Solid 4 stars. I'm normally not much of a fan of lyrical writing but this one really hooked me. I listened to it on audio and it was read by the author - which I normally don't like - but he knew exactly how to read this to emphasize what he wanted. I may not have loved it as much had a read the physical book, though I plan on buying this one as a keeper. Great writing, bittersweet at times and laugh out loud funny at times.
mrsfligs's review against another edition
4.0
Reason #269 why you should try authors you’ve never heard of: you might miss out on a book like this one! About six pages in, I knew I was going to LOVE this book. The sense of humor (smart yet sophomoric, sarcastic yet self-depreciating) is what roped me in, and despite the bleak prospects faced by our “hero” Matt Prior (crumbling marriage, unemployment, impending foreclosure, demented dad), I found myself giggling to myself on almost every page. This is laugh-out-loud recession novel that reminded me (in the best possible way) of Jonathan Tropper, who is also a master at mixing humor and tragedy while keeping things real. This was a delight of a book that hit the sweet spot of what I look for in contemporary fiction. I’m so glad to get to know you, Jess Walter! I look forward to reading what else you’ve written… if it is half as good as this book, I know I’ll love it!
samusiamus's review against another edition
5.0
Middle-aged poet with ill-timed sense of humour attempts to drag his family out of possible homelessness after quitting his job to start a business where he dispenses financial advice through poetry... it's hilarious and heart-warming. Loved it :) It was a nice travel companion during my trip to Europe and broke up the annoyances of airplane and train commuting very nicely. The rabbit-hole that our protagonist, Matt Prior, finds himself falling into is rather strange but his follies and successes are amusing. And all because of a late night milk run to 7-11.
I bought this book and Beautiful Ruins without realizing they were by the same author. I was just really drawn to the title of this one, and the story of the other. It wasn't until I had bought them and put them next to each other on my shelf that I noticed they were both Jess Walter.
I bought this book and Beautiful Ruins without realizing they were by the same author. I was just really drawn to the title of this one, and the story of the other. It wasn't until I had bought them and put them next to each other on my shelf that I noticed they were both Jess Walter.
tonythep's review against another edition
3.0
I'm only giving this three stars simply because I completely forgot about it. I hadn't updated my goodreads in about four months until yesterday, and there was a big gap in April where apparently I hadn't read anything. Oops. I read this. I enjoyed it too. It's funny and quirky and cynical and hopeful. Just not that memorable. I would still idolize Jess Walter if he hadn't written anything other than The Zero. And there's always high expectations when the first thing you read by an author completely blows you away. Oh well, I'm still looking forward to his new book...
carolinereader's review against another edition
2.0
The actual writing is good, but the plot is not great. There are peeks of a wonderful story marred by a lot of stuff that's both unbelievable and superfluous. It gives a somewhat accurate look at a small window of time in recent American history, but then takes advantage of the nostalgia or forgiving nature of the reader. I would be interested to discuss this book with others but wouldn't go as far as to recommend it.
morag's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
When you hear people complain about how all adult fiction is just insufferable middle aged guys in shitty marriages, this is the book they're talking about. Granted, he's being cheated on, not doing the cheating, but it doesn't matter. Incredibly annoying. Don't bother.
lorimichelekelley's review against another edition
4.0
Audible edition: This is a story about a middle-aged couple who hit bottom financially, and the stupid decisions they make to try to recover, and then how it all falls apart. But while that sounds boring, it is anything but. The narration by the main character Matt is fast and witty, kind of like a hyperactive kid all giddy about his topic. The poetry is corny, but sort of endearing because you're rooting for the guy but at the same time shaking your head at how effed up his reasoning is. And that's another thing that makes this such a good story - it gently shows how tiny stupid decisions can lead to big fallout, but at the same time, that sometimes the fallout isn't such a bad deal after all. It just helps to put things into proper perspective, if only for a time...