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bookstorian's reviews
566 reviews
None of This is True by Lisa Jewell
3.0
As a fan of the Shameless Bookclub I was intrigued to read this one after hearing the hosts gush about the fast pace and devour-ability of the novel. Whilst I can appreciate the mystery of the novel and the way in which it was told, I'm not sure it quite reached the hype I was hoping for.
After meeting at the pub one night birthday twins Alix and Josie become entangled in each other's lives when Alix agrees to interview Josie for her brand new podcast. What Alix doesn't bank on is how easily Josie slides into her home and seeps into her life.
I did enjoy a number of things about this novel that are usual box tickers for me, this includes; duel narrators and shifting formats (narration and transcript of a Netflix Documentary). In addition, I liked the title and how I continually came back to it and questioning what was true and how reliable were the words of the characters that I was reading. The first 75% of the novel was very devour-able.
Unfortunately I thought the plot really slowed towards the end of the novel and it really dragged for me. In addition, the heavier topics explored also weighed me down. I usually like to leave a read pretty quickly when uncomfortable themes are included. The biggest let down for me though was that I felt like the reader was really left to make their own interpretation of the truth, sometimes I love this and sometimes I loathe it. In this case I loathed it as a felt like it was such a large part of the tension for me and when it was released at the end it was frustrating.
Overall I am glad that I read this book as it was the thriller read I needed at the time but, I do recommend that you check out the trigger warnings for this read as some of the content is confronting.
After meeting at the pub one night birthday twins Alix and Josie become entangled in each other's lives when Alix agrees to interview Josie for her brand new podcast. What Alix doesn't bank on is how easily Josie slides into her home and seeps into her life.
I did enjoy a number of things about this novel that are usual box tickers for me, this includes; duel narrators and shifting formats (narration and transcript of a Netflix Documentary). In addition, I liked the title and how I continually came back to it and questioning what was true and how reliable were the words of the characters that I was reading. The first 75% of the novel was very devour-able.
Unfortunately I thought the plot really slowed towards the end of the novel and it really dragged for me. In addition, the heavier topics explored also weighed me down. I usually like to leave a read pretty quickly when uncomfortable themes are included. The biggest let down for me though was that I felt like the reader was really left to make their own interpretation of the truth, sometimes I love this and sometimes I loathe it. In this case I loathed it as a felt like it was such a large part of the tension for me and when it was released at the end it was frustrating.
Overall I am glad that I read this book as it was the thriller read I needed at the time but, I do recommend that you check out the trigger warnings for this read as some of the content is confronting.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Murder
Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
4.0
Keen to pick up a page turner I turned to a trusty Sally Hepworth read - her latest in fact!
Sisters Jessica, Norah and Alicia were raised on an idyllic farming estate by the seemingly loving Miss Fairchild after being removed from their parents at a young age. Their childhood wasn't as lucky as everyone thinks and when a body is discovered under the home they grew up in it forces them to relive their time at Wild Meadows Farm.
This book is a tricky one to review for a few reasons - mainly that it deals with some heavy content in relation to foster homes, child sexual abuse and neglect. I think if you want to read this book it's important to note that there are some confronting themes explored.
With that being said this read was the usual fast paced, all consuming, book that was filled with cliff hangers that shifted between character's perspectives that you would expect from Sally Hepworth. Exploring her signature family dynamic with a more sinister underlying I enjoyed the journey of the book even if there were some uncomfortable moments.
If you enjoy a family drama and Hepworth's other works I highly recommend this read.
Sisters Jessica, Norah and Alicia were raised on an idyllic farming estate by the seemingly loving Miss Fairchild after being removed from their parents at a young age. Their childhood wasn't as lucky as everyone thinks and when a body is discovered under the home they grew up in it forces them to relive their time at Wild Meadows Farm.
This book is a tricky one to review for a few reasons - mainly that it deals with some heavy content in relation to foster homes, child sexual abuse and neglect. I think if you want to read this book it's important to note that there are some confronting themes explored.
