Reviews

I liked this one more than I thought I would. The sense of place and time is really strong and I loved the spunk and confidence of Katey, the main character. It was slower in some parts, but I really enjoyed it by the end.

rhymeswithpurple's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I really liked the resolution of the book, but a lot of the events felt like filler trying to bide the reader’s time until we got there. A disappointment after A Gentleman in Moscow.

nblackstock's review against another edition

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5.0

This book created an interesting peek into the life of a smart single girl living in NYC in the late 30’s. I kept thinking some of the details could have been cut, but all of those end were tied up by end of the book and made so much more sense.

dianevallere's review against another edition

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5.0

LOVED.

sarahjunebooks's review against another edition

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4.0

It was a bit difficult to rate this book without comparing it to A Gentleman in Moscow. While it was still wildly entertaining and Mr. Towles proves time and time again that his wit & humor are not a one hit wonder, this book wasn't AS magical or magnificent as his second literary work. There are certain subject matters in this book that also make me a bit hesitant to give it a 5-star rating. With all that said, this book was still great fun to read. I thoroughly enjoy Towles writing and am certain to read any and all of his future work. As this is his debut novel, I would still like to give credit where credit is due - the characters are superb. I was a little uncertain of how I would get on with the first person POV, but in the end it didn't change the way I thought of the book. Good writing is just that, good writing.

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