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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
Couldn't have found more cheese at the cheesemonger's. Not that that's bad, necessarily — I enjoy a light-hearted, low-stakes read every once in a while. But at some point it's a bit anticlimactic for everything Albert tries in 2019 to work. There was enough conflict in 1970 to ensure the book was not a total case of marshmallow fluff, and I understand that sometimes people just want a queer story that doesn't deal with hardship, but I would've taken a bit more resistance for Albert. I was also a bit bothered by how self-aware and wise he became. Character development is real but Albert was almost too good at it. But his story was wholesome and felt like a fuzzy blanket with a cup of tea, and it was lovely to see it all work out in the end.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Teetering between three stars and three-point-five stars for this novel. While I did find this to be an enjoyable story with lovable characters, I also felt like it wasn't very deep of a novel; quite superficial in how it treats its secondary characters who are interacting with the newly out Albert. There aren't really any problems that Albert faces, the main quest here is Albert trying to reconnect with his lost love, George, from his teen years. It's heartwarming in the sense that nothing bad after Albert losing his only friend in the first 50 pages but I also find that to be a hindrance; this makes the story a bit less interesting because once you realize that nothing is going wrong, you can just assume that everything will work out for Albert and his 19-year-old friend Nicole. Because of this, I can't say that I feel strongly positive about this, other than being happy for this 60+ year old man, that he doesn't have to suffer. A nice read but not a great one.
I love you a little bit more than yesterday and a little bit less than tomorrow.
I love you a little bit more than yesterday and a little bit less than tomorrow.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was a sweet, uplifting story with a kind heart, though it can feel a bit too on the nose. At times, the historical context read more like a lesson than part of the narrative — interesting, but occasionally out of place. The plot also ties up a little too neatly for everyone, which, while pleasant, makes it feel less realistic, and I found myself having a hard time picking it back up at times.
Albert’s journey is still a lovely one to follow, especially his tender memories of George and the warm new connections he builds along the way. It’s a feel-good read with a satisfying arc of self-discovery, best enjoyed when you’re in the mood for something heartwarming and tidy. And a great book club pick!
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was lovely. The characters and their journeys were so nice to spend time with and I felt this read was cozy and heartwarming. At times the events seemed a little too idealistic, but for a work of fiction I enjoyed the warm hug of a tale
I didn't particularly like the way it was written primarily and just didn't find it interesting. I also felt like I could see the trajectory the story was going to take neatly laid out and didn't particularly feel like reading that when I felt like I already knew what was going to happen