With that being said this read was the usual fast paced, all consuming, book that was filled with cliff hangers that shifted between character's perspectives that you would expect from Sally Hepworth. Exploring her signature family dynamic with a more sinister underlying I enjoyed the journey of the book even if there were some uncomfortable moments.
If you enjoy a family drama and Hepworth's other works I highly recommend this read.
Finding My Bella Vita: A Story of Family, Food, Fame and Working Out Who You Are by Pia Miranda
3.5
I was instantly intrigued when I saw this title appear in Hachette's Publicity Magazine and hoped that I would receive a copy. I was in luck! I also purchased a copy from LibroFM and I do often prefer to read Memoirs via an audio book and so a quickly consumed this read changing between audio and physical.
Best known for her role as Josie in Looking for Alibrandi Pia Miranda reflects back on how playing Josie was only a small, but significant part of who she is today. Told in a chronological order, even dating back to her grandparents lives in pre-war Sicily, Pia honestly shares stories from her childhood to her adulthood years.
Whilst this read was certainly an easy one to be swept away with, there were a number of key moments that I enjoyed reading/listening, including her experience as a child and adolescent at various dance studios and her experience of auditioning and playing the role of Josie. To be honest, this is why I initially wanted to read the book. What was unexpected was my appreciation for Pia's reflections on the impact of social media (post-Survivor) and her thoughts on just how precious our time is with our grandparents. The epilogue was also a beautiful touch.
Overall, I felt like a lot of the memoir only skimmed the surface on her life experiences with Survivor taking the front seat of the memoir. I would have liked more 'behind the scenes' anecdotes and also to have learnt what she is doing now.
Overall I did enjoy this read and would recommend it to you if you also enjoy memoirs, especially ones about family, culture and identity.
Similar to Stanley Tucci's Italy
Thank you to Hachette Australia for my gifted copy.
Best known for her role as Josie in Looking for Alibrandi Pia Miranda reflects back on how playing Josie was only a small, but significant part of who she is today. Told in a chronological order, even dating back to her grandparents lives in pre-war Sicily, Pia honestly shares stories from her childhood to her adulthood years.
Whilst this read was certainly an easy one to be swept away with, there were a number of key moments that I enjoyed reading/listening, including her experience as a child and adolescent at various dance studios and her experience of auditioning and playing the role of Josie. To be honest, this is why I initially wanted to read the book. What was unexpected was my appreciation for Pia's reflections on the impact of social media (post-Survivor) and her thoughts on just how precious our time is with our grandparents. The epilogue was also a beautiful touch.
Overall, I felt like a lot of the memoir only skimmed the surface on her life experiences with Survivor taking the front seat of the memoir. I would have liked more 'behind the scenes' anecdotes and also to have learnt what she is doing now.
Overall I did enjoy this read and would recommend it to you if you also enjoy memoirs, especially ones about family, culture and identity.
Similar to Stanley Tucci's Italy
Thank you to Hachette Australia for my gifted copy.
Neon Gods by Katee Robert
2.0
Full disclosure - this is not the type of book I would usually read, but it the name of book club I persisted.
After being promised to the powerful and problematic Zeus by her mother, Peresphone flees through the dark city, across the River Styx and in to the arms of Hades.
While I will give this read some credit - was easier to get into and read that I thought it would be and for the most part the figurative language used to describe people and place was accessible and consumed quickly. There were some very similar tropes, plot points and character arcs to A Court of Thorns and Roses which also made this read easier to digest- Hello Rhysand, Feyre and the Night Court...
But, overall wasn't for me.
Here's why...
-There were a few connections made to the original Hades Peresophone myth, but I was left at a loss as to how this book could possibly be considered a 'retelling' when so much of the initial Greek myth was ignored. All I will say is the man that Peresphone is promised to in marriage is her father in the real myth. I could go on about this but I won't.
-The dialogue between the characters was repetitive and so cringey. 'little siren' - ick. There are so many words in the English vocabulary - stop using the same ones!
