miromie's Reviews (148)

I loved this book! It was funny, touching, and emotional without taking too much of a toll on the reader. The cast of characters are sweet and highly lovable. I really enjoyed reading this and watching the relationships and situations develop. 

This short book is very, very strange but oddly enjoyable. I liked how unconventional Wilder was in her approach to writing something personal, vulnerable, and open.

A challenging read about the #MeToo movement that I sort of liked. I felt the characters were complicated without being developed (which was weird) and that Gaitskill mainly focused on the overall idea of the book rather than the characters and what they could have given to the concept of the short story.

Simply put, this memoir is beautiful and heartbreaking. From the perspective of Japanese Breakfast’s head Michelle Zauner, readers learn of her mother’s battle with cancer. The love Zauner has for her mother is evident and readers are devastated along with her. Zauner has an extraordinary ability to make readers feel what she is feeling, allowing a closeness between author and reader that one does not always get. I appreciated Zauner’s vulnerability and openness. 

I enjoyed this novel, mostly. I liked the rotating perspectives; hearing from each woman gave the story a dynamic edge. Hope was able to make each character interesting without having too much of a plot. I really felt as if each character served a purpose. No one was there without having a meaning, which can sometimes be difficult to achieve. As a reader, I fell in and out of love with each Hannah, Cate, and Lissa, giving the story a realistic tone and feeling. However, I do feel as if the novel went on for just a bit too long, though the ending was very satisfying and nice. I just felt that some of the middle and close to the end could have been cut. 

This is my second Wolitzer novel and I enjoyed it just as much as I did the first one, perhaps even more. I really like stories that follow a group of friends; I like seeing the inevitable changes that life wroughts. Wolitzer’s 2013 novel examines life, love, friendships, and relationships in a way that is fresh, interesting, and realistic. I felt drawn in by each character and their situation, and was impressed by how Wolitzer was able to twist their individual stories into the bigger picture. I was also impressed by how Wolitzer told the story. At some points in the novel, the story is told non-linearly, which I enjoyed and felt gave the novel depth and interest. 

A reflective, emotional, and inspiring book that I felt informed the reader without losing its personal touch.

A quick read that is informative and inspiring that I enjoyed, despite the author's history.