Scan barcode
baraya's review against another edition
emotional
tense
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? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Infertility, Death, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship
chatongriffes's review
Had some themes that hit a little too close to home. I should have checked the trigger warnings before starting. Lovely writing though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Car accident, and Death
jhbandcats's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I love this book. First of all, I love the cover of the four flowers, one still a bud. I love the ease and the detail of the writing. I love the in-depth characterization. I love the complex plot. I love how Korelitz gradually, gradually reveals the depth of her characters.
This is a complicated multi-generational story of a deeply flawed family, with almost all the members miserable and hating one another. For the author to be able to take such frequently unpleasant characters and make the reader care about them is quite the talent. She skewers the ultra rich yet is able to show even the annoying and unpleasant characters with sympathy. Lots to learn here about modern art, too.
I’d read The Plot, a convoluted mystery, and as I kept reading this, I kept wondering when the mystery was going to start. (I assumed Korelitz wrote only mysteries.) It was only when I was 2/3 through the book that I realized the whole thing was a mystery, the mystery of people growing up, no matter their age, interacting with one another, and coming to accept themselves.
This is a complicated multi-generational story of a deeply flawed family, with almost all the members miserable and hating one another. For the author to be able to take such frequently unpleasant characters and make the reader care about them is quite the talent. She skewers the ultra rich yet is able to show even the annoying and unpleasant characters with sympathy. Lots to learn here about modern art, too.
I’d read The Plot, a convoluted mystery, and as I kept reading this, I kept wondering when the mystery was going to start. (I assumed Korelitz wrote only mysteries.) It was only when I was 2/3 through the book that I realized the whole thing was a mystery, the mystery of people growing up, no matter their age, interacting with one another, and coming to accept themselves.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Car accident, Classism, Grief, Infertility, Outing, Racism, Mental illness, and Antisemitism
elizapease's review
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Took a while for me to get into this book, but I’m glad I did. A perspective on family life I have not ever seen or read before, with an entire cast of complex, problematic, and at times fully unlikeable/hateable characters. Despite occasionally despising the characters, I still found myself rooting for them and their success as a family. It was a really funny read, and had some deeply satisfying twists and reveals. It’s an interesting glimpse into the lives of the upper-echelon, and a really intriguing character study. I would definitely recommend, especially if you come from a more “complicated” family - as some of the truths revealed by this book about how we navigate life with the family we were born into are seriously poignant. I am giving 3.75 merely out of personal preference- I tend to like books with more lovable characters. This book is undeniably wonderfully written and reflective.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Xenophobia, Classism, Death, Lesbophobia, Infertility, Misogyny, and Racism
franklola's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Car accident, Death, Infidelity, and Infertility
Moderate: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Outing
tara3117's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I was excited for this book because I loved The Plot last year and then I found out that Julia Whalen narrated the audiobook. She said in an interview that a certain plot point made her stand up in shock. That's all my favorite words!
But...
This book didn't have any of those effects on me. I get that the language used was a whole mood unto itself and I'm fine with that. But it was very formal and at times off-putting, especially when you find out that the narrator is 17 . If she was an aspiring journalist or something, that would be one thing, but she isn't and I can't figure out why this read like an essay when it wasn't.
The book is too long. None of the characters are likable, at least through the first 2/3. You can kind of feel for Johanna because she got the raw deal time and time again, but I feel like there's more she could have done. She spends most of the book in denial. I didn't like the implication that the 3 triplets didn't have a bond because they were conceived through IVF. I'm pretty sure most IVF multiples would say differently. I didn't need to hear all the recounting of how awful they were to each other in high school and college. A few stories would have been fine, but this was too much and too long. For as long as it was, it had one of the least satisfying endings. Rachelle left the island the night after her wedding? The only thing they all did together was drop Pheobe off for her weirdo college? She even wanted to go to the same school as Harrison? I call BS on the whole thing.