-Clunky and repetitive narration occasionally which would snap me out of a scene. Eg "People step aside as I move forward. No, they don't step aside. They actually trip over themselves to put distance between us and clear my path..."
-They weren't actually gods yet there was some fantasy elements to the story that weren't explained (such as the pain of crossing the bridge).
Ultimately smut just isn't for me, however, I did get immense enjoyment out of talking about this read at book club over the weekend so I'm glad I finished it for the banter than ensued.
After being promised to the powerful and problematic Zeus by her mother, Peresphone flees through the dark city, across the River Styx and in to the arms of Hades.
While I will give this read some credit - was easier to get into and read that I thought it would be and for the most part the figurative language used to describe people and place was accessible and consumed quickly. There were some very similar tropes, plot points and character arcs to A Court of Thorns and Roses which also made this read easier to digest- Hello Rhysand, Feyre and the Night Court...
But, overall wasn't for me.
Here's why...
-There were a few connections made to the original Hades Peresophone myth, but I was left at a loss as to how this book could possibly be considered a 'retelling' when so much of the initial Greek myth was ignored. All I will say is the man that Peresphone is promised to in marriage is her father in the real myth. I could go on about this but I won't.
-The dialogue between the characters was repetitive and so cringey. 'little siren' - ick. There are so many words in the English vocabulary - stop using the same ones!
-Clunky and repetitive narration occasionally which would snap me out of a scene. Eg "People step aside as I move forward. No, they don't step aside. They actually trip over themselves to put distance between us and clear my path..."
-They weren't actually gods yet there was some fantasy elements to the story that weren't explained (such as the pain of crossing the bridge).
Ultimately smut just isn't for me, however, I did get immense enjoyment out of talking about this read at book club over the weekend so I'm glad I finished it for the banter than ensued.
Search History by Amy Taylor
4.0
Wandering through the shelves of my local library a few weeks ago I spotting the cover of Search History, it had been on my TBR for a little while so I thought - what's the harm in getting it from the library? Within the first few chapters though I wished I had my own copy!
Hoping to reinvent herself after a break up Ana moves to Melbourne leaving behind her ex, her friends and her mother. Being on her own isn't as easy as she hoped and after meeting Evan, a charming, kind and financially responsible guy Ana finally starts to feel more connected to her new home. As much as she tries to focus on the Evan in front of her rather than the persona and past he has curated online, including his past relationship with Emily. She ultimately cannot resist the urge and so uses her imagination to fill the gaps presented to her. But will her obsession with Emily, his dead girlfriend cross the line?
To say this read was addictive seems to be an understatement, the first sentence of every chapter hooked me every time. I would finish one chapter only to glance at the beginning few lines of the next chapter and want to keep reading. I appreciated the moments of relatability with this character, in particular, her acknowledgement of the performative nature of social media yet the way our mind can still form wild conclusions based on what we view and our ability to catastrophise. In addition, the exploration of how the internet has changed for our generation, from sitting on MSN waiting for someone to pop up to then having a wealth of knowledge through posts, images and other interactions available to us and how that can mentally alter the way we meet and judge other people. It's also worth noting the ending - loved the ending!
For me, what this book was lacking was a better immersion in Ana and Evan's relationship, he was made out to be a great guy, however there wasn't really many scenes that showed this to the reader, although intentional, a few more scenes between them would have helped to better understanding Ana's motivations and feelings.
Similar to: Yellowface. For fans of Sally Hepworth.
Hoping to reinvent herself after a break up Ana moves to Melbourne leaving behind her ex, her friends and her mother. Being on her own isn't as easy as she hoped and after meeting Evan, a charming, kind and financially responsible guy Ana finally starts to feel more connected to her new home. As much as she tries to focus on the Evan in front of her rather than the persona and past he has curated online, including his past relationship with Emily. She ultimately cannot resist the urge and so uses her imagination to fill the gaps presented to her. But will her obsession with Emily, his dead girlfriend cross the line?
