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siobhanward's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
NYT Notable Books 2022: 19/100
This book had a cool concept but I struggled with the execution. The novel within a novel was cool, especially as the book started to unfold and more plots were revealed. However, I found that this book being made up of four books wound up being confusing and I found the middle hard to follow and hard to decipher what was happening. I just wish the book had been as strong as it could have been!
This book had a cool concept but I struggled with the execution. The novel within a novel was cool, especially as the book started to unfold and more plots were revealed. However, I found that this book being made up of four books wound up being confusing and I found the middle hard to follow and hard to decipher what was happening. I just wish the book had been as strong as it could have been!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Forced institutionalization
Minor: Death and Terminal illness
courtofsmutandstuff's review against another edition
5.0
I go into books blind, and I think this is a book I would have liked better if I had known more than "it won the Pulitzer". I think this would be a great book to study in college, and especially would be a good book to reread to evaluate how all 4 "books"connect to each other and to think about what the real "truth" is.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, and Self harm
carojust's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.5
I love when authors play with readers, and give us room to find our own way. "Trust" is a game-like experience, serious in its content and fun in its unfolding. Hernan Diaz plants subtle details the entire way, in an intricate design that tests our own prejudices. With this level of creativity, and a historically loyal take on 1920s financial events and New York high society, I understand why this has become such a highly recognized book.
There are some heavy themes: sexism, racism, capitalist and radical idealism, and most at the forefront, the duplicity of people (okay, men).
Primarily, and in fear of giving too much away, this is a story about the fragile male ego.
You'll love this if you enjoy books that challenge your perspective, intelligent commentary on capitalist societies, and American historical fiction.
There are some heavy themes: sexism, racism, capitalist and radical idealism, and most at the forefront, the duplicity of people (okay, men).
Primarily, and in fear of giving too much away, this is a story about the fragile male ego.
You'll love this if you enjoy books that challenge your perspective, intelligent commentary on capitalist societies, and American historical fiction.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Misogyny, Racism, Self harm, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Medical trauma, and War
asims723's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The review I wish I had seen myself before reading this:
Part 1: Bonds, a fiction novel about a wealthy Wall Street couple
Part 2: Unfinished Autobiography by "real life" inspiration for the MMC in Bonds
Part 3: Memoir of the Unfinished Autobiography's ghost writer
Part 4: Journal of "real life" inspiration for FMC in Bonds
In my opinion, Part 3 could have been left out.
I haven't read anything exactly like this before.
Part 1: Bonds, a fiction novel about a wealthy Wall Street couple
Part 2: Unfinished Autobiography by "real life" inspiration for the MMC in Bonds
Part 3: Memoir of the Unfinished Autobiography's ghost writer
Part 4: Journal of "real life" inspiration for FMC in Bonds
In my opinion, Part 3 could have been left out.
I haven't read anything exactly like this before.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, and Mental illness
seventhswan's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This book was the definition of "trust the process" for me. It's not that it didn't get going straight away - there was a clear plot and interesting characters from the start - but I had no idea at all where it was going until midway through the third section, so I spent a lot of time worried that I was trying to understand the intricacies of the stock market for nothing.
If I'm honest, the first two sections bored me a little and I found myself skim reading. They were clearly excellently crafted and I couldn't fault the characters or plotline at all, it just really wasn't a topic I was interested in. However, I raced through the third and fourth sections in a couple of hours. As the story shifted away from the stock market and focused on Ida and Mildred as characters, I was much more invested.
This was a book with an extremely long setup, but I think the payoff was just about worth it, even if there wasn't a huge twist in the end as I thought there might be. It was excellent as a work of literature, and I see why it was highly commended, I just personally struggled to get excited by the heavy focus on the economy.
If I'm honest, the first two sections bored me a little and I found myself skim reading. They were clearly excellently crafted and I couldn't fault the characters or plotline at all, it just really wasn't a topic I was interested in. However, I raced through the third and fourth sections in a couple of hours. As the story shifted away from the stock market and focused on Ida and Mildred as characters, I was much more invested.
This was a book with an extremely long setup, but I think the payoff was just about worth it, even if there wasn't a huge twist in the end as I thought there might be. It was excellent as a work of literature, and I see why it was highly commended, I just personally struggled to get excited by the heavy focus on the economy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, and Mental illness
Moderate: Misogyny, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
goodolnicole's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Death, Mental illness, and Medical content
noemie_0612's review against another edition
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Gripping from beginning to end. Much more to uncover than I expected. Loved it.
The last partdescribes the life of a patient in a hospital. Having experienced for a couple of months recently, i found it described the experience and thoughts incredibly well.
The last part
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, and Medical content
dolores153's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
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
4.5
Revelations about 2/3 of the way through the book completely changed meaning of earlier chapters. Started over again at the beginning, and enjoyed recognizing the interplay of the various parts. Unexpectedly delightful analogy with musical progressions.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, Medical content, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gaslighting
Moderate: Death, Racism, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Cancer, Xenophobia, Death of parent, and Classism
m_a_j's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, and Mental illness
Moderate: Classism
lizzym126's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Sexism, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Cancer, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent