Scan barcode
minty's review against another edition
1.0
The premise here is good--someone who studies animal language, and believes firmly in the ability of animals to speak, struggles to communicate with her husband in a real way--but it is hardly borne out in any satisfying way. It's also told from the husband's perspective, and the wife never feels like a real character, somehow. I would say this seemed written by a man, but it wasn't.
internationalkris's review against another edition
3.0
A darkly funny and very true study of the rivalries between married couples. The setting in academia adds a layer of intrigue as does the implications of animal research that are brought up in Prue's speech.
daniellepriebe's review
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
hollyshackzalez's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
autumnhab's review
challenging
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Wasn’t very impressed
3thingsaboutthisbook's review against another edition
4.0
📕Syntax does not mean language and language does not mean communication. You can our letters together to create words and assign meaning to them, but if you can’t put those meaningful words together to convey your messages to another who could decipher them the same way, what’s the point of language or syntax
-
📗Prue and Ivan are two clueless birds who try to communicate with animals and knowledge itself, while failing to communicate with each other. They are these idealistic, hopeful souls who answer nature and mind’s biggest questions while they can’t answer their own tiny questions
-
📘’ ”I used to think....,” I trail off. “I used to think life would go like this: you get bashed around a bit, f*ck up, lose people, and in the process figure out what really matters. But now...” “it’s more like figuring out that your life was never even about you, to begin with. You are not the hero. You’re just someone in the cast” ‘
-
📗Prue and Ivan are two clueless birds who try to communicate with animals and knowledge itself, while failing to communicate with each other. They are these idealistic, hopeful souls who answer nature and mind’s biggest questions while they can’t answer their own tiny questions
-
📘’ ”I used to think....,” I trail off. “I used to think life would go like this: you get bashed around a bit, f*ck up, lose people, and in the process figure out what really matters. But now...” “it’s more like figuring out that your life was never even about you, to begin with. You are not the hero. You’re just someone in the cast” ‘
samnopal's review against another edition
3.0
Honestly have no idea what I think about this book. The ending largely saved it for me but I can't agree with my self on the big finale.
The Protagonists are vapid and disconnected from reality. The eventual denouement is largely dismissed by the world around him because he's "typically reserved and calm" so it's out of character for him to proposition a coworker, aggressively kiss a teaching assistant, and jealously punch out a gay writer? No. But at the same time I like that the world is messy and complicated and it was captured in people's reactions. He wasn't (maybe) completely nonredeemable.
The Protagonists are vapid and disconnected from reality. The eventual denouement is largely dismissed by the world around him because he's "typically reserved and calm" so it's out of character for him to proposition a coworker, aggressively kiss a teaching assistant, and jealously punch out a gay writer? No. But at the same time I like that the world is messy and complicated and it was captured in people's reactions. He wasn't (maybe) completely nonredeemable.
cally_reads's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
carocaro69's review
academia is almost as insufferable as the voice of this narrator