Though this is intended as a sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, it needs to be read with a different perspective and a different set of expectations. Those who appreciated the ending of The Handmaid's Tale and value the ambiguity of that should not read this book as it will absolutely create some spoilers.

As for me, this was a very enjoyable read. I loved the 3 person POV experience. I did enjoy returning to Gilead and I liked the history presented through Aunt Lydia's chapters. However, I do with that the perspective of Daisy had been slightly different. She was a bit overly immature and unable to pretend to conform. That was disappointing, as it seems like she should have been smarter.

I do think that this will be a reread down the line and it is prompting me to go back and reread the original.

* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

There is an audience out there for this book, but I discovered that I am not a part of it. The writing is good, but the approach to the narrative is awkward and I found myself slogging through the pages. The construction felt confusing and was quite poor for my experience. In fact, it nearly put me in a reading slump out of frustration.

Readers need to be aware before going into this book that it is a dense read that requires time and a slow, pensive read. It is very stream of consciousness and definitely holds up to its claim to be meta. Readers also need to have some background understanding of Roman mythology and Shakespeare, as there are a LOT of references and the book is definitely based upon a firm knowledge of The Tempest and Twelfth Night. Without this preparation, there is a lot that will be missed.

For those who do love Shakespeare and can handle the stream of consciousness approach that includes occasional heavy digression, this will be an enjoyable read. Walton does have talent in her writing and her prose is quite lyrically beautiful.

In my experience, I could appreciate some of the meta parallels created between Sylvia's world and her book creation, but there wasn't a lot of progressive plot that kept me interested. There was a lot of implication and not enough storytelling. It felt like two separate books shoved together and I received no satisfaction from either one in the end.

I also had difficulty with the characters. I was interested in them at the beginning, but as the book went on it felt like the reader was held at arm's length and I really wasn't allowed to know them fully. This left them a bit flat on the page. The only character who did allow some insight was Sylvia, and even with her I wanted more truth.

This book does have its merits and, as I said in the beginning, there are definitely readers who will fall in love with this. I do caution potential readers to go in prepared and select this carefully though, as for many it will not be comprehensible and enjoyable read.

An impactful book from a unique point of view. While most of the racial bias type of novels I have read seem to have centered on the fallout in general after a racially charged event, Such a Fun Age focuses on the close circle of those involved/affected without any direct impact from public opinion (this does not mean that perceived public opinion does not play a definite role in this book). I liked this approach, as the "main event" certainly has its place and focus, but the real guts of the story stay in a very close sphere, allowing the characters to really demonstrate their own personal reactions based solely on their own personalities, experiences, and views.

There was a big cringe factor for me in this book on several levels, as we watch people just making horrible assumptions and failing to look at the big picture. I was particularly disappointed in the characters of Alix and Kelly, but also recognize that they absolutely represent people who do exist in society. The portrayal of misguided actions is very well done, while still being realistically subtle. In fact, realism was executed well from beginning to end. While I found the ending sad for several reasons, it was so amazingly real. Life doesn't always turn out sunshine and roses and not everyone learns from their mistakes or handles missteps appropriately. I applaud Reid's willingness to create an ending that may not have pleased all of her readers, but that presented a more "real life" kind of example.

I was minorly disappointed in the execution of some of the characters. I wish that there had been a slightly different approach to the portrayal of Emira's friend group. These individuals were supposed to be in their mid-to-late 20's, but the overall vibe was a bit more immature than I would have expected. I would have appreciated a more balanced approach to these characters (instead of only portraying them only as partiers). I also wish that Alix would have been given some kind of redeeming quality. Though her narcissism is at the core of who she is, it would have been good to see her having something that didn't just make her look so far to the side of "bad rich white lady". A little complexity could have made her an even more identifiable and realistic character.

This multiple POV thriller is a SUPER SLOW burn with a lot of setup that makes it sometimes feel like literary fiction instead of a thriller. The last 1/3 of the book seriously picks up the pace and all of the pieces suddenly come all tumbling together. If the pacing and tension of this section extended to the full length, this would have easily been a 5-star read.

The writing is good, with just enough description to paint a picture, but not being overly flowery. It is in line with the setting an the atmosphere surrounding the characters. It shifts in tone appropriately for each of the six POVs, five characters plus narrator.

The majority of the characters are unlikable, at least in the beginning. The bride particularly was a bit insufferable. This is intentional, but I still found myself not loving her chapters because I found her to be so spoiled and entitled. There is some redemption that comes along the way for one or two of the characters, which I found satisfying. On top of that, there are A LOT of dysfunctional relationships. However, all of the characters are all very distinct and have strong individual personalities.

The setting is good--dark and creepy--making things have a nice gothic feel. I'm a sucker for a great gothic novel. This atmosphere was used to its advantage on a few occasions, but I honestly wouldn't have minded even more exploration of the house or the island. I found it very intriguing.

Though it wasn't what I was expecting, I enjoyed my read and liked the ending quite a bit. I do worry that the slow setup could cause some readers to bail for lack of action.