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tallyjorn's review
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
3.0
nolan00's review
3.0
To start, I really enjoyed this book. The writing style that Dana Spiotta employs in her writing is what kept me deep into the plot. As someone still in their youth, the transitional period of the midlife is something I find very interested. Granted, my midlife will likely be dominated by pot-belly and a series of diets to erase said belly and not menopause and crisis, but the book's handling of those topics was still something I found incredibly interesting.
However, this book did have several failings, many of which aren't forgivable. The one I wish to highlight, however, is the brevity to which Spiotta took in telling the story. Each element of the story felt as if it could've been expanded into something so much bigger. The relationship between Joe and Ally? Completely shocking. It could've been so much more, but Spiotta ended it with a simple break-up. It's as if she didn't want to traumatize her characters any more, despite how far she'd already gone.
The book, too, felt incredibly dated. This focus on the 2016 election is so incredibly wrung out, especially five years after the event. Maybe this seems tone-deaf coming from a member of Gen Z, but I'm a bit tired of hearing about the effects of a presidency I had no part in deciding. No political election tears apart marriages, especially when both partners agree politically. That element of the book was completely overblown, and though Spiotta attempted to reconcile this marital explosion with Sam's equally explosive personality, this attempt was more or less unsuccessful.
Overall, the book did some things very well, but the myriad of issues it discussed needed fleshed out into something belonging to a longer novel. She maybe could've pulled it off with 100-150 more pages, and with a much bigger emotional charge.
However, this book did have several failings, many of which aren't forgivable. The one I wish to highlight, however, is the brevity to which Spiotta took in telling the story. Each element of the story felt as if it could've been expanded into something so much bigger. The relationship between Joe and Ally? Completely shocking. It could've been so much more, but Spiotta ended it with a simple break-up. It's as if she didn't want to traumatize her characters any more, despite how far she'd already gone.
The book, too, felt incredibly dated. This focus on the 2016 election is so incredibly wrung out, especially five years after the event. Maybe this seems tone-deaf coming from a member of Gen Z, but I'm a bit tired of hearing about the effects of a presidency I had no part in deciding. No political election tears apart marriages, especially when both partners agree politically. That element of the book was completely overblown, and though Spiotta attempted to reconcile this marital explosion with Sam's equally explosive personality, this attempt was more or less unsuccessful.
Overall, the book did some things very well, but the myriad of issues it discussed needed fleshed out into something belonging to a longer novel. She maybe could've pulled it off with 100-150 more pages, and with a much bigger emotional charge.
mellionenmalgelesen's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
nikkiedds's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I feel like this book was trying to do so many things at once. The backdrop of the election could have been a really interesting aspect of the plot but I really feel like it fell wayside to the reflections of the complicated mother, daughter relationships.
I would have enjoyed it more I think if the plot was more focused on that dynamic as I found those moments incredibly moving and powerful - even cried here and there.
The sense of place in this novel was very strong and had me googling Syracuse throughout which I always love.
I would have enjoyed it more I think if the plot was more focused on that dynamic as I found those moments incredibly moving and powerful - even cried here and there.
The sense of place in this novel was very strong and had me googling Syracuse throughout which I always love.
befthhh's review
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This just felt like ramblings. Little plot, little resolutions. Definitely a love letter to the city of Syracuse though!
deweydecimalsisters's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
mrpitmansgranddaughter's review
4.0
Imagine having a midlife crisis about what it means to be a woman, a wife, mother, daughter, good person who is working on recognising their power and privilege. Now do all of that during Trumps term in office. That is exactly what this book is.
It’s complex and written with intricacy, its like reading the protagonists inner thoughts, but also the authors political commentary. I wasn’t sure where this was going and if I am honest if it was for me or what I was going to get out of it. But slowly I stopped thinking that and found myself in deep, I was building frustrated relationships with the characters and questioning their decisions. I definitely wasn’t dying to pick it up but when I did, I didn’t really want to put it down.
I wrote a note to myself about three quarters of the way through -feels a bit like a white woman’s guilty awakening in Trump era - I still feel the same and I still feel it was clunky in some places, it is a book trying to do and tackle a lot of things, and at times yep it felt a little clunky, but it also really worked.
We mainly hear from Sam said white woman but just when you have had enough of her (and I did have enough) the author brings in Ally - Sam’s daughters voice just when it was needed. Bringing context and challenge to the conclusions I had drawn on Sam. There were part of the book I could have done without, some characters I am still trying to work out. I’m ok with that, I still enjoyed it, still felt something and any book that can do that is a good book in my mind.
To summarise for me this book is clever and well done, its a lot of things; a feminist essay, a political commentary and a look into the relationships women hold with ourselves, our body’s, mothers, daughters and others. I can’t wait to see women who are at different stages of life read this one to see the different things we all take from it.
It’s complex and written with intricacy, its like reading the protagonists inner thoughts, but also the authors political commentary. I wasn’t sure where this was going and if I am honest if it was for me or what I was going to get out of it. But slowly I stopped thinking that and found myself in deep, I was building frustrated relationships with the characters and questioning their decisions. I definitely wasn’t dying to pick it up but when I did, I didn’t really want to put it down.
I wrote a note to myself about three quarters of the way through -feels a bit like a white woman’s guilty awakening in Trump era - I still feel the same and I still feel it was clunky in some places, it is a book trying to do and tackle a lot of things, and at times yep it felt a little clunky, but it also really worked.
We mainly hear from Sam said white woman but just when you have had enough of her (and I did have enough) the author brings in Ally - Sam’s daughters voice just when it was needed. Bringing context and challenge to the conclusions I had drawn on Sam. There were part of the book I could have done without, some characters I am still trying to work out. I’m ok with that, I still enjoyed it, still felt something and any book that can do that is a good book in my mind.
To summarise for me this book is clever and well done, its a lot of things; a feminist essay, a political commentary and a look into the relationships women hold with ourselves, our body’s, mothers, daughters and others. I can’t wait to see women who are at different stages of life read this one to see the different things we all take from it.
heidihaverkamp's review
3.0
I like books about houses and how they change people. In this story, a woman leaves her marriage and her daughter for a tumble-down house in downtown Syracuse, not far from her workplace as a docent at the historic home of a less-than-perfect 19th century white feminist activist. I struggled because I found it hard to like Sam, the new friends she meets, or her daughter, and the strangely, constant and loyal husband -- to see them as rounded characters. On the other hand, I enjoyed learning more about the history of Syracuse, and the interplays of race and class in gentrifying neighborhoods as Spiota portrays them.