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abbeyhar103's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't hate this, but I didn't love it either. I really did want to love it, because I haven't read a novel in a while that I've been absolutely crazy about. I liked a lot of what the protagonist/author had to say about self perception and the idea of being confused about "how you should be," but I guess I'm sort of at my limit of semi autobiographical pieces of art from twenty somethings about finding their place in the world. This book said some of the same things in a new way, but I find the overall genre to be self indulgent and repetitive and also maybe speaks to our self obsessed culture in which everyone thinks that their own story alone will be fascinating, marketable and inspiring to others. But at the same time, maybe ident want to hear about it because I'm living through similar issues? I guess id be interested to see if she could write about anything but herself.
Also I hated (HATED) the last scene. Two of the protagonist'a friends were playing a game of squash that managed to become a symbol for a 20 something's path through their early adult life. It was so cheesy. "Then finally Jon said, 'I don't think they even know the rules. I think they're just slamming the ball around.' And so they were."
Also I hated (HATED) the last scene. Two of the protagonist'a friends were playing a game of squash that managed to become a symbol for a 20 something's path through their early adult life. It was so cheesy. "Then finally Jon said, 'I don't think they even know the rules. I think they're just slamming the ball around.' And so they were."
captainyaht's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
encyclopedia's review against another edition
Wasn't interested in this or Pure Colour because both lack specificity. Themes too big too soon
_niva_'s review against another edition
es war viel zu priviligiert und überhaupt nicht im Bewusstsein über patriarchale Machenismen
consumer372629's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
yard_flavor's review against another edition
stalled on like the last 100 pages for no reason but i liked it!
notanniewarren's review against another edition
It's unusual for me not to finish a book once I'm this far into it but I realised I was just not looking forward to it and that I was starting to just slog through it without taking it in in order to get to the end. I really wasn't getting anything from it. Maybe it just found me at the wrong point in my life.
oldpatricka's review against another edition
4.0
I think the description of Margaux's movie towards the end of this book describes the book itself really well. It's like:
this invisible castle, and each of the scenes will be throwing sand on the castle. When the sand touches, those different parts of the castle light up. At the end you'll have a sense of the entire castle.
squirrelsohno's review against another edition
4.0
Continuing from last week, where I reviewed the subpar SAD DESK SALAD by Jessica Grose, I’m just now reviewing HOW SHOULD A PERSON BE? by Sheila Heti. It’s in the same vein of book – hipster fiction about twentysomethings who have lost their way in life before their lives have even really begun.
(Note – I don’t really care for Girls. This is just to prove my point that if you like Girls, you will probably enjoy this book, which is basically Girls personified in book form.)
HIPSTERFIC
HOW SHOULD A PERSON BE? is genuinely an interesting book about a young woman, a fictionalized (I think) version of the author Heti herself. Our fictional version of Heti is a struggling writer who is trying to come up with a play that she took on as a commission, all while dealing with a failed marriage at such a young age, the troubles of friendship, and a massive case of writer’s block. She’s egotistical, full of herself, arrogant, and a horrible friend, but I couldn’t help but like Sheila. At the end of the day, she’s just a woman like me, trying to find herself amid the chaos of her twenties.
But at the end of the day, this book is about hipsters – people who ironically enjoy stuff, drink PBR, and would fit in well in Brooklyn if this book didn’t take place in Toronto. They are artists, bohemians, and nobodies, people who are convinced they’re the next great artists and writers only to just be mediocre.
Really, I have no clue why I liked Sheila. Or why I liked this book. This book was made of things that should have angered me, pissed me off, and left me desperate to erase this book from my memory, but what did I go and do? I went and enjoyed it. I enjoyed reading about characters my age having realistic life experiences and not overindulgent romances, characters that have actual problems with themselves and their friendships and romances that can’t be fixed with sex. This is New Adult minus the romance with a hefty dose of reality, with a hint of eyeroll thrown in.
WHY DID I LIKE THIS? NO IDEA
I don’t know why I enjoyed this one as much as I did. It was superficial, inane, and disjointed, filled with random asides about giving BJs and going to Miami for an art show, but I liked it. This is once again a book where I can’t really tell you WHY I liked it. Just that I liked it, and it confounds me. But if you like Girls, check this one out. You’re sure to enjoy.
VERDICT: I don’t know why I liked it, but hey, if you like Lena Dunham, you’ll love this. Probably.
(Note – I don’t really care for Girls. This is just to prove my point that if you like Girls, you will probably enjoy this book, which is basically Girls personified in book form.)
HIPSTERFIC
HOW SHOULD A PERSON BE? is genuinely an interesting book about a young woman, a fictionalized (I think) version of the author Heti herself. Our fictional version of Heti is a struggling writer who is trying to come up with a play that she took on as a commission, all while dealing with a failed marriage at such a young age, the troubles of friendship, and a massive case of writer’s block. She’s egotistical, full of herself, arrogant, and a horrible friend, but I couldn’t help but like Sheila. At the end of the day, she’s just a woman like me, trying to find herself amid the chaos of her twenties.
But at the end of the day, this book is about hipsters – people who ironically enjoy stuff, drink PBR, and would fit in well in Brooklyn if this book didn’t take place in Toronto. They are artists, bohemians, and nobodies, people who are convinced they’re the next great artists and writers only to just be mediocre.
Really, I have no clue why I liked Sheila. Or why I liked this book. This book was made of things that should have angered me, pissed me off, and left me desperate to erase this book from my memory, but what did I go and do? I went and enjoyed it. I enjoyed reading about characters my age having realistic life experiences and not overindulgent romances, characters that have actual problems with themselves and their friendships and romances that can’t be fixed with sex. This is New Adult minus the romance with a hefty dose of reality, with a hint of eyeroll thrown in.
WHY DID I LIKE THIS? NO IDEA
I don’t know why I enjoyed this one as much as I did. It was superficial, inane, and disjointed, filled with random asides about giving BJs and going to Miami for an art show, but I liked it. This is once again a book where I can’t really tell you WHY I liked it. Just that I liked it, and it confounds me. But if you like Girls, check this one out. You’re sure to enjoy.
VERDICT: I don’t know why I liked it, but hey, if you like Lena Dunham, you’ll love this. Probably.
smritip's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5