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julieh46's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
mbkarapcik's review against another edition
5.0
Two very different people come together in Groundskeeping by Lee Cole. Owen, a groundskeeper at a prestigious college, meets Alma, a writer-in-residence. Owen is a born-and-bred Kentuckian from a small town who moved home after being down on his luck and wants to be a writer. Alma originally came from war-torn Bosnia but grew up privileged in the outskirts of Washington, D.C. Somehow, they're drawn to each other and embark on a relationship.
I received this debut from the publisher and wasn't sure how I would like it. The contentious 2016 election plays a cameo in this book, but it paints how characters interact with each other.
In fact, one of the other facets of Owen and Alma's relationship is how different their backgrounds are. Owen's family is Christian, proudly American, and support much of what Trump represented. Alma was raised by liberal immigrants who are just as American as anyone but with the specter of Bosnia always hanging around in the background.
But it really isn't just a romance in the book. The characters, especially Owen, work on coming to terms with their upbringings, environments, and where they're coming from politically, emotionally, and regarding their personal motivations and obstacles. Even though Owen is 28, he's still finding himself and wondering how he fits in. He's not totally on board with everything his extended family believes or does, but he's not sure if the alternate route paves a path he's comfortable with.
The state of Kentucky plays a significant role in this novel. I've never been to Kentucky, but I could envision it perfectly with the scenic descriptions and talk about the culture and its people. Since Owen works as a groundskeeper at the college, so that he can take a writing seminar and earn money, there's much talk about trees and the landscape. This contributes to the atmosphere and one could say that it reflects the book and life in general.
Immediately, I took to the book and, at times, even though I had a ton of other books to read, I kept going back to this one. I could totally understand where Owen was coming from even though I wasn't raised in an environment like his. I just found him empathetic even when he occasionally slips up. He reminded me of people I've known.
At times, I truly did not like Alma, though. She could be so snobbish and condescending. It was almost like she thought her being Bosnian and an esteemed wunderkind writer made her more elevated than Owen. Even though she was a toddler when she moved to America, was not privy to the trauma there, and her parents became highly successful, she played up her background a lot.
Owen and Alma's relationship reads in an authentic way, but you wonder all the time what's in store for them. I read that some people found the book to be in a similar vein to Sally Rooney's novels. I couldn't agree more, but also I heard murmurings of comparisons to Richard Russo. Even before I read a comment about that, his name materialized as I read this novel. These two writers' sensibilities and style combined make for a fantastic book.
Anyway, the characters all feel real, and I felt deeply invested in the book. I didn't want it to end, and the ending is so ambiguous that could a sequel be possible? Only time will tell, but this is such an incredibly strong debut, and I cannot wait to see what this new author comes up with in the future. I wondered many times how closely this resembles Lee Cole's own personal history.
Thank you, Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! It was a pleasure!
I received this debut from the publisher and wasn't sure how I would like it. The contentious 2016 election plays a cameo in this book, but it paints how characters interact with each other.
In fact, one of the other facets of Owen and Alma's relationship is how different their backgrounds are. Owen's family is Christian, proudly American, and support much of what Trump represented. Alma was raised by liberal immigrants who are just as American as anyone but with the specter of Bosnia always hanging around in the background.
But it really isn't just a romance in the book. The characters, especially Owen, work on coming to terms with their upbringings, environments, and where they're coming from politically, emotionally, and regarding their personal motivations and obstacles. Even though Owen is 28, he's still finding himself and wondering how he fits in. He's not totally on board with everything his extended family believes or does, but he's not sure if the alternate route paves a path he's comfortable with.
The state of Kentucky plays a significant role in this novel. I've never been to Kentucky, but I could envision it perfectly with the scenic descriptions and talk about the culture and its people. Since Owen works as a groundskeeper at the college, so that he can take a writing seminar and earn money, there's much talk about trees and the landscape. This contributes to the atmosphere and one could say that it reflects the book and life in general.
Immediately, I took to the book and, at times, even though I had a ton of other books to read, I kept going back to this one. I could totally understand where Owen was coming from even though I wasn't raised in an environment like his. I just found him empathetic even when he occasionally slips up. He reminded me of people I've known.
At times, I truly did not like Alma, though. She could be so snobbish and condescending. It was almost like she thought her being Bosnian and an esteemed wunderkind writer made her more elevated than Owen. Even though she was a toddler when she moved to America, was not privy to the trauma there, and her parents became highly successful, she played up her background a lot.
Owen and Alma's relationship reads in an authentic way, but you wonder all the time what's in store for them. I read that some people found the book to be in a similar vein to Sally Rooney's novels. I couldn't agree more, but also I heard murmurings of comparisons to Richard Russo. Even before I read a comment about that, his name materialized as I read this novel. These two writers' sensibilities and style combined make for a fantastic book.
Anyway, the characters all feel real, and I felt deeply invested in the book. I didn't want it to end, and the ending is so ambiguous that could a sequel be possible? Only time will tell, but this is such an incredibly strong debut, and I cannot wait to see what this new author comes up with in the future. I wondered many times how closely this resembles Lee Cole's own personal history.