To say this read was addictive seems to be an understatement, the first sentence of every chapter hooked me every time. I would finish one chapter only to glance at the beginning few lines of the next chapter and want to keep reading. I appreciated the moments of relatability with this character, in particular, her acknowledgement of the performative nature of social media yet the way our mind can still form wild conclusions based on what we view and our ability to catastrophise. In addition, the exploration of how the internet has changed for our generation, from sitting on MSN waiting for someone to pop up to then having a wealth of knowledge through posts, images and other interactions available to us and how that can mentally alter the way we meet and judge other people. It's also worth noting the ending - loved the ending!
For me, what this book was lacking was a better immersion in Ana and Evan's relationship, he was made out to be a great guy, however there wasn't really many scenes that showed this to the reader, although intentional, a few more scenes between them would have helped to better understanding Ana's motivations and feelings.
Similar to: Yellowface. For fans of Sally Hepworth.
End Credits: How I Broke Up with Hollywood by Patty Lin
3.5
It's been a hot minute since I finished an audio book, but when I read Patty Lin's excerpt in Time Magazine (as recommended by Zara from the Shameless podcast) I knew that this was a book I would enjoy listening too.
Patty Lin has worked as a writer on some of Hollywood's biggest shows including Friends, Breaking, Desperate Housewives and Freaks and Greeks but at thirty eight years old she decided to walk away from the fast paced, all consuming career and in her memoir she tells us exactly how she came to that decision.
Following her life in a chronological order Patty Lin recounts key moments in her career that are connected by common problems that seems to face many television shows. Underrepresentation of coloured writers, a sickening culture with little work life balance and the expectations and pressure she felt to remain in a career and relationship all due to longevity. I really appreciated the insight, wit and honesty that Patty wrote with, especially with the back drop of the current SAF-AFTRA strike. The read was enhanced by Patty's narration too - always a win for me!
Although I can appreciate that this was a therapeutic exercise for the author, there certainly was a lot of bitterness expressed in the novel and this perhaps prevented me from 'enjoying' the read per se.
Thank you to Libro FM for my copy.
Patty Lin has worked as a writer on some of Hollywood's biggest shows including Friends, Breaking, Desperate Housewives and Freaks and Greeks but at thirty eight years old she decided to walk away from the fast paced, all consuming career and in her memoir she tells us exactly how she came to that decision.
Following her life in a chronological order Patty Lin recounts key moments in her career that are connected by common problems that seems to face many television shows. Underrepresentation of coloured writers, a sickening culture with little work life balance and the expectations and pressure she felt to remain in a career and relationship all due to longevity. I really appreciated the insight, wit and honesty that Patty wrote with, especially with the back drop of the current SAF-AFTRA strike. The read was enhanced by Patty's narration too - always a win for me!
Although I can appreciate that this was a therapeutic exercise for the author, there certainly was a lot of bitterness expressed in the novel and this perhaps prevented me from 'enjoying' the read per se.
Thank you to Libro FM for my copy.
Promising Young Women by Caroline O'Donoghue
3.5
After reading The Rachel Incident a few months ago and being a fan of Sentimental Garbage Podcast I was elated to find a copy of Promising Young Women on my most recent trip to a book store.
Marketing assistant by day and agony aunt by night Jane is adrift. Living in a new apartment after a recent break up she seeks solace in the bottle and work. So much so that she catches the eye of her married, much older boss and tumbles into the world of the other woman.
While the novel is somewhat darker than I expected, even gothic perhaps, I did appreciate the character development and exploration of power and sex. Especially the imbalance that this creates in relationships let alone the ramifications on their personal and professional life. Relationships were at the core of this novel and what I am finding, as of late, is that I enjoy books that are very relationship heavy. While there is a lot of self development within the novel it's the relationships between Jane (herself), her boss, colleagues, friends and room mates that are the make up of the plot.
For me, there were certainly moments of sheer outrage for what Jane experienced as well as exhaustion for the cycle that she was stuck in. Whilst this can make the book all the more enjoyable, the later meant that it tended to drag for me.
In addition, I think the main element of the story that I struggled with were the mystery ailments faced by the character and the moments of memory loss. I guess there was a tinge of fantasy to this read that made it a little more difficult for me to piece everything together as most of the reasoning wasn't really made clear, medically speaking. Whilst it was a downfall for me, this also perhaps is what sets this book apart from other 'Messy Millennial' reads.
If you are a fan of Ask Shameless Newsletter or Everything I Know About Love and Dear Dolly by Dolly Alderton I think you would also enjoy this read.
Marketing assistant by day and agony aunt by night Jane is adrift. Living in a new apartment after a recent break up she seeks solace in the bottle and work. So much so that she catches the eye of her married, much older boss and tumbles into the world of the other woman.
While the novel is somewhat darker than I expected, even gothic perhaps, I did appreciate the character development and exploration of power and sex. Especially the imbalance that this creates in relationships let alone the ramifications on their personal and professional life. Relationships were at the core of this novel and what I am finding, as of late, is that I enjoy books that are very relationship heavy. While there is a lot of self development within the novel it's the relationships between Jane (herself), her boss, colleagues, friends and room mates that are the make up of the plot.
For me, there were certainly moments of sheer outrage for what Jane experienced as well as exhaustion for the cycle that she was stuck in. Whilst this can make the book all the more enjoyable, the later meant that it tended to drag for me.
In addition, I think the main element of the story that I struggled with were the mystery ailments faced by the character and the moments of memory loss. I guess there was a tinge of fantasy to this read that made it a little more difficult for me to piece everything together as most of the reasoning wasn't really made clear, medically speaking. Whilst it was a downfall for me, this also perhaps is what sets this book apart from other 'Messy Millennial' reads.
If you are a fan of Ask Shameless Newsletter or Everything I Know About Love and Dear Dolly by Dolly Alderton I think you would also enjoy this read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
The Only Girl in Town by Ally Condie
3.0
I really wasn't sure what I felt in the mood for when 'The Last Girl in Town' arrived at my front door.
18 year old July Feilding is out for a run one day, upon her return through she feels a sense of emptiness, her phone goes dead and the world suddenly seems quiet. No people, cars, insects or animals can be heard. Within a few hours July confirms that she is in fact that only girl in town. Exploring loneliness, relationships and expectations, 'The Only Girl in Town' kept me intrigued until the very end.
There were a number of factors that I enjoyed about this read including the dystopian feel, use of verse and exploration of mental health. In particular the novel encapsulated the feeling of loneliness even when you are surrounded by people and how we never really know what a person is going through. A single negative interaction with you may be amongst many they have had throughout the week. Despite the ending being a bit confusing I think I know what happened and I appreciate the skill in writing a novel which has the ability to come full circle in the end. I think that this would be an interesting read to pick up again knowing what happens in the end and the metaphysical nature of the plot.
Although I initially enjoyed the short, sharp chapters to start with they became very jarring in the end - it felt like more of a film with loads of jump cuts to build up to the climax which was very erratic to read and took away from the ending of the novel. In addition there were a few too many "world building hiccups" as the character never ate or drank anything, ran out of fuel, went for a shower or used electricity? Most importantly though the plot really dragged as there didn't seem to be much point to the character's actions throughout the novel and although the book appeared short at first it certainly dragged for me.
Overall I would be interested to see this concept played out as a film, I think it might hit just a little different.
Thank you to Hachette Australia for my gifted copy.
'The Only Girl in Town' is out September 27th.
18 year old July Feilding is out for a run one day, upon her return through she feels a sense of emptiness, her phone goes dead and the world suddenly seems quiet. No people, cars, insects or animals can be heard. Within a few hours July confirms that she is in fact that only girl in town. Exploring loneliness, relationships and expectations, 'The Only Girl in Town' kept me intrigued until the very end.
There were a number of factors that I enjoyed about this read including the dystopian feel, use of verse and exploration of mental health. In particular the novel encapsulated the feeling of loneliness even when you are surrounded by people and how we never really know what a person is going through. A single negative interaction with you may be amongst many they have had throughout the week. Despite the ending being a bit confusing I think I know what happened and I appreciate the skill in writing a novel which has the ability to come full circle in the end. I think that this would be an interesting read to pick up again knowing what happens in the end and the metaphysical nature of the plot.
Although I initially enjoyed the short, sharp chapters to start with they became very jarring in the end - it felt like more of a film with loads of jump cuts to build up to the climax which was very erratic to read and took away from the ending of the novel. In addition there were a few too many "world building hiccups" as the character never ate or drank anything, ran out of fuel, went for a shower or used electricity? Most importantly though the plot really dragged as there didn't seem to be much point to the character's actions throughout the novel and although the book appeared short at first it certainly dragged for me.
Overall I would be interested to see this concept played out as a film, I think it might hit just a little different.
Thank you to Hachette Australia for my gifted copy.
'The Only Girl in Town' is out September 27th.
Ghost Girl, Banana by Wiz Wharton
3.0
Wanting a change of pace and keen to knock another gifted read off my shelf I picked up Ghost Girl, Banana.
Ghost Girl, Banana follows a duel time line of two women, Sook-Yin and her daughter Lily. Sook-Yin's story begins on a boat headed to London on a quest to honour her family and become a trained nurse. Her life soon changes as she struggles to live in a place so far from the home she knows. Similarly, thirty years later Lily is a-drift, when a mysterious inheritance is left to her she becomes determined to understand why such a sum is left to her and if there is any connection between the money and her deceased mother. Exploring the themes of memory, siblings and belonging Ghost Girl, Banana winds the reader through time and place.
What I did enjoy about this read was the shift in time and perspective, I usually enjoy a mother-daughter story. In addition I learnt a bit about Hong Kong culture, both in the 60s and 90s (especially during the hand over) which is something I am appreciative of when reading more diverse books. There was also some moments of beautiful writing and exploration of memory, siblings and belonging. I especially appreciated how these themes connected between generations, with both mother and daughter having an interesting relationship with their sibling for example.
Overall, whilst I was intrigued in the story at the beginning it did take a slide. I think this is because it just seemed to be incredibly slow to unwind. I felt like it was going nowhere for awhile I started to avoid picking it up. In addition, I felt very isolated from the characters and their relationships and it was difficult to become invested in the narrative because of this, it felt like key scenes were missing all together from the novel, especially moments between Sook-Yin and Hei-Fong Lee.
If you enjoy slower paced reads, one that leave a trail of mystery and are shrouded in tragedy perhaps pick this one up. Unfortunately it wasn't for me. Nonetheless thank you to Hachette Australia for the gifted copy.
Ghost Girl, Banana follows a duel time line of two women, Sook-Yin and her daughter Lily. Sook-Yin's story begins on a boat headed to London on a quest to honour her family and become a trained nurse. Her life soon changes as she struggles to live in a place so far from the home she knows. Similarly, thirty years later Lily is a-drift, when a mysterious inheritance is left to her she becomes determined to understand why such a sum is left to her and if there is any connection between the money and her deceased mother. Exploring the themes of memory, siblings and belonging Ghost Girl, Banana winds the reader through time and place.
What I did enjoy about this read was the shift in time and perspective, I usually enjoy a mother-daughter story. In addition I learnt a bit about Hong Kong culture, both in the 60s and 90s (especially during the hand over) which is something I am appreciative of when reading more diverse books. There was also some moments of beautiful writing and exploration of memory, siblings and belonging. I especially appreciated how these themes connected between generations, with both mother and daughter having an interesting relationship with their sibling for example.
Overall, whilst I was intrigued in the story at the beginning it did take a slide. I think this is because it just seemed to be incredibly slow to unwind. I felt like it was going nowhere for awhile I started to avoid picking it up. In addition, I felt very isolated from the characters and their relationships and it was difficult to become invested in the narrative because of this, it felt like key scenes were missing all together from the novel, especially moments between Sook-Yin and Hei-Fong Lee.
