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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
2.5 maybe?
I understand what Pitoniak was trying to do- write about the fears and worries many people have as they graduate college. How two best friends can grow apart. How a couple that has dated for years become too different to stay together.
For me, it just fell kind of flat. Evan and Julia were so self-centered and snobbish that I couldn't relate to most of it. I wasn't necessarily rooting against them but I was never really "in their corner", so to speak.
My favorite part was the last couple chapters...
I understand what Pitoniak was trying to do- write about the fears and worries many people have as they graduate college. How two best friends can grow apart. How a couple that has dated for years become too different to stay together.
For me, it just fell kind of flat. Evan and Julia were so self-centered and snobbish that I couldn't relate to most of it. I wasn't necessarily rooting against them but I was never really "in their corner", so to speak.
My favorite part was the last couple chapters...
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I just don't really care about recent college graduates' first world problems. You made a hasty decision to move in with your boyfriend? Bummer. You both have poor communication skills and avoid conflict unless lashing out at each other? Good work. You're not sure what to do with your life? Join the club. You're not sure you're making the right choices and fear outsiders' judgment? So unique. You think you've come to some life-changing realization as a result and will henceforth make only better decisions? I'm not convinced, but hey, you're in your twenties; I'm sure you have it all figured out now!
Maybe I'm too old for this book. I couldn't stand Julia - one of the main characters. I didn't have empathy for her inner turmoil and "struggle". She's a spoiled brat with the luxury of an affluent (if emotionally unavailable) family and relationships to help her find her path. And time. To wander the streets of New York to find herself. To choose to take a crappy job with meagre pay because she can rely on her boyfriend who can pay the bills with his hedge fund salary and doesn't have to concern herself with that responsibility. It may be interesting (and relatable) to young 'uns but I was just glad to get through it.
The book itself is well written albeit a bit confusing at times, but well put together. It was really just the subject matter that bugged me. Sorry for the two star rating but when you're a third of the way through and can't wait for it to be over, I can't be more generous than that.
The book itself is well written albeit a bit confusing at times, but well put together. It was really just the subject matter that bugged me. Sorry for the two star rating but when you're a third of the way through and can't wait for it to be over, I can't be more generous than that.
3.5 stars....I don't normally write reviews but this book had me conflicted much of the time. I would go from hating the characters to pitying them 5 minutes later. There were moments I would identify with Julia and Evan, and other moments I thought they were totally whiny spoiled brats. I'm the same age as them, and moved to NYC around the same time, so much of it resonates with me...but I just wish it tugged at me emotionally a little more. In the end, I didn't care what happened to either of them.
But I enjoyed the read....so 3.5 stars!
But I enjoyed the read....so 3.5 stars!
A coming of age book set in NYC about a couple who have just finished college and are trying to make their way in the world. Their relationship changes and they find out who they are throughout the novel.
Only then did I see it clearly: everyone was figuring it out. Everyone except me. I had no passion, no plan, nothing that made me stand out from the crowd. I had absolutely no idea what kind of job I was supposed to get.
2 1/2 stars. I can't decide if I'm being harsh or generous by giving [b:The Futures|29942557|The Futures|Anna Pitoniak|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1461001729s/29942557.jpg|50333192] 2 1/2 stars. It's probably best not to put too much weight on the rating. For some time, I really liked what it was doing. Pitoniak perfectly captures that feeling of helplessness and uncertainty that many young adults face after college. Those desperate, scary questions: What do I do now? Who am I? What do I become?
The story follows the two perspectives of young couple, Julia and Evan, as they try to navigate the real world after completing their degree courses. Deeply in love during their college years, they find themselves drifting apart as reality sets in and their career paths diverge.
It begins as an emotional read and, for many people, a relatable one. I felt absolutely terrified when my school years came to an end and I found that I now actually had to make some real world plans. Jobs, apartments and - oh my god - taxes! And beneath that, the worries that people don't talk about so much: the fear that everyone else is getting ahead of you, the fear that you'll never get on the job ladder, or be stuck somewhere you are miserable.
This period of uncertainty is one so many young people are facing. The premise of Julia and Evan's story resonates deeply. And, in the beginning, there's a subtle undercurrent of sadness giving a lot of life and emotion to the simple idea.
Notice I said "the premise of Julia and Evan's story". Problem is, though the basic idea is one that did speak to me directly, the actual story was quite different. A few chapters into the book and I was really struggling to sympathise with the two extremely selfish protagonists. Two white Ivy League alumni living in New York City, both with decent jobs, loving families, and a certain amount of financial security. Excuse me if I don't reach for the Kleenex just yet.
It's a very privileged sob story. Why not write about all the people who finish college and end up unemployed for years? Or stuck back at home with their parents? Instead of having two reasonably wealthy, reasonably successful, beautiful young people who feel disillusioned because their college romance isn't surviving adulthood. Boo hoo.
It was really hard to understand some of the decisions being made and a lot of the problems were dragged out when it seemed they had simple resolutions. I could have found some sympathy for Julia when Evan became obsessed with work and neglected their relationship, but then she had to go and cheat on him because breaking up with him was just too much hard work. Meh.
Plus, despite being set in New York City - one of the most diverse cities in the world - almost everyone seems to be white. The only mentions I recall of non-white people in the novel are an “Asian” girl with a "tiny body" who Evan "fucks" in a club, and some Chinese businessmen making shady deals to get visas. Yikes.
A story that could have been hard-hitting for a lot of people, but I doubt many young college graduates will see themselves in the fortunate (and oblivious to it) shoes of Julia and Evan.
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