toffishay's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I found the book funny and really breezy to read despite the length. There are definitely parts that did not age well and there are points where it feels like the plot is just going in circles. I also was a little...annoyed by the way that the women talked about each other, like they weren't very good friends lol! Savannah was a favorite character of mine and I appreciated her journey of learning to love herself without romantic love. Robin was frustrating, seeing the toxic relationships and ways of thinking that she fell victim too. <SPOILER> I felt like she was being punished with pregnancy for being in touch with her sexual needs. Similarly, I felt like Gloria was being punished for being overweight and there was a lot of fatphobia being slung her way. And the relationship between her and her son Tarik was uncomfortable. At times I liked how open they were and how she tried to raise him well, but then there were times that she was like wondering what it was like when he was having sex and then walking in on him getting a blowjob. <END SPOILER> Bernadine has the most satisfying story of course, coming back to herself after an unhappy marriage and a difficult divorce. <SPOILER> I absolutely hated the part where she heard her son beating on her daughter and like smiled because he was defending her and was on her side! Like WTF! More uncomfortable mother and son dynamics. And I got the impression that this "fixed" the daughter's snooty attitude so like, we're supposed to think that was right...<END SPOILER>. It definitely is a book of ups and downs, a true down the middle 3-star read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, and Infidelity
Moderate: Sexual content, Misogyny, Sexism, Homophobia, Dementia, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Medical content, Grief, Drug use, Terminal illness, Racism, Vomit, Mental illness, and Toxic friendship
alyssamakesart's review against another edition
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was interesting to read as someone who never really dated as an adult and was born a few years after the book's setting. Though many themes and such feel timeless. Two of the less mature women (that didn't have kids to fret about) kind of ran together until I realized one was a crystal girly. So did most of the men. I'm looking forward to trying more of McMillan's books in the future.
Despite all my trigger warnings, overall it was a very warm book. The friendship and the other elements beyond (most of) the men in these women's lives balanced out the chaos of dating, infidelity, and child-rearing.
Despite all my trigger warnings, overall it was a very warm book. The friendship and the other elements beyond (most of) the men in these women's lives balanced out the chaos of dating, infidelity, and child-rearing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Infidelity
Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Cursing, and Gaslighting
Minor: Dementia, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Racism, Pregnancy, Classism, Drug use, and Medical trauma
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