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sungmemoonstruck's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A sharply self-aware, occasionally funny, emotionally knotty love triangle set against the backdrop of late 2010's Hong Kong. I was especially fascinated by the portrayal of Hong Kong expatriate culture and enjoyed how vividly Dolan evokes the city. Also, this helped me realize that this particular brand of Rooney-esque literary fiction works best for me when there's a relationship I can be genuinely invested in, like Ava and Edith's here.
verity37's review against another edition
medium-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
3.25
gabri1048's review against another edition
1.0
-the writing style tried to be so lyrical but i just found it choppy and odd
-i was bored and skim read the last 70 pages because i don’t care
-i was bored and skim read the last 70 pages because i don’t care
godofwar's review against another edition
4.0
though at times it feels dry, I appreciated Ava's unflinching narration, and how Naoise Dolan managed to convey the millennial-specific brand of existential dread in a fresh, new way. it was intriguing to experience Ava's character with Julian vs. Edith, a difference that is monumental; in part one, I felt disconnected from the story and the character surrounding Ava, unable to care for them in any capacity; it's when Edith enters the picture that the setting begins to feel like it actually has life. part three was a drag for me, a bit of a letdown, because I'm tired of lgbt narratives seemingly being unable to exist without angst, but it felt realistic, and it didn't come across as too heavy. if the ending was a bit more polished I would've felt this was a five star book, but as such, it's a 3.5 (rounded up).
* ARC received via netgalley
* ARC received via netgalley
syeborg's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jadet's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
shamatake's review against another edition
2.0
I liked the writing but the characters are shallow and ridiculous but not ridiculous enough to make me care about them for being that way.
nlaws87's review against another edition
3.0
Has a ton of potential but really felt that it fizzled out and the author didn't quite no how to end it.
jillisonline's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5