Thank you, Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! It was a pleasure!
candacesiegle_greedyreader's review against another edition
4.0
Owen has returned home to Kentucky after losing his job as a groundskeeper in Colorado. He'd ended up living in his car while he looked for new work, but now he's camping in his grandfather's basement, also sharing the house with his disabled uncle. Owen finds a new groundskeeping job at Ashby, the local small college, where he's allowed to take a class for free. He meets Alma, a writer in residence, and he's on fire for her.
Owen's the first in his family to graduate from college. Most of the people in his family have "good" jobs in various plants involved with things that sound dangerous--various chemical plants, hazardous waste facilities.
Alma's family escaped from Bosnia with no money and no English. Her parents now live in Northern Virginia, both are doctors. They're culturally Muslim.
So what happens when they visit one another's families? Owen's huge hearted mom and stepfather who bend over backward to fix their car but deny that evolution is a fact? His father, whose wife is being eaten alive with cancer but who pulls herself up to be part of Alma's visit? Confederate flags fluttering everywhere? Their horror at her Muslim background?
Alma's parents are gentle and educated, live in a nice neighborhood, and only eat Bosnian food by request. They do not talk about what they escaped or the people they left behind. They put Owen and Alma in the same bedroom and take them to a museum.
There is no indication that there will ever be a scene where these families meet and like each other. In fact, Alma can't reconcile the man she knows with the druggie who lived in his car. He does thoughtless, hurtful things to his family that make you cringe. Where is this going?
This is a novel about many things, but for me the cultural divide is at the top of the list. I wish I had liked Owen more--and Alma, too, for that matter. "Groundskeeping" is worth reading more than once for the cultural phenomena it explores, Lots of rich discussion here for thoughtful book clubs.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for sharing this title.
Owen's the first in his family to graduate from college. Most of the people in his family have "good" jobs in various plants involved with things that sound dangerous--various chemical plants, hazardous waste facilities.
Alma's family escaped from Bosnia with no money and no English. Her parents now live in Northern Virginia, both are doctors. They're culturally Muslim.
So what happens when they visit one another's families? Owen's huge hearted mom and stepfather who bend over backward to fix their car but deny that evolution is a fact? His father, whose wife is being eaten alive with cancer but who pulls herself up to be part of Alma's visit? Confederate flags fluttering everywhere? Their horror at her Muslim background?
Alma's parents are gentle and educated, live in a nice neighborhood, and only eat Bosnian food by request. They do not talk about what they escaped or the people they left behind. They put Owen and Alma in the same bedroom and take them to a museum.
There is no indication that there will ever be a scene where these families meet and like each other. In fact, Alma can't reconcile the man she knows with the druggie who lived in his car. He does thoughtless, hurtful things to his family that make you cringe. Where is this going?
This is a novel about many things, but for me the cultural divide is at the top of the list. I wish I had liked Owen more--and Alma, too, for that matter. "Groundskeeping" is worth reading more than once for the cultural phenomena it explores, Lots of rich discussion here for thoughtful book clubs.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for sharing this title.
emilyhanson13's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
colleenrodgers's review against another edition
4.0
a slow burn indeed but i liked this more than i thought i would!
kahler_m's review against another edition
3.5
I think I understand what the author was trying to do.. but maybe he did it a little too well???
kangaruthie's review against another edition
4.0
4.5/5 stars, rounded up.
What I liked: the writing was gorgeous, lots of insightful class commentary and reflection on the politics of the 2016 election, the setting was detailed and vivid, and the characters were nuanced. When I started reading, it captured my attention and drew me in, making it an immersive and engaging read.
What I disliked: it felt very "meta" at times, being a book about a young writer growing up in Kentucky written by a young writer who grew up in Kentucky. It's difficult to write books about writing and I'm not sure that Cole completely pulled it off. Also, the main character made perplexing decisions and at times I found him annoying.
*Note that this book does not use quotation marks or chapters, which didn't bother me, but it won't be everyone's cup of tea.
What I liked: the writing was gorgeous, lots of insightful class commentary and reflection on the politics of the 2016 election, the setting was detailed and vivid, and the characters were nuanced. When I started reading, it captured my attention and drew me in, making it an immersive and engaging read.
What I disliked: it felt very "meta" at times, being a book about a young writer growing up in Kentucky written by a young writer who grew up in Kentucky. It's difficult to write books about writing and I'm not sure that Cole completely pulled it off. Also, the main character made perplexing decisions and at times I found him annoying.
*Note that this book does not use quotation marks or chapters, which didn't bother me, but it won't be everyone's cup of tea.
mcearl12's review against another edition
3.0
It was well-written… a bit flat for me in parts. The parts that included the grandfather and uncle resonated the most for me. I also like the way the main character’s parents were written as real people rather than caricatures. The relationship with Alma struck me as the least compelling/interesting, tbh. The author did a good job of showing place as its own character. All in all, impressive.
novelvisits's review against another edition
5.0
Thanks to @aaknopf for an ARC of #groundskeeping.
I seem to have a thing for books about struggling young writers.
I seem to have a thing for books about struggling young writers.
shirleytupperfreeman's review against another edition
He's an angsty late bloomer from rural Kentucky who has outgrown his roots. She's a high-achieving Bosnian immigrant. They're both writers, making relationship things complicated. The novel is full of descriptive language allowing the reader/listener a deep understanding of the details. The ending left me wondering.