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casuallyreadingx's review
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
4.25⭐️
"How strange it is, to live in an entirely different world from the people whom you once spend every day. How improbable, to have the same face you have always had, but an unrecognizable soul."
Wow! This was a beautifully written story about a community and internal growth. I felt like I could relate to the characters at times as a first generation American myself. It really tugged at my heart strings.
I liked the switching of POV's throughout ALL the characters was done so well. I did not get lost and I enjoyed knowing everyones thoughts. The storyline/time-era was also something I liked.
Overall, the rocky yet loving relationship between Sofia and Antonia is what made this book so good for me.
The only small downside that I could say was that it was a slow read BUT I do not think it takes away from the book as it was a good story. I even tagged the book with sticky notes at times where I really connected with the book!
"How strange it is, to live in an entirely different world from the people whom you once spend every day. How improbable, to have the same face you have always had, but an unrecognizable soul."
Wow! This was a beautifully written story about a community and internal growth. I felt like I could relate to the characters at times as a first generation American myself. It really tugged at my heart strings.
I liked the switching of POV's throughout ALL the characters was done so well. I did not get lost and I enjoyed knowing everyones thoughts. The storyline/time-era was also something I liked.
Overall, the rocky yet loving relationship between Sofia and Antonia is what made this book so good for me.
The only small downside that I could say was that it was a slow read BUT I do not think it takes away from the book as it was a good story. I even tagged the book with sticky notes at times where I really connected with the book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Misogyny
brdoyle08's review
adventurous
challenging
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Violence, War, and Vomit
felinesandfelonies's review
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Religious bigotry, and Violence
Moderate: Mental illness and Murder
Minor: Miscarriage and Torture
cassielaj's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is a lovely story of friendship, family, and identity.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, War, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Murder and Gun violence
notabookseller's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I absolutely love this book, more than I would’ve ever expected to; I know how that sounds and that’s not how I mean it I mean it like it’s different than what I thought it was going to be and therefore I love it in a different way. Why am I justifying myself to you it’s my review, you should read this book it’s amazing, moving on.
The writing style is very neutral and omnipotent, but it still hooks you and envelopes you in the story and the world; it’s engaging and accessible and makes you want to keep reading.
This is very much a character book far more than it is a plot book, which totally works for me because that’s what I prefer anyway.
These characters are thoughtful and well-developed and it’s so easy to fall in love with each and every one of them. Following Sofia and Antonia’s lives and friendship over twenty plus years, since childhood, was truly an experience; once you get past a certain point in the story and you think back to the earlier chapters it’s like you’re reliving your own memories; it feels like a different whole lifetime even though you only read it a few days ago.
This is Naomi Krupitsky’s debut novel and she really knocked it out of the park with this one. I am so excited to see what else she has in store for us.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pregnancy, and War
Minor: Alcohol, Antisemitism, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Racism, and Racial slurs
mags_reads_'s review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent and Grief
valerie's review
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Gun violence, and Grief
Moderate: Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Pregnancy
Minor: Alcohol, Abandonment, and Religious bigotry
bekkasbookclub's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
This is a coming-of-age story of two best friends, Sofia and Antonia, growing up in 1920s-1940s Brooklyn, who are daughters of men in the Italian mob. Things change for the families when Antonia's father goes "missing.' The girls grow up, become women, marry, have children, and must come to terms with the life they have been born into.
I went into this book expecting a little more Goodfellas vibes but got something really different. I did enjoy seeing this story told from the perspective of Sofia and Antonia, daughter of member of the Family. It is pretty clear that their father are involved in some shady business but the central focus are the conflicts that the girls face. The men in the story come across as the good guys just trying to "help people." We get the sense that everyone would have chosen a different path in life, had they been given the opportunity. This is a good historical fiction about friendship and family, with a little mafia vibes throughout.
I went into this book expecting a little more Goodfellas vibes but got something really different. I did enjoy seeing this story told from the perspective of Sofia and Antonia, daughter of member of the Family. It is pretty clear that their father are involved in some shady business but the central focus are the conflicts that the girls face. The men in the story come across as the good guys just trying to "help people." We get the sense that everyone would have chosen a different path in life, had they been given the opportunity. This is a good historical fiction about friendship and family, with a little mafia vibes throughout.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Gun violence
meredith_williams_'s review
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Miscarriage
amandalorianxo's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Rounding it roughly 2.25/2.5. This novel centers around two families who not only are Italian but are also closely associated with the Italian mob. Antonia and Sofia's fathers work for the same man and are next door neighbors. We quickly find out that trying to go against the boss man can make a family pay a heavy price and the consequences of those dangerous thoughts. This is told in a 3rd person point of view but it flits between different people throughout the twenty+ years we are told about the girls and their families. I think my issue with this book is that despite my intrigue about Italians and people who work for those with that much power, this felt dragged longer than necessary. I wasn't entirely sure where the plot was going once the sad event passed. I think the editor could have taken off a ton of pages of filler but if you are interested in slow paced, character driven with more than one povs, this will be right up your alley.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism, Body horror, Death of parent, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pregnancy, and Violence
Minor: Alcohol