Reviews tagging 'Death'

All Adults Here by Emma Straub

23 reviews

amyreh's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful reflective 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

3.25


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

cimmalex's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny lighthearted reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I had no idea this book was based in the Hudson Valley, NY and name dropped so many towns and businesses I know (shout out Upstate Films), so that hit close to home, literally. I’m not usually an adult fiction reader, but I liked the cover and the book held my attention pretty much up until the end. I started getting annoyed by the last like 3 or 4 chapters. Like many other reviews have said across the board, I agree that too many “hot button topics” were crammed into this book. I mean I think she mentioned every single one. This is a generational story, so maybe that’s why? But… whew. 

Porter was by far the most annoying character to me, and I think it’s very lazy the cheese maker is named Porter. I just have to get that out there. She is almost 40 years old and thought her high school boyfriend belonged to her and no one else (including his wife) because she “had him first”? What kind of mentality is that? Insane behavior from this one throughout the whole book. Very wild.
Especially the whole relationship with her high school ex that kept reappearing to be fwb even though he was married with kids and another on the way. Her high school ex’s wife coming down on Porter’s neck two chapters before the end of the book was exactly what this character needed though. A swift kick in the ass/someone metaphorically grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

taraaleitz's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

3.25/5⭐️ for me…

A little disappointed. I really wanted to love this book because This Time Tomorrow was soooo good, but this one fell a little flat for me. I liked that there were many characters to focus in on, but the whole book was ultimately based around poor communication between characters and/or poor choices. I loved how different each of the characters lives were and that there was diversity in the ages of the characters—making it a little interesting, but it didn’t feel like there was truly any real plot. Halfway through the book, I re-read the synopsis and I felt as though I already knew everything the synopsis talked about.

There was no true “climax” and this wasn’t a book where I was eagerly anticipating the next thing. A slower read for me.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

beatriks's review against another edition

Go to review page

hopeful lighthearted reflective 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

I liked this book, it is very well written (a lot of sentences and paragraphes that I highlighted), with lots of wise words. There are quite a bunch of characters that appear around the protagonist, Astrid, and for me, that change of perspective worked well. How everything fell into place and turned out. 

I would recommend not stretching out the reading of this book for too long, otherwise you might forget what happened. 

My favorite characters were Porter and Cecelia.  

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

thenageler's review against another edition

Go to review page

slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

annorabrady's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful reflective 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

I was recommended this book as one that you'd like if you like Schitt's Creek. While it doesn't have the humor of a sitcom, it does have realistic family relationships and each member is fleshed out into their own person, as in Schitt's Creek. They also have catalysts that push them out of their comfort zone and into a place where their relationship with family and friends become healthier and more fulfilling. 

There are mentions of miscarriages and abortions, as well as plots about people being outed against their will (handled well but they still exist) so precede with caution if those are triggering to you. 

My biggest problem with the story was Porter's storyline.
I just feel that someone who is capable of making the life-changing decisions of going through the process of becoming pregnant through a fertility clinic so she can raise a baby alone is also someone who should be able to stop being someone else's "other woman." Especially since she was more than capable of understanding and siding with her best friend who found herself on the other side of that situation with her husband. And then to talk to her best friend about it, expecting her best friend would have any reaction except absolute anger at the betrayal?

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

saskiahill's review

Go to review page

emotional funny reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.75


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

samantha5's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny lighthearted reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

Another fabulous emotional Straub book. Great for those who enjoy slow-paced reads about our relationships to other people, and the familial connections that shape us. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

menomica's review

Go to review page

emotional hopeful inspiring 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
“And it’s not up to me, Elliot. Your life? Your choices? They don’t belong to me. Neither does this town—not any more than it belongs to any of you.”

Sometimes a lie was more like a wish, or a prayer.

I really appreciated this book because of how it talks about family dysfunction even in seemingly healthy families. The Stricks aren’t perfect, but they do very much love each other. I love how Astrid went on a journey of self-reflection and decided to be better as a person.
All of the Strick kids were unlikable in their own ways, so… good for them, I guess. The thing is though, they weren’t unlikable in a way that made it hard to read the book, but more so in the way of these characters are incredibly deeply flawed and we’re going to take the time to dissect how we got to this point. Porter’s a pick-me looser, Elliot’s a looser with an inferiority complex, and Nicky’s a semi-neglectful pothead dad. And it’s really interesting to see why they’re like that.

Now, the things I didn’t like were: Emma Straub is old and is trying to understand how middle schoolers of the 21st century act and it is very… cringey. Like hen pls don’t do that.
Also some of the takes about feminism and womanhood came off slightly terfy. To Straub’s credit, I don’t think it was intencional, per say, but some of the lines made me go… oof.
We never found out how Russel died, I don’t think. Which I honestly don’t mind too much, the but was still enjoyable on and of itself, but like… I was waiting to know the whole book.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

alreadsitall's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings