3.43k reviews for:

My Oxford Year

Julia Whelan

3.81 AVERAGE

trash_bandit's review against another edition

4.25

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

mecampbell09's review against another edition

3.0

emotional hopeful fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

yasminwilnis's review against another edition

5.0

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If there’s one tip I can give for this book is to *listen* to it. It’s both written and read by Julia Whelan who is my absolute favourite narrator in the world. This book was made to be listened to vs read, and she completely brings the Oxford atmosphere to life. Also, professor Jamie Davenport

shboves's review against another edition

3.75

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Don’t let the cheesy, YA-coded title steer you away. This was actually a very enjoyable read—a fast-paced young romance filled some layer of literary intellect. I may have a bias though because like the protagonist, I also wrote my thesis on George Eliot’s Middlemarch and studied Victorian literature 😜

k_kiefer's review against another edition

3.0

emotional lighthearted fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

teodora_francisca's review against another edition

4.25

emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

emilychau's review against another edition

3.25

emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

baileybeans's review against another edition

4.0

emotional sad medium-paced

mackenzie32's review against another edition

3.25

emotional sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

leona28's review against another edition

3.0

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My Oxford Year is a contemporary romance book that centers on the main character Ella, an American who gets a prestigious scholarship to study at Oxford for a year. Her life seems perfect, she has landed her dream scholarship and a job helping the rising political stars presidential campaign back in the US. Ella discovers her English literature course will not be taught by her inspiration lecturer but instead by Jamie Davenport. A late night drink turns into a connection she wasn't anticipating and her life in Oxford changes dramatically.

I set out to read this as I spotted it would be a Netflix movie and I always like to read the book first. I found this an easy read but very predictable. I found the pacing a bit slow for my liking, I felt the story didn't really get going till about half way through the book. I loved the Oxford setting and the friendships Ella builds with her classmates. Her friends Maggie and Charlie are hilarious and we're probably my favorite characters in the book . I couldn't quite connect with Ella which was disappointing. I also found the romance element happened very quick! Overall, it was a very easy read and I'm glad I read it before the movie as the movie did change some elements.

Favourite quote:
"If you know how a book is going to end,why keep on with it?"