anndahlquist's Reviews (156)

I’d seen this book gaining popularity but wasn’t interested until my friend recommended the audiobook. This story quickly pulled me in and kept me engaged throughout. I really liked the use of a vocal cast for this audiobook. It brought the story to life and made it feel more dynamic and really fun to listen to. The interview format gave each character their own voice and their discrepancies added to the charm and honesty of the story. All of the characters felt real, full of flaws and biases, but together they tell a compelling story of love and loss, talent and addiction in a way that was nostalgic without being overly sentimental. Although I may have still teared up at the end. (What. I’m a Cancer

This is one of the most enjoyable books I’ve read this year. I couldn’t put it down but didn’t want it to end. The writing style and characters and overall ambiance are just so enthralling. It’s glamorous and grimy, hopeful and heartbreaking, and it draws you in and keeps you captivated on every single page. Now I understand this book won’t be for everyone, but it suited me just swell.

Engaging, charming, quirky, sweet and enchanting. This story has just a hint of the fantastical to give it that extra magic. But anyone who has worked with sourdough starter knows that it is a little magical. If you’ve baked something from scratch you know how gratifying it is and if you’ve made sourdough you know that it’s a relationship and a respect for those living organisms that make the bread so delicious. This book highlights the starkly different relationships human beings can have with food. From nutrient sludge meant for sustenance alone to the joy of baking ones own sourdough from an immortal starter with a mind of its own. This is a heartwarming book and I’m glad I read it.

Maybe I’m just not artsy enough. But this was dumb. I’m not sure how it won an award. I hated the characters and constantly had the desire to bash their heads together. It made me glad I was never in high school theatre, which as depicted here seems misguidedly pretentious.

As someone who has been impacted by gaslighters throughout my life, I think it’s so important to have educational resources like this available. Because gaslighters attack your own sense of sanity it’s natural to blame yourself for what is happening to you and to question whether it is actually happening. I have cut ties with my gaslighters but it’s still helpful to have a name for what I went through and to have something I thought was only in my head clearly defined and described on paper. This book describes gaslighting not only in romantic relationships but also in politics, cults, workplace, family and friends. I think it’s so critical to be aware that these types of people exist so that we can protect ourselves against the long term damage they are capable of and to get out of these toxic relationships.