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A review by notesseton
Costalegre: A Novel Inspired by Peggy Guggenheim and Her Daughter by Courtney Maum
3.0
I think it's fairly clear from the mega random vibes of the whole book that the author visited Mexico, fell in love with this place, wanted to talk about art and so she then plopped in this fictionalized Nazi era Peggy Guggenheim story with the strained mother-daughter dynamic. Extra points for the 2 mini Mexican flora lessons included in here.
What could have easily been the biggest grievance of this book - the neglected teen daughter perspective - was, in all honesty, the most interesting part of this book. That anguish was pitch perfect, and that material is my jam. And this book really relied on the emotional turmoil because, you know, the plot's surreal to fit in with the artistic vibe.
A true 3 star book! It's just one of those books where you know the person who's getting the biggest kick out of it is the author herself. My regards to Gwyneth and the GOOPers, but like what person in your life are you recommending this to??? A nutty aunt who has a love for surrealism with a side of Amber Tamblyn in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants-style teen angst? A high schooler who's just finished binging a lot of Vanderbilt content and needs a new titan-philanthropist family saga to set their cap on?
I did not intend to write this long a review, but that's the power of 3 star books.
What could have easily been the biggest grievance of this book - the neglected teen daughter perspective - was, in all honesty, the most interesting part of this book. That anguish was pitch perfect, and that material is my jam. And this book really relied on the emotional turmoil because, you know, the plot's surreal to fit in with the artistic vibe.
A true 3 star book! It's just one of those books where you know the person who's getting the biggest kick out of it is the author herself. My regards to Gwyneth and the GOOPers, but like what person in your life are you recommending this to??? A nutty aunt who has a love for surrealism with a side of Amber Tamblyn in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants-style teen angst? A high schooler who's just finished binging a lot of Vanderbilt content and needs a new titan-philanthropist family saga to set their cap on?
I did not intend to write this long a review, but that's the power of 3 star books.