The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! đ
livlosiewicz's review against another edition
5.0
Synopsis: Patrick OâNeal is a travel agent living in Cambridge, meandering his way through life, a passenger on a journey controlled by others. His partner Arthur wants to buy a house, while Patrick