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cachoo1999's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
emilyplewallen's review against another edition
3.0
I feel like I can only give this book 3 stars because I had a difficult time with the vulgarity at spots in the book- I knew it was sex, drugs, and rock & roll, but it was sometimes too much for me personally. With that being said, I was very intrigued by the storyline. Another reviewer said the book was obviously split in half and they preferred the first half; I have to agree. The first half had me enamored by the women of previous decades, while the second half kinda bored me.
smalltownbookmom's review
5.0
Every mother a willing mother. That is the core of this incredible book that follows three generations of women and their journeys with motherhood - both the wanting and not wanting of it. I really, really loved how layered and nuanced the author writes about each woman's life and choices. Particularly timely in light of the reversal of Roe v Wade, the importance of women actually having the ability to choose when and if they become mothers has never been more urgent. Great on audio and highly recommended for fans of books like Heather Marshall's Looking for Jane.
CW: abortion, infertility
CW: abortion, infertility
avkesner's review
3.0
3.5 I think if the story had stopped in the middle I would have given this a 4. The first part of the story follows wild Missy, the only girl in a punk band in the 90s, and her mother Carola who left her as a young girl. The book is bisected by a very brief story of Ruth's, Missy's grandmother's, journey coming to America, surviving an unhappy and almost abusive marriage, finding love at an older age, and taking control of her life. Then we are thrust back into the lives of Missy and Carola decades later where wild Missy's lifestyle and desires have changed and she is reunited and builds a new relationship with her mother. I found both character's transformations disappointing and the second half of the book seemed to drag and feel disconnected from the first half. Nevertheless, this is an interesting book as a commentary on sex, womanhood, and motherhood.
Thanks to #NetGalley for the eARC. #TheSpectacular
Thanks to #NetGalley for the eARC. #TheSpectacular
booksaremypeople's review against another edition
4.0
This novel follows three generations of women, each related and each searching for ways to navigate a world that is not always supportive of women. There’s Missy, busy touring with her rock and roll band who wants control over her body. There’s Carola who has sought out solace in an ashram only to be there when the community she’s a part of falls apart. And finally, there’s Ruth, who in her seniority has a sexual awakening. The book explores women’s sexuality, autonomy and feminism. At times, there was a lot happening, a lot of threads to follow, but the lyrical writing was beautiful and the themes prescient. Thank you to Random House and Ballantine Books for the advanced review copy.
karenleagermain's review
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for a copy of Zoe Whittall’s novel, The Spectacular.
Told in a non-linear fashion, The Spectacular, follows three generations of women in the same family who each make difficult decisions regarding motherhood, relationships, and careers. Ruth is in her eighties and she recounts her journey from Turkey to America, a difficult migration made worse by her husband bringing along his mistress to their new country. While Ruth has conservative leanings, her daughter, Carola, forges a different path, including setting up a commune. Carola struggles with her own aspirations versus being a wife and mother, ultimately distancing herself from her family. Her daughter, Missy, becomes a famous rock star who struggles with boundaries and relationships, harboring a deep resentment towards Carola.
The novel starts with Missy’s perspective and her dynamic, intense personality immediately grabbed my attention. I cannot think of a recent read where a character had such a strong personality as Missy. It is so strong that when the chapters shift to Carola or Ruth’s perspectives, it is hard to let go of Missy. She dominates, commanding a readers full attention. I was quite struck by her voice.
Whittall does not shy away from controversial topics. In the first chapter, Missy, in her early 20’s, is seeking a doctor who will perform a tubal ligation surgery. Missy is certain that she will never desire to be a mother, yet no doctor is willing to give her the procedure. Worse than the denial of the operation, is the way Missy is treated, her voice silenced. As a middle-aged reader, I can appreciate the perspective that people can change a lot throughout their lives. I’m certainly not the same person that I was in my early 20’s. We see Missy in middle-age and we can see how she has changed through time and experience. Missy changes and so do her thoughts on becoming a mother, however, I don’t believe that the reader is supposed to conclude that the doctor’s were right to deny Missy her wishes when she was younger. It’s more complex than that; Whittall is writing about societal expectations of women and how these might conflict with individual desires.
I’m forty-five and from my teen years, I knew that I never wanted to be a parent. However, life takes unexpected twists and I married a man with two children and have been a part-time stepmom ( they live in Europe most of the year), and it has been a great joy. I was also raised by a single-mom, having lost my father when I was four. The Spectacular is a story about the unexpected, the seasons of life, and learning to accept your life, including the impact of your decisions and those beyond your control. I related to the over-arching themes and to aspects of each character’s life choices.
I recommend The Spectacular and it would be a great book club pick for lively discussions.
Told in a non-linear fashion, The Spectacular, follows three generations of women in the same family who each make difficult decisions regarding motherhood, relationships, and careers. Ruth is in her eighties and she recounts her journey from Turkey to America, a difficult migration made worse by her husband bringing along his mistress to their new country. While Ruth has conservative leanings, her daughter, Carola, forges a different path, including setting up a commune. Carola struggles with her own aspirations versus being a wife and mother, ultimately distancing herself from her family. Her daughter, Missy, becomes a famous rock star who struggles with boundaries and relationships, harboring a deep resentment towards Carola.
