montigneyrules's review against another edition
3.0
*Not counted in either 2015/2016 reading challenges.
Interesting, quick read.
Sure there is a premise behind Mary's story, but I felt there was no real plot. The story moves along with an intent, "find more about Primo", but I wasn't really sure if there was an intended end plan or we were just openly following Mary as she figures out her life without Primo.
I enjoyed the variety of characters, that had their own unique quality within the story. Of course, I enjoyed some more than others, but each helped develop this strange concept of New York life. It only seemed odd that so many people knew Primo, with such immense overlap, but hey it's her world.
Interesting, quick read.
Sure there is a premise behind Mary's story, but I felt there was no real plot. The story moves along with an intent, "find more about Primo", but I wasn't really sure if there was an intended end plan or we were just openly following Mary as she figures out her life without Primo.
I enjoyed the variety of characters, that had their own unique quality within the story. Of course, I enjoyed some more than others, but each helped develop this strange concept of New York life. It only seemed odd that so many people knew Primo, with such immense overlap, but hey it's her world.
notrachel's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars is generous but since I can't rate in increments...
This built to an end where I almost loved...something about it, the way I loved Chip Kidd's The Learners and The Cheese Monkeys. It was poignant without trying, a sort of effortless reverberation. I loved what the author did with the story...or maybe what he allowed the story to do.
It fell just shy of ending totally cheesy without stripping the characters of hope. Throughout there were was cynical, skeptical and temptuous. I held my breath, I dropped my jaw. He told a story and I was on the edge of my seat for every word. It was not flawless. At times, it faltered and flew far off track. But it would recover, it would settle back into its gait. The progression, the development of the main character felt nearly natural, unforced. A lot of this story felt unforced (except that scene with the foot-sucker. major WTH moment there) and that was a joy.
Yes, it also benefited from me being where I am in life, from my identifying with certain aspects of the main character's mentality (some...not all). Only a reread by some future me will show if this moments-after review stands the test of time.
This built to an end where I almost loved...something about it, the way I loved Chip Kidd's The Learners and The Cheese Monkeys. It was poignant without trying, a sort of effortless reverberation. I loved what the author did with the story...or maybe what he allowed the story to do.
It fell just shy of ending totally cheesy without stripping the characters of hope. Throughout there were was cynical, skeptical and temptuous. I held my breath, I dropped my jaw. He told a story and I was on the edge of my seat for every word. It was not flawless. At times, it faltered and flew far off track. But it would recover, it would settle back into its gait. The progression, the development of the main character felt nearly natural, unforced. A lot of this story felt unforced (except that scene with the foot-sucker. major WTH moment there) and that was a joy.
Yes, it also benefited from me being where I am in life, from my identifying with certain aspects of the main character's mentality (some...not all). Only a reread by some future me will show if this moments-after review stands the test of time.
andreaj's review
3.0
The absurdities and coincidences feel so natural to this story and characters that you never question how the chance interactions that drive the story actually happen. The last time I read this book I was living in the East Village and this re-read made me nostalgic for all those places that have closed down.
balancinghistorybooks's review
3.0
I loved Arthur Nersesian's The Fuck-Up when I read it several years ago; despite searching for his other titles in the meantime, they have been rather difficult to find. I ordered a heavily discounted copy of Dogrun online, and was very much looking forward to it. I liked the general idea here, but felt as though it was trying too hard to be clever and edgy. It feels quite dated, and I was never overly interested in any of the characters. Nersesian's prose is interesting and rather different, but I was distinctly underwhelmed with this novel; it was not darkly amusing, as I was expecting it to be, and despite the fact that it was a quick read, elements of it still felt too drawn out. I am oscillating between 2 and 3 stars for this one.
jennikreads's review
2.0
It was an ok book. The only character I found particularly likable was Howard, the rest were irritating in one way or another.
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