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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
fast-paced
Definitely a page turner! I liked that things were not super neatly wrapped up at the end but touched on enough to give us some closure.
I loved this book but idk if I’m really sure why? Kiley Reid does such an amazing job of writing characters that you really just get sucked into them and even when you’re not reading the book you’re wondering “hmmmm what will Millie do next?” I loved the way she brought the story together from everyone’s point of view and used the side characters as somewhat of the main story without making them the narrators? I just finished this so my review is everywhere lol but I love how the book made me think and consider different things that were said early on and how they tied in later. I would definitely read this one again. 5/5
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This book is all vibes, no plot. It did not work for the narrative and I could not get past the insufferable characters.
As a woman who grew up and went to college in Arkansas, I was constantly annoyed by the way southern college women are depicted in this book. I was a sophomore/junior in the year this book is set and NO ONE I knew acted or talked like these characters.
The author’s note mentions that she interviewed many University of Arkansas students and modeled her characters after them, but it did not seem like it.
Instead of portraying real people, it seems that she picked a couple of bad traits/negative stereotypes and amplified them for the sake of creating over-the-top unlikable characters.
ONE of the main characters was okay, but super bland. I could relate to another character in ways, but I couldn’t figure out why some of the story was from her pov because her plot line seemed to go nowhere and meant very little (just like the other plot lines, honestly, hence the emphasis on vibes).
This is more nit-picky, but it was also unrealistic to put the professor in Maxine’s Tap Room to grade papers and write/research. I’ve been to that bar, and no way is the lighting or atmosphere conducive to doing professor work! It’s loud and dark af in there!
The only thing I really enjoyed was being able to recognize the Fayetteville references and think “hehe I’ve been there; I know where/what that is!”
Woo pig, it’s a no from me. (I think I’m done with this author, too, because Such a Fun Age was just okay)
As a woman who grew up and went to college in Arkansas, I was constantly annoyed by the way southern college women are depicted in this book. I was a sophomore/junior in the year this book is set and NO ONE I knew acted or talked like these characters.
The author’s note mentions that she interviewed many University of Arkansas students and modeled her characters after them, but it did not seem like it.
Instead of portraying real people, it seems that she picked a couple of bad traits/negative stereotypes and amplified them for the sake of creating over-the-top unlikable characters.
ONE of the main characters was okay, but super bland. I could relate to another character in ways, but I couldn’t figure out why some of the story was from her pov because her plot line seemed to go nowhere and meant very little (just like the other plot lines, honestly, hence the emphasis on vibes).
This is more nit-picky, but it was also unrealistic to put the professor in Maxine’s Tap Room to grade papers and write/research. I’ve been to that bar, and no way is the lighting or atmosphere conducive to doing professor work! It’s loud and dark af in there!
The only thing I really enjoyed was being able to recognize the Fayetteville references and think “hehe I’ve been there; I know where/what that is!”
Woo pig, it’s a no from me. (I think I’m done with this author, too, because Such a Fun Age was just okay)
Overall kind of a mess and significantly less focused than Such a Fun Age. However, I had fun and even though this is just a conglomeration of events more so than a cohesive narrative, I always found myself enthralled by the characters. They frustrated me to no end but I still had to watch the train wreck. Plus I feel in general I’m always drawn into these stories about the South, particularly a Southern college. So, not at all perfect but a good time.
Some other reviews say this book is too slow or that it should be YA, but I relished both aspects - the languid way we learn about these characters and the slow burn of the story plus the everyday ins and outs of a college dorm. I was so curious about these women, and I liked how the author delved into their interiority in such detail. I found the ending to be slightly unbelievable, but probably stranger things have happened.
3.5/5
Here's the thing- I walked into this knowing that Kiley Reid's niche is writing realistic portraits of the worst people you've ever met. So I expected to feel uncomfortable and weird and I liked it.
Here's the thing- I walked into this knowing that Kiley Reid's niche is writing realistic portraits of the worst people you've ever met. So I expected to feel uncomfortable and weird and I liked it.
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
