A review by izzy_reads7
Astrid Sees All by Natalie Standiford

dark funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I wouldn't say I have strong feelings towards these characters, but the dynamics were very interesting. It reminded me a lot of The Great Gatsby, but set in 1980s New York rather than the 1920s. We have our main character, Phoebe, who is friends with a lot of people from wealthy backgrounds, socialites, or celebrities. She is very much an outsider looking in at this glamorous New York City lifestyle, and as the reader, I feel like we are in her shoes as well, looking at this outrageous lifestyle. The setting was definitely my favorite part. The vibes of this book are some of the closest that I've read to Taylor Jenkins Reid, especially if you liked Malibu Rising, then you should pick up this book. The writer just did a great job at depicting this time and the seasons that you go through with Phoebe. The writing was fine. The plot is where this gets weird. I don't think the author really knew where she was going with the story. She was just writing until it ended. Basically, the ending was so strange, outlandish, and out there, and I guess it was building up to that, but it just didn't fit with the rest of the story. Overall, though, I really loved the atmosphere of the story, and I would recommend picking up this book, especially if you're into film, movies, and maybe even a little bit of baseball.