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wellreadred's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide and Murder
sashabaker177's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
In many ways a very atypical book, written from the perspective of a fairly naïve and unambitious character. The prose style is very judicious, almost cold, which I really liked, and I enjoyed hearing the perspective of a female main character who appeared about as far from an author self-insert as you can get. Her passivity is frustrating at times and tragic at others. We know at the beginning that she shoots her husband, so the book asks us to look at what led her to that. The resulting text is a dark portrait of marriage in which a woman's job is endure until she can endure no longer. The final lines were evocative, and while I initially found them unsatisfying, I have come to appreciate the author's decision to choose a fate for the main character that calls into question her purpose in her husband's absence.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Gaslighting
Minor: Infidelity, Misogyny, and Suicide
drummond's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Suicide, and Murder
bookshelfhannah's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Murder
thriftybookishlucy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
mahalia's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book raised my standards in men. Not necessarily because the men in it were good, but they were so awful I raised my standards higher to be safe.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, and Murder
Moderate: Suicide
whatrachelread's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Where have you been all my life, Natalia Ginzburg?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Murder
Minor: Suicide
tomnorth's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Infidelity
restlessreaderjay's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The best way to read this is in one setting. Also, it's stream-of-consiousness-y, so if that's not something you like to read, you're not going to like this book.
This book falls into my personal Good For Her books - in terms specifically of her offing her husband. By the end of it, I was as bitter towards her husband as she was.
I thought the first few pages were a little slow. If you stick with it though, by page 20 you're into it. I think what I enjoyed most was the main character's descent into rage and despair - at times I almost wanted to shake with it myself. None of these characters are all that loveable. All of them are deeply flawed, all of them fucking suck in different ways, and all of them have chosen/been given shitty lots in life. I definitely recommend reading it, but not if you want a happy ending.
This book falls into my personal Good For Her books - in terms specifically of her offing her husband. By the end of it, I was as bitter towards her husband as she was.
I thought the first few pages were a little slow. If you stick with it though, by page 20 you're into it. I think what I enjoyed most was the main character's descent into rage and despair - at times I almost wanted to shake with it myself. None of these characters are all that loveable. All of them are deeply flawed, all of them fucking suck in different ways, and all of them have chosen/been given shitty lots in life. I definitely recommend reading it, but not if you want a happy ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, and Murder
Moderate: Infidelity and Toxic relationship
Minor: Death, Suicide, and Vomit
angel_kiiss's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Murder
Minor: Death, Suicide, Vomit, and Grief