francesmthompson's Reviews (976)

While I think I liked the characters more in this book than Rooney's first, and I still loved this novel, which is essentially a modern love story, I guess my happy astonishment at discovering her work had faded a little giving it 4-stars rather than 5. I also feel like some of the themes were the same (both had writers who apparently had such a natural talent that their very first submitted stories were accepted and published - or is that me just being bitter!) and both main male characters had a slightly too ambiguous darker/cooler side, while the female MCs' problems felt much more extreme and detailed for the reader to make more judgments of. But none of this took away from the great writing, the brilliant pacing, and the way in which young love is depicted here. Also love how Rooney writes a sex scene!

Delicious prose, dark in places, delightful in others, and I devoured it in days.

Maybe it's because I've read so many extracts or reviews of this book over the years, or maybe it's because I was expecting something more than "work hard, and be in the right place at the right time" but I was a little underwhelmed by the overall message. That said, had the story of success boiled down to anything more than a combination of luck and work, I probably would have been even less impressed. Still some interesting stories and anecdotes!

Gah, Ms Picoult, I believe your heart is near enough in the right place but I also feel the sub-title to this novel should be Why White People Shouldn't Write About Race. And I am also making a note to myself that reads: Why I Need to Stop Reading Books About Race Written by White People.

Different. Dark. Disturbing. Dragged a little but... Deserving of its recent Man Booker win.

My son really enjoyed this from age two onwards and it definitely helped him come around to the idea of having a baby in the house when I was pregnant with my second son. Loved how inclusive the drawings are too - ahead of its time in that respect.

Another book that helped prepare my son for the arrival of baby bro!