Terri
This was a little tough to read at times, but it made me feel seen in so many ways and it made me think. I'd definitely recommend it, but to specific people.
I saw selected quotes from this book elsewhere, which is what drew me to it initially. However, aside from those quotes there wasn't much else to keep me invested. Some of these essays felt less like essays and more like journal entries with no real point or purpose. Tolentino is definitely a skilled writer, and an excellent storyteller, but aside from a couple of the essays this collection wasn't really my cup of tea.
The writing style of this book is definitely unique, and I was intrigued by the plot at the beginning. However, I honestly found the main character, Janina, annoying and the twist at the end barely felt like a twist at all. The endless paragraphs of astrological ramblings also distracted from the plot. There was one surprising element, but it wasn't enough to make up for the rest in my opinion.
This would've sufficed as a short story rather than an entire novel, but that wouldn't change the fact that the writing is immature and sickly.
A stilted attempt at dark academia. Students having affairs with their professors is definitely fucked up, but not fucked up enough to be surprising.
I enjoyed the visual aspect of this book, but the stories felt disjointed and by the end I found myself re-reading pages to figure out how we'd gotten here.
Nosy main character utterly lacking in common sense and a “twist” so predictable and cartoonish that it was almost insulting. Finished this only because it was a quick read (i.e easy to skim)Won't be reading any more by Riley Sager, [b:Home Before Dark 50833559 Home Before Dark Riley Sager https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1571683410l/50833559.SX50_SY75.jpg 73695354] wasn't as bad as this one but it still felt like a waste of time. Word of advice: maybe trusting a random stranger just because he's hot and rich isn't the wisest idea????
The first quarter of this book is great, really motivational and all. But eventually, it becomes repetitive because all of the physical pain and challenges that Goggins experiences are created because he was ill-prepared for the challenges that he puts on himself. Not doing any research before the Ironman Triathalon was where I put this book down - he could've avoided any struggle by simply doing his homework beforehand. Who shows up to a triathlon without knowing how to repair a bike? How does a Navy SEAL flub the swimming portion of a triathlon composed of a bunch of skinny hippies? I'm from Hawai'i, I've seen the Ironman contestants in training and on the road, and Goggins should've been able to breeze through the swimming portion like nothing, but he showed up with a too-tight wetsuit.
At that point it really just seemed like he wanted to suffer, and it was getting old.
I was also getting tired of the constant sexist remarks. Having a vagina isn't a sign of weakness - not Googling “how to prepare for a triathlon” is.
Much like the first book, I read this despite Lyra's character. It was enjoyable enough for me to continue the series, but not so much that I'd want to read it again or recommend it to anyone.
Reichl's writing style is approachable, and the story is captivating enough to have kept me reading despite never having read Gourmet magazine before. I mainly stuck with this one for the food writing - the descriptions of various meals were the highlight for me, though I wish there were more.
However, I will say that this book's biggest weakness is the detachment from reality. Not only is the vast majority of the dialogue bizarrely unrealistic (especially when it comes to the author's child), but I find it hard to believe - as with most memoirs - that the author is able to recount, in detail, conversations that took place two decades ago.
Along with that there is the fact that the author is set on convincing readers that she is down to earth and just like everyone else, and that the Condé Nast editor-in-chief lifestyle just isn't natural for her. Yet her normal lifestyle is downright extravagant - maybe not in comparison to having a yearly clothing budget paid for by your employer, but enough to set her apart from the average American before she even took on the role. This isn't something I'd hold against her - or anyone - but the way she draws attention to it over and over becomes grating.
All in all, it's an easy read and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in the culinary world.
While I enjoyed the actual plot, there was something off with the narration. It felt more like the author was speaking, rather than Jacob himself. I cringed at many moments and it distracted from the actual events of the story.
The photos in this book felt forced and irrelevant, as though they were thrown in as an afterthought. None of them felt in place with the story, and it seemed like the author was just trying to toss in as many as possible this time around.
The romance aspect was also a negative for me. It felt forced, and many of the cringiest parts revolved around this. It was painfully obvious that a grown man was writing these scenes, and the narration of Jacob's thoughts/feelings, rather than a teenage boy.
I am curious enough to read the next book due to the cliffhanger, but it's definitely in spite of the narration style.
I wasn't expecting to like this one as much as I did. I'd describe it as dreamlike, it's dangerously close to being confusing but somehow it never is. Everything flows naturally.
Did no one proofread this? I caught at least four major typos throughout the book. The whole thing read like really bad fan fiction, it had the same effect as binge-reading someone's Tumblr. The bland love interest was named Pilot Penn, whom the main character inexplicably nicknames “Pies”. Her “quirky”best friend is named Babe Lozenge. Babe....Lozenge. She should've just called her Lola Riccola and been done with it. I was half expecting the plot twist to be that the narrator was really in a mental institution the entire time and had fabricated the entire plot, using inanimate objects as her “friends”.
I have more thoughts but this book has already wasted my time so I won't give it any more.
I honestly had to force myself to get through this one. While I thought the first one was original, engaging, and had me hooked, I admit that I was losing interest by the end of it. And this one is just an extension of the first, nonstop battle jargon, Rin being completely immature and ridiculous, and too many descriptions of irrelevant things. I won't be reading the third.
I read the book after watching the film and and this is a rare case where I prefer the film. The book is written in the format of letters between characters, which takes a while to get used to. It also detracts from any sense of place.
The character of Juliet is also less likable in the book, and there's a lack of overall realism in the plot. Everything is too perfect, everyone is a bit too happy. Where the book sugarcoats history and the tension between individuals affected by the war, the film depicts a more realistic picture. One example is when Juliet asks to tell the story of the islanders and letters begin to pour in, with everyone all too willing to share details about Elizabeth and Kit. In the film, this is a point of contention, and understandably so.
The most unrealistic moment for me in the book was when Juliet decides to adopt Kit without asking any of her current guardians. When she does break the news, they're overjoyed that a complete stranger is willing to take away this child that is essentially part of their family. It felt completely detached from reality and far too Disney-princess of a situation for me to really feel immersed in the world.
The romance was also a disappointment in the book. While we have two hours of flustered faces and tension in the film, there is almost nothing to imply attraction between Dawsey and Juliet in the book until the very end. Again, this made things very unrealistic and it felt forced.
I don't feel comfortable leaving reviews of holy texts, but I will say that when I do re-read this I would like to seek out a different translation to gain a different perspective. I felt that this version was too verbose, and a lot of the meaning was lost in that.
I enjoyed it, but it felt rushed. And the ending felt a little bit too far out for me to fully believe it. How did Nicolette's entire family (and her friends, and the TOWN - not to mention her doctors) manage to hide the fact that she had an entire child, gave it up, and then promptly forgot about it?? Even more puzzling is the fact that she somehow accepted this bizarre explanation when her husband countered her suspicion of him having an affair.
At this point I started losing interest in the series. The magic that I felt in the first book has dissipated, and the characters have begun to annoy me.
I finished this book mainly because I didn't have the energy to start a new one at the time. The mystery of Cahalan's illness intrigued me, but I found her to be unlikeable and couldn't connect.
