Reviews

Olive by Emma Gannon

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jemmacm's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted reflective medium-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

2.5

laura_storyteller's review against another edition

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lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

brooke_review's review against another edition

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4.0

I love when I can relate to characters in the books I read. In the case of Emma Gannon's debut novel Olive, the reason WHY I can relate has a tendency to raise some eyebrows. I, like the book's main character Olive, am a woman in my 30s who has decided that I do not want to have kids. As demonstrated in Gannon's book, women often receive pushback when they take this stance, and the feedback they get from family, friends, coworkers, and even virtual strangers can be quite harsh and critical ... rarely is it supportive or taking into consideration the reason why a woman might make this choice. Not that it matters. The choice IS solely hers. Which is why I am happy that Gannon has chosen this topic for her first novel. Women who choose to be child-free will find their lone voice being echoed in this reflective book about love, life, and friendship.

UK journalist Olive has found herself at a bit of a crossroads in her life. She has just broken up with her boyfriend of 9 years (the reason why is revealed early on in the novel, but no spoilers here) and she is having a hard go of it. Nevermind the fact that her best friends seem more and more distant lately as they try to juggle their own family responsibilities. Olive is feeling physically and emotionally alone - she has just lost the love of her life and she can't relate to her friends on certain levels because they want/have kids ... and she doesn't. Olive does not want children ... EVER. Which makes her feel rejected and ridiculed in a world that too often believes that a woman's main purpose on this Earth is to go forth and procreate. When she takes a writing assignment on why Millennial women are choosing not to have children, Olive gets to explore her own life choices in depth, and learns much about herself and where her life is headed over the course of this thought-provoking novel.

Emma Gannon's Olive is going to appeal to a certain type of reader. If you are part of Gen Y, AKA the Millennials, and are on the fence about having kids or have chosen not to have any, then you will find this novel affirming. On the other hand, women who HAVE chosen to have children may find Olive to be self-absorbed and tedious. That isn't the case in my opinion, but unfortunately, too often women who put themselves first are called selfish. Decisions about children aside, Olive also realistically portrays the heartache of a break-up and the difficulties that come with maintaining friendships while also trying to manage a family and home.

I was provided an audiobook ARC of this novel narrated by actress Sian Clifford, which I enjoyed immensely. I often find myself speeding up the playback rate of my audiobooks, but I left this one on the regular pace, even though Clifford has a tendency to read slower than many other narrators. I enjoyed the journey of this audiobook and found myself submerged in Olive's life due to Clifford's believable portrayal.

read_with_pinot's review against another edition

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I liked the portrayal of friendship and the idea of exploring the No-child choice but felt the latter was done in a very heavy-handed, lecturing way.

kaleidoscope_kayla's review against another edition

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5.0

I can't describe how much I loved this audio book. I can definitely see how reading it myself would have taken away from the overall experience, but Olive is so relatable! As someone who is in their early 20s I didn't think I would relate SO MUCH but I did. I laughed, I cried a little, and I had all the feels. Thank you Emma Gannon. A