Scan barcode
A review by claragweny
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
adventurous
funny
inspiring
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? Yes
5.0
Early autumn always makes me very wanderlusty and this second pandemic autumn is no different except that I simply can't travel. Both because I'm disabled/immunocompromised and because I value the lives of others. So obviously, I've been feeling very conflicted in my desire to leave and see new things with my desire to not do those things. People We Meet On Vacation satiated my burning, aching, desire for travel while reminding me of exactly why I love doing it and why I can wait. It's all about the people we meet on vacation and the connections we make with them.
I don't know if my review is clouded by pandemic goggles or by how much I identify with Poppy and her growing up. I just feel like I fell into the universe with Poppy and Alex, maybe that has more to do with Julian Whelan being a fabulous narrator but I'm not sure. I really felt like they were people I could meet on vacation, totally out of my comfort zone, and form some odd, heart-filled connection with. I was shocked to come back into this universe to feel lighter and much less alone than I did before.
Maybe this is how Emily Henry wanted us to feel when we finished People We Meet On Vacation. Maybe she realized how many people were missing this huge, important part of their lives and feeling so completely alone. I don't know this for sure but I don't think I really want to know either. Reading this book at this point in my life, at this point in the pandemic, felt so poignant it'd be a shame to feel any other way about it.
And, as usual, I read this as an audiobook. To keep things short, Emily Henry + Julia Whelan is an author/narrator combo to beat. Can Julia Whelan even give a less-than-stellar performance?
I don't know if my review is clouded by pandemic goggles or by how much I identify with Poppy and her growing up. I just feel like I fell into the universe with Poppy and Alex, maybe that has more to do with Julian Whelan being a fabulous narrator but I'm not sure. I really felt like they were people I could meet on vacation, totally out of my comfort zone, and form some odd, heart-filled connection with. I was shocked to come back into this universe to feel lighter and much less alone than I did before.
Maybe this is how Emily Henry wanted us to feel when we finished People We Meet On Vacation. Maybe she realized how many people were missing this huge, important part of their lives and feeling so completely alone. I don't know this for sure but I don't think I really want to know either. Reading this book at this point in my life, at this point in the pandemic, felt so poignant it'd be a shame to feel any other way about it.
And, as usual, I read this as an audiobook. To keep things short, Emily Henry + Julia Whelan is an author/narrator combo to beat. Can Julia Whelan even give a less-than-stellar performance?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol