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documentno_is's Reviews (1.29k)
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Really informed the way that I produce and review art. A summation of an exhaled feeling so difficult to achieve.
informative
medium-paced
Purchased for a class on 17th century Dutch painting. Very informative.
How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are: Love, Style, and Bad Habits
Caroline de Maigret, Anne Berest, Audrey Diwan
challenging
funny
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Fun essays on style and French culture, and I’ve intentionally chosen to not take them too seriously. In other ways this book is very much female entrapment, coated in imprisoning language of how women must operate in the world to be “in the right way.”
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Incredibly difficult to read, Moshfegh really manages to dredge up the worst humanity has to offer with McGlue.
Seemingly, a severely alcoholic man comes to terms with his homosexuality after he murders his friend in 1850s Massachusetts.
I will say the book had me gripped. Some of the language was likely period accurate but difficult to reckon with. The whole thing left me feeling rather murky, but without a doubt Moshfegh is skilled at creating a scene ,tension, and complexity in this hell. The unreliable narrator and pacing were incredibly effective.
I will say the book had me gripped. Some of the language was likely period accurate but difficult to reckon with. The whole thing left me feeling rather murky, but without a doubt Moshfegh is skilled at creating a scene ,tension, and complexity in this hell. The unreliable narrator and pacing were incredibly effective.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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:
No
A cute YA read that went quickly and felt earnest and optimistic
I will say this book encounters a bizarre space of YA books that tackles or speaks on more than YA subject matter with middle grade level prose. It wasn’t necessarily poorly written but isn’t taking home any literary awards anytime soon.
I will say this book encounters a bizarre space of YA books that tackles or speaks on more than YA subject matter with middle grade level prose. It wasn’t necessarily poorly written but isn’t taking home any literary awards anytime soon.
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If I’d rated this book in the first half it would have been a much lower rating, but this one really took a while to find its footing.
Aside from the rather insufferable characters, the first half of the novel felt like a dollar store rom com rip off of 30 rock minus the complexity and minus the humor ( and I don’t find Tina fey to be that funny either although I imagine the author holds her in high regard after reading this book.)
So I was rather surprised when the second half of the novel turned into this earnest and clumsytwo middle aged people falling into an awkward but passionate love amplified by the situation of Covid.
The celebrity angle neither fully added or detracted from the story, except to have me to go through greater length of finding the male lead not a scumbag (private jet and he’s mad at her for being insecure ?? What??)
Either way the enjoyment of the second half couldn’t quite get me over the draining nature of watching unlikable characters compile a sketch show in what felt like real time ( I mean I REALLY feel the author could have given us a lot less… process) and trying to convince us the female lead is SO smart and SO witty besides resorting to middle grade poop humor- and don’t take me for some pearl clutcher it just want funny and relied too heavily on its immaturity.
On the redemption arc I found the treatment of Covid to be pertinent but not cloying and I disagreed with the characters choices to expose themselves in certain times in the same ways I did in my real life relationships. It accurately replicated the loneliness, uncertainty, and absolute removal of the wealthy classes’ lives from normal society. Even if that wasn’t exactly its intention.
Aside from the rather insufferable characters, the first half of the novel felt like a dollar store rom com rip off of 30 rock minus the complexity and minus the humor ( and I don’t find Tina fey to be that funny either although I imagine the author holds her in high regard after reading this book.)
So I was rather surprised when the second half of the novel turned into this earnest and clumsy
The celebrity angle neither fully added or detracted from the story, except to have me to go through greater length of finding the male lead not a scumbag (private jet and he’s mad at her for being insecure ?? What??)
Either way the enjoyment of the second half couldn’t quite get me over the draining nature of watching unlikable characters compile a sketch show in what felt like real time ( I mean I REALLY feel the author could have given us a lot less… process) and trying to convince us the female lead is SO smart and SO witty besides resorting to middle grade poop humor- and don’t take me for some pearl clutcher it just want funny and relied too heavily on its immaturity.
On the redemption arc I found the treatment of Covid to be pertinent but not cloying and I disagreed with the characters choices to expose themselves in certain times in the same ways I did in my real life relationships. It accurately replicated the loneliness, uncertainty, and absolute removal of the wealthy classes’ lives from normal society. Even if that wasn’t exactly its intention.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
One of the most incredible books I’ve ever read, a thorough and imaginative vision of the depths of “humanity.” Sure they are alien nations but they are all direct analogs of human systems and go out of their way not to hide this. The pain of beauty of humanity, the hope, and the constant change (and the very human fear of change) laid out in beautiful imagination.
In terms of recommending the reading- I’m not sure everyone will get as much out of it. It’s certainly reading for ideology and requires these considerations or the narrative will fall rather flat. It was sometimes something I had to “push” through. I don’t always read books for entertainment but by the end there was some tense element of entertaining.
About 9/10 of the way through it became very bleak, but I do think the author managed to swing some hopefulness into it. I do think a text of this ideological nature should end in some element of hope or change.
In terms of recommending the reading- I’m not sure everyone will get as much out of it. It’s certainly reading for ideology and requires these considerations or the narrative will fall rather flat. It was sometimes something I had to “push” through. I don’t always read books for entertainment but by the end there was some tense element of entertaining.
About 9/10 of the way through it became very bleak, but I do think the author managed to swing some hopefulness into it. I do think a text of this ideological nature should end in some element of hope or change.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
cute fun romance, easy to read
Poorly written at some parts but nothing so glaring I couldn’t get past it
Does what it sets out to
Poorly written at some parts but nothing so glaring I couldn’t get past it
Does what it sets out to
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I haven't pursued an MFA but have been in a few writing workshops and I think Awad's points were solid. The novel bridged on being literary but took a contemporary up-front approach to it and I appreciated the magical-realism presentation of those ideas. A lot of the reviews mention it being impenetrable or weird but I found it to be rather the opposite, the metaphors were heavy handed and the prose was bare and repetitive. I rather liked the repetition and mirroring- I found it effective in conveying its ideas.
The concept itself was amazing- although I'm left wondering how on earth this got published. Im still very glad it did.
Anyway, if you need to connect to characters or follow a plot this is likely not the novel for you. Although the characters Awad has created are amazing in their mannerisms, dress, dialogue, etc. they still operate in a distance from the narrator that never truly allows you to connect with any of them. This novel is a barreling bullet train of writing metaphors and character construction and I think it is told in an earnest fashion. The work is also starkly self-referential in a way that had me doubled over on the floor cackling for much of it. Try not to approach it too literally, or do, whatevs.
The concept itself was amazing- although I'm left wondering how on earth this got published. Im still very glad it did.
Anyway, if you need to connect to characters or follow a plot this is likely not the novel for you. Although the characters Awad has created are amazing in their mannerisms, dress, dialogue, etc. they still operate in a distance from the narrator that never truly allows you to connect with any of them. This novel is a barreling bullet train of writing metaphors and character construction and I think it is told in an earnest fashion. The work is also starkly self-referential in a way that had me doubled over on the floor cackling for much of it. Try not to approach it too literally, or do, whatevs.