If you enjoy slower paced reads, one that leave a trail of mystery and are shrouded in tragedy perhaps pick this one up. Unfortunately it wasn't for me. Nonetheless thank you to Hachette Australia for the gifted copy.
The Happy Couple by Naoise Dolan
3.5
I'm not sure what it is about weddings that also make for a great premise, maybe it's the range of people involved, the coming together of two families or the opinions that everything surrounding the day seems to create. Nevertheless I was after something short, sharp and witty - The Happy Couple served up all three.
Celine and Luke are getting married. After three years of dating the pair decide to make the ultimate commitment, however as the day looms closer, they and their guests reflect on their relationship and whether or not a wedding should actually take place. Told from a variety of perspectives and employing a ... style narrative The Happy Couple explores relationships,
The most noteworthy element of this book was the retelling in multiple POV. I loved how we get one view of a relationship or incident from one character's POV to then have another character entirely recontextualize or reinterpret the same relationship or incident. I think that this is something that really happens all too often in real life, but often gets forgotten. "The villain doesn't know they're the villain" is the way I heard the author describe it on 'The Women's Podcast'.
Although most of the characters were unlikeable, they were messy and interesting and we only really got a small glimpse into their minds. These glimpses often included some great moments of reflection, especially on the central theme of relationships. Notable was the harmony and melody metaphor:
"I think relationships have a melody and harmony
Melody is the bits... conversations, sex
Harmony is the boring stuff
Doing dishes, remembering birthdays, just basically keepign things going
*keeping"
The little moments of spelling errors was also enjoyable as someone who frequently proof reads their messages after sending them...
With that being said, I did find parts of the novel irritating at times - maybe it was the lack of depth when needed or lack of answers, such as the central mystery. **SPOILER** I missed finding out what happened the night of the engagement party, this was disappointing after churning through so much of the book **END SPOILER**
To end, whilst I agree with a lot of other reviews that say it is a good read but not a memorable one; If every book I read was a memorable one I don't think I'd enjoy reading as many books as I do. Some books are meant to stay with you forever and some reads you can indulge in and enjoy in the moment without having to remember it for years to come.
Overall if you enjoy stories about weddings and want something that you can consume rather quickly, consider this read.
Thank you to Hachette Australia for the gifted copy.
Celine and Luke are getting married. After three years of dating the pair decide to make the ultimate commitment, however as the day looms closer, they and their guests reflect on their relationship and whether or not a wedding should actually take place. Told from a variety of perspectives and employing a ... style narrative The Happy Couple explores relationships,
The most noteworthy element of this book was the retelling in multiple POV. I loved how we get one view of a relationship or incident from one character's POV to then have another character entirely recontextualize or reinterpret the same relationship or incident. I think that this is something that really happens all too often in real life, but often gets forgotten. "The villain doesn't know they're the villain" is the way I heard the author describe it on 'The Women's Podcast'.
Although most of the characters were unlikeable, they were messy and interesting and we only really got a small glimpse into their minds. These glimpses often included some great moments of reflection, especially on the central theme of relationships. Notable was the harmony and melody metaphor:
"I think relationships have a melody and harmony
Melody is the bits... conversations, sex
Harmony is the boring stuff
Doing dishes, remembering birthdays, just basically keepign things going
*keeping"
The little moments of spelling errors was also enjoyable as someone who frequently proof reads their messages after sending them...
With that being said, I did find parts of the novel irritating at times - maybe it was the lack of depth when needed or lack of answers, such as the central mystery. **SPOILER** I missed finding out what happened the night of the engagement party, this was disappointing after churning through so much of the book **END SPOILER**
To end, whilst I agree with a lot of other reviews that say it is a good read but not a memorable one; If every book I read was a memorable one I don't think I'd enjoy reading as many books as I do. Some books are meant to stay with you forever and some reads you can indulge in and enjoy in the moment without having to remember it for years to come.
Overall if you enjoy stories about weddings and want something that you can consume rather quickly, consider this read.
Thank you to Hachette Australia for the gifted copy.