Here's the big part that is really bothering me. School was in session on September 11th. I get that the triplet's birthday is September 10th (which I don't think we knew until the end?) but in reality, they would have had to celebrate their birthday early because they definitely would have had class on their birthday. Maybe not Harrison, but Cornell was definitely back. You're set up to think that maybe this is Labor Day weekend and then you don't know it isn't until Salo dies. It just really bothered me that we're supposed to suspend belief about something that we all lived through. Those of us who are the triplets' age lived through it in our dorms like Sally and Lewin would have. I'm not mad that she killed him off in 9/11, just that the whole set up of it is completely wrong.
But...
This book didn't have any of those effects on me. I get that the language used was a whole mood unto itself and I'm fine with that. But it was very formal and at times off-putting, especially when you find out that the narrator is 17 . If she was an aspiring journalist or something, that would be one thing, but she isn't and I can't figure out why this read like an essay when it wasn't.
The book is too long. None of the characters are likable, at least through the first 2/3. You can kind of feel for Johanna because she got the raw deal time and time again, but I feel like there's more she could have done. She spends most of the book in denial. I didn't like the implication that the 3 triplets didn't have a bond because they were conceived through IVF. I'm pretty sure most IVF multiples would say differently. I didn't need to hear all the recounting of how awful they were to each other in high school and college. A few stories would have been fine, but this was too much and too long. For as long as it was, it had one of the least satisfying endings. Rachelle left the island the night after her wedding? The only thing they all did together was drop Pheobe off for her weirdo college? She even wanted to go to the same school as Harrison? I call BS on the whole thing.
Here's the big part that is really bothering me. School was in session on September 11th. I get that the triplet's birthday is September 10th (which I don't think we knew until the end?) but in reality, they would have had to celebrate their birthday early because they definitely would have had class on their birthday. Maybe not Harrison, but Cornell was definitely back. You're set up to think that maybe this is Labor Day weekend and then you don't know it isn't until Salo dies. It just really bothered me that we're supposed to suspend belief about something that we all lived through. Those of us who are the triplets' age lived through it in our dorms like Sally and Lewin would have. I'm not mad that she killed him off in 9/11, just that the whole set up of it is completely wrong.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infertility, Death of parent, and Infidelity
Moderate: Car accident, Miscarriage, and Outing
patricktreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Honestly, I tried to like this book. I just couldn’t get into the character changes. We start with the parents, then go to the kids, and in the kids section we jump between children. It just didn’t feel direct enough and it caused me to keep losing interest. This especially happened when the next character would start. I also didn’t realize that the narrator was the sister until probably half way through. It kept sounding like sister number one and if you didn’t pay close enough attention you would miss the cues that it was sister number two.
It also definitely needs some content warnings as it deals with many dark topics such as vehicle death, hoarding, alcoholism, indoctrination, anti semitism, neglect, and more.
It also definitely needs some content warnings as it deals with many dark topics such as vehicle death, hoarding, alcoholism, indoctrination, anti semitism, neglect, and more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Antisemitism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Sexism, Child death, and Death
kaylasbookgram's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thank you Celadon Books for the advanced copy for my honest review.
This book touched so many topics from mental health to racism to religion. I thoroughly enjoyed the story but the slow build is not for me especially in bigger books. Which is why I’m giving it a 3⭐️ for I liked it. The genres on Goodreads says this is a mystery/thriller but I didn’t get that vibe at all so I wouldn’t suggest it for someone looking for that specific genre.
This book touched so many topics from mental health to racism to religion. I thoroughly enjoyed the story but the slow build is not for me especially in bigger books. Which is why I’m giving it a 3⭐️ for I liked it. The genres on Goodreads says this is a mystery/thriller but I didn’t get that vibe at all so I wouldn’t suggest it for someone looking for that specific genre.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, Grief, Infertility, Mental illness, Outing, Pregnancy, and Racism
More...