The novel starts with Missy’s perspective and her dynamic, intense personality immediately grabbed my attention. I cannot think of a recent read where a character had such a strong personality as Missy. It is so strong that when the chapters shift to Carola or Ruth’s perspectives, it is hard to let go of Missy. She dominates, commanding a readers full attention. I was quite struck by her voice.
Whittall does not shy away from controversial topics. In the first chapter, Missy, in her early 20’s, is seeking a doctor who will perform a tubal ligation surgery. Missy is certain that she will never desire to be a mother, yet no doctor is willing to give her the procedure. Worse than the denial of the operation, is the way Missy is treated, her voice silenced. As a middle-aged reader, I can appreciate the perspective that people can change a lot throughout their lives. I’m certainly not the same person that I was in my early 20’s. We see Missy in middle-age and we can see how she has changed through time and experience. Missy changes and so do her thoughts on becoming a mother, however, I don’t believe that the reader is supposed to conclude that the doctor’s were right to deny Missy her wishes when she was younger. It’s more complex than that; Whittall is writing about societal expectations of women and how these might conflict with individual desires.
I’m forty-five and from my teen years, I knew that I never wanted to be a parent. However, life takes unexpected twists and I married a man with two children and have been a part-time stepmom ( they live in Europe most of the year), and it has been a great joy. I was also raised by a single-mom, having lost my father when I was four. The Spectacular is a story about the unexpected, the seasons of life, and learning to accept your life, including the impact of your decisions and those beyond your control. I related to the over-arching themes and to aspects of each character’s life choices.
I recommend The Spectacular and it would be a great book club pick for lively discussions.
daliafarra's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars. This was a book club pick and I didn’t enjoy it. It felt very disjointed and I couldn’t connect with any of the characters.
bookofcinz's review
4.0
Motherhood is a mental illness -Ramona from the movie Hustlers
The book opens with twenty-two years old Missy, who is a cellist in an indie rock band that is about to go on Tour, wanting to get her tubes tied. She wants to have the freedom of going on tour without having to worry about getting pregnant and as someone who was abandoned by her mother, she really does not want to have children. Of course, all the clinics and doctors she visited refuses to grant her wish because they “know” she will change her mind. Yes, she is twenty two but Missy is determined to live a life filled with freedom and doing everything men get to do.
Carola, Missy’s mom, is on her way to the police station to file a complaint after being involved with a sex scandal at a yoga center. Carola was drawn to the older yoga instructor who turned out to be having sex and grooming everyone at the center. While she goes to file the complaint, Carola sees her daughter on the cover of a music magazine, this is the first time she sees her in over 10 years. Carola, who grew up wanting to change the world, got pregnant with Missy and felt trapped. She tried being there, but felt more free not having the responsibility of raising a child.
Eighty-three year old Ruth fled from Turkey to America decades ago, met and married a man who could not commit to her, even though he tried. With Missy, her granddaughter touring America, Ruth have a lot of time to think on how she wants proceed with the next phase of her life, especially having been diagnosed with a fatal illness. Ruth’s one last wish is to have Carol and Missy meet to see if they are start working through their problems. The meeting goes worse than Ruth expects….
I absolutely loved this book! Three generation of women showcasing what freedom and having power over their uterus looks like- I was here for it! I feel like we don’t read enough about young women who don’t want children, women who have children and feel trapped so they leave and older women who decided they will only have one child because they don’t want anymore. I felt the author did a brilliant job of capturing mother-daughter relationships, what freedom looks like for each woman, and how society pressures women to fit in a certain box. The themes are explored in such a nuanced and interesting way. A solid read.
The book opens with twenty-two years old Missy, who is a cellist in an indie rock band that is about to go on Tour, wanting to get her tubes tied. She wants to have the freedom of going on tour without having to worry about getting pregnant and as someone who was abandoned by her mother, she really does not want to have children. Of course, all the clinics and doctors she visited refuses to grant her wish because they “know” she will change her mind. Yes, she is twenty two but Missy is determined to live a life filled with freedom and doing everything men get to do.
Carola, Missy’s mom, is on her way to the police station to file a complaint after being involved with a sex scandal at a yoga center. Carola was drawn to the older yoga instructor who turned out to be having sex and grooming everyone at the center. While she goes to file the complaint, Carola sees her daughter on the cover of a music magazine, this is the first time she sees her in over 10 years. Carola, who grew up wanting to change the world, got pregnant with Missy and felt trapped. She tried being there, but felt more free not having the responsibility of raising a child.
Eighty-three year old Ruth fled from Turkey to America decades ago, met and married a man who could not commit to her, even though he tried. With Missy, her granddaughter touring America, Ruth have a lot of time to think on how she wants proceed with the next phase of her life, especially having been diagnosed with a fatal illness. Ruth’s one last wish is to have Carol and Missy meet to see if they are start working through their problems. The meeting goes worse than Ruth expects….
I absolutely loved this book! Three generation of women showcasing what freedom and having power over their uterus looks like- I was here for it! I feel like we don’t read enough about young women who don’t want children, women who have children and feel trapped so they leave and older women who decided they will only have one child because they don’t want anymore. I felt the author did a brilliant job of capturing mother-daughter relationships, what freedom looks like for each woman, and how society pressures women to fit in a certain box. The themes are explored in such a nuanced and interesting way. A solid read.
journeydan's review
4.0
Beautifully told story about the difficult relationships between mothers and daughters, between friends and lovers, and between genders. I loved being in this world.