Heidi

Best book of the series.

Ties with the first one (so far) for being my favorite of the series.

Read this for a book club. The author has clearly done her research and presents a story to zoom in on a few big ways in which inequality is perpetuated and society is controlled and manipulated by unethical and lazy uses of statistics. It's really important shit to know about and try to fix. But honestly, I already knew of most of these things, maybe not so in depth though. I really didn't need a zoomed in view of all the reasons I already know I hate capitalism.

Only read if you are able to separate the movie and the book (if you liked or watched the movie). They can only be read as two separate stories. The characters are very different. I watched the movie and then learned there was a book, and figured since the movie was so good the book would be too. The book is missing elements good books should have, such as characters that are able to change, and characters with redeemable characteristics. The priest is evil, greedy, and has no good traits. Vianne is a bit bitchy. Armande is a pretty cool old lady. It is also difficult to distinguish in what time period the story takes place.

I low-key hated this book. I got about 2/3 in, for reasons I can probably only describe as sunk-cost fallacy, I have a very hard time not finishing a book. But this one just really sucked.

Where is the chemistry between Anna and Cam?
Cam is a gross pushy man who follows Anna home and forces his way into her apartment after she says no.
He is regularly surprised when Anna reacts like a sensible human to situations because she's a woman and to him women are silly delicate people who need protection. Or how he called her mom defenseless in the scene where she is mentioned (not spoiling it here).
He also marvels at how she's “not like other women”, see again references to her not being totally stupid??
She's a strong smart woman who somehow falls for Cam's minimal boomer man charm...not sure this needs more explanation.

This book probably wasn't a great one when it came out but damn it has not aged well.