Scan barcode
mnboyer's review against another edition
2.0
Before you read this book, you might want to read the following: [b:The Scarlet Letter|12296|The Scarlet Letter|Nathaniel Hawthorne|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1404810944s/12296.jpg|4925227]; [b:Moby-Dick or, The Whale|153747|Moby-Dick or, The Whale|Herman Melville|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327940656s/153747.jpg|2409320]; [b:Heart of Darkness|4900|Heart of Darkness|Joseph Conrad|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1392799983s/4900.jpg|2877220]. Why, you ask? Because every character in this book will mention at least one of these novels. They're all better than this book is--so quoting [b:Moby-Dick or, The Whale|153747|Moby-Dick or, The Whale|Herman Melville|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327940656s/153747.jpg|2409320] throughout is not actually helping this story.
The rest of the book reads like this:
Another reviewer mentioned that there is an MFA program out there telling students character development is secondary to sexual exploits. That reviewer is not far off base. Very little can be said of any of these characters, because there is not much elaboration, merely several small chapters here and there that pepper the reader with often ill-connected tidbits.
Can anyone tell me who writes the inside jackets of contemporary novels. Based on the inside jacket, I thought I was going to be reading the story of an African-American girl attending a male-white school. I expected to see her struggles. But when I began reading, about halfway through I felt as follows:
Did I read the jacket wrong? No, I checked again, but feel like the jacked didn't do a good job of actually discussing what the reader is getting into. I really wanted to enjoy this book--the idea/concept (from the jacket) was one that I wanted to dive into. But once I was in the text, it just is not what was promised and does not live up to any expectations I had. And there's not a single character I like (or even dislike). They're all just "there."
Unfortunately, just a 1.5-2 star read for me.
The rest of the book reads like this:
Another reviewer mentioned that there is an MFA program out there telling students character development is secondary to sexual exploits. That reviewer is not far off base. Very little can be said of any of these characters, because there is not much elaboration, merely several small chapters here and there that pepper the reader with often ill-connected tidbits.
Can anyone tell me who writes the inside jackets of contemporary novels. Based on the inside jacket, I thought I was going to be reading the story of an African-American girl attending a male-white school. I expected to see her struggles. But when I began reading, about halfway through I felt as follows:
Did I read the jacket wrong? No, I checked again, but feel like the jacked didn't do a good job of actually discussing what the reader is getting into. I really wanted to enjoy this book--the idea/concept (from the jacket) was one that I wanted to dive into. But once I was in the text, it just is not what was promised and does not live up to any expectations I had. And there's not a single character I like (or even dislike). They're all just "there."
Unfortunately, just a 1.5-2 star read for me.
moirastone's review against another edition
5.0
Oh! This writer, Carolyn Cooke. I just, I don't know, I want to follow her around a boozy apartment party, handing her drinks and picking shed hairs off the back of her sweater. This book is exhilarating and embarrassing. I loved it. I demand she write more books immediately.
(NB: I laughed out loud, in public, when I glanced at the author photo inside the back book jacket flap. The contrast between these flinty New Englanders and their author is delightful.)
(NB: I laughed out loud, in public, when I glanced at the author photo inside the back book jacket flap. The contrast between these flinty New Englanders and their author is delightful.)
kimschmidt's review against another edition
2.0
I think the main problem I had with this book was I was reading reviews before I started which made me actually not even want to read this book. It was fairly fast-moving but I don't feel I got anything from it at all. Not pleasure or enjoyment.
lynnski723's review against another edition
1.0
If this book were longer I never would have finished it.
rachelini's review against another edition
2.0
There's quite a trend right now of the interconnected stories - half novel, half short stories. But I didn't think this one worked - there were no stakes, and nothing particularly interesting in the characters.
sharonfalduto's review against another edition
2.0
I am so glad to be done with that book. Why did I even finish it? One, it was pretty short (less than 200 pages and sometimes there were blank pages between chapters), and two, so I could complain about it. Is this how books are written nowadays? Non linear narratives with mulitple perspectives, none of which are characters I particularly cared about? Why is the main character's (I guess) name EV? not Eve? Why does she call her mother "mei mei"? Explain, dammit!
I am also so tired of authors writing about 1968. Get over it. You weren't there. You probably weren't even born.
I have to start choosing better books.
I am also so tired of authors writing about 1968. Get over it. You weren't there. You probably weren't even born.
I have to start choosing better books.
wordnerdy's review against another edition
2.0
http://wordnerdy.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-book-164.html
amysbrittain's review against another edition
3.0
The characters in Cooke's novel give in to their base desires and are shaped--and sometimes predictably ruined--by doing so. Sometimes they also made me want to bang my head against the wall.
Um, WTH with the ongoing shift from third- to first-person point of view for the main protagonist? That made me grind my teeth a bit.
Um, WTH with the ongoing shift from third- to first-person point of view for the main protagonist? That made me grind my teeth a bit.
jilliancoleen18's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting and beautiful, although attempting to read it during the weeks surrounding graduation was a poor choice as I struggled to maintain focus on everything that was happening. Should be marked to re-read; I am sure in calmer context I would get a lot more out of it and better understand everything that lies between the lines of this novel.