Scan barcode
katie_holder's review against another edition
3.0
Mediocre, horrible mixed with a tad of brilliance. First of all there is entirely too many words in this novel and it jumps around so often to different time frames that many times I stopped reading saying I have no idea what’s going on. The characters were pretty Blah, the two characters I loved unfortunately were more like decorations in the book. Denny and Rob I believe their stories would have been worth the read.
Now you’re probably thinking wait if it was so horrible why the 3 stars and why did you continue reading. Truth: I skimmed a lot in the middle of the book and at times I thought of giving up. It took me almost 3 weeks to finish this. So why I continued to read was 1. I needed to make sure Evie didn’t end up with Mark.
2. The way Jack died actually pulled me back in, his funeral and the priest’s speech was heartbreaking.
3. I hated that Evie was so weak and her life revolved around the men in her life, she never actually found out who she was just focused on her obsession with a man that in my opinion should have never had any relationship with her. (Her high school drama teacher). Yet I could relate with the heartbreak of being in love and unexpectedly losing that love.
4. I also admired her for coming to the conclusion that the way she hurt Jack, was the way Rourke hurt her. She recognized her part in making things difficult for others and that’s laudable.
I also had so many feelings about this book, anger, disgust, sadness, and a lot of “but why”, to the point where I discussed the book over dinner with my husband (who did not read it and will not read it.) Now for a book to bring up that much controversy in my mind means it has something, and although I’m so happy it’s over and I won’t be rereading it I’m glad to have read it.
Should you read it? That my friend is completely up to you, I’ll be donating my copy to the friends of the library so if you chose to read it I recommend getting it somewhere for free first.
Now you’re probably thinking wait if it was so horrible why the 3 stars and why did you continue reading. Truth: I skimmed a lot in the middle of the book and at times I thought of giving up. It took me almost 3 weeks to finish this. So why I continued to read was 1. I needed to make sure Evie didn’t end up with Mark.
2. The way Jack died actually pulled me back in, his funeral and the priest’s speech was heartbreaking.
3. I hated that Evie was so weak and her life revolved around the men in her life, she never actually found out who she was just focused on her obsession with a man that in my opinion should have never had any relationship with her. (Her high school drama teacher). Yet I could relate with the heartbreak of being in love and unexpectedly losing that love.
4. I also admired her for coming to the conclusion that the way she hurt Jack, was the way Rourke hurt her. She recognized her part in making things difficult for others and that’s laudable.
I also had so many feelings about this book, anger, disgust, sadness, and a lot of “but why”, to the point where I discussed the book over dinner with my husband (who did not read it and will not read it.) Now for a book to bring up that much controversy in my mind means it has something, and although I’m so happy it’s over and I won’t be rereading it I’m glad to have read it.
Should you read it? That my friend is completely up to you, I’ll be donating my copy to the friends of the library so if you chose to read it I recommend getting it somewhere for free first.
flower's review against another edition
i think the most interesting commentary was about uninvolved parenting and the flipside into control from partners (overprotectiveness and varying degrees of "ownership" from the men involved). i don't know how this book was viewed at the time of release, but i think it could lend to good discussions on autonomy.
mjkmeekins's review against another edition
5.0
This book was slow-going, but absolutely incredible. It is not so much the story of a typical girl--if anything, the speed and depth of Evie's relationships are atypical--as it is a journey through the troubled psyche of a teenage girl as she proceeds into her mid-twenties. It's beautifully written but requires a lot of attention--particularly to the dates at the beginning of the chapters, as the author has a tendency to jump around in time. I've only read it once so far, but it has quickly become one of my favorites.
rachwindsor's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
2.75
chasitywick's review against another edition
2.0
I never actually finished this book. I got to page 242 and just couldn't bring myself to finish it. It wasn't bad but it was kind of bland. I'm going to keep it until I have to take it back to the library. Maybe I'll read a little more of it.
augustinianseptember's review against another edition
reflective
slow-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
2.0
vegprincess's review against another edition
3.0
At times this book was more like 3.5 stars but I gave it 3 for "overall." I didn't like the book as much as I thought I would. I think it could have been a little shorter and there were a few points in the book where it kind of dragged along. I really didn't care for Eveline, the heroine of the novel, as she was bland and weak and didn't generate any emotion in me. I can hate a character and love a book but I couldn't even hate Eveline because she was just too "blah". I did enjoy the writing style, though, which is why I can say I liked the book. Thayer Hamann does have a way with language. I'm thinking that maybe my expectations were too high (one of the blurbs on the back of the book said that this is basically the next Catcher in the Rye. Eveline is no Holden Caulfield)or it just wasn't the right time for me to read it but the book just didn't resonate with me. To be fair, I'll probably read it again and maybe I'll feel differently.
doritobabe's review against another edition
Listening to the 50 page rule. This book didn't captivate me in 2011 when I bought it, nor does it captivate me now.
Putting away (again) for a rainy day...
Putting away (again) for a rainy day...
anniewill's review against another edition
2.0
There was so much about this book that irritated me. I ended up forcing myself to read it because I had a mild interest in what happened to Evie- quite possibly one of the most annoyingly self absorbed female characters I have ever read. If there was a man in the book who was not in love with her----and not just "in love" with her; completely entranced by her beauty and sexuality----I didn't come across him. Even the gay characters were enraptured with her!
And, why? She was so dull and depressing and dreary, as were her male love interests. Oh.my.god. Make the torturous relationship with Rourke just end already! Who cares? Really, Evie? Just because the relationship ended (in a way in which I never quite understood why), doesn't require you to drift through life as if in a coma for the next three years. And, why is she with Mark? Why is she so dependent on men? Why isn't her mother (an ardent feminist) more interested in her relationship choices? Why is she such a pathetic character? Annoying.
Although Evie is a few years older than me, I was coming of age about the same time she was and honestly, I didn't know any women like her. I just can't imagine it!
I think this book could have used a good editor (a common complaint I have with current literature)- someone who could have knocked off at least 200 pages of HTH's superfluous writing. Man, that woman likes her own writing. And I found some of her supposedly wise insight laughably naive and obvious. Sheesh.
I found myself thinking that maybe this is a book for young women. I imagine HTH revisiting this book in her forties and cringing at the writing. At least, I hope she will have matured as a writer and will find her "insight" cringe worthy. I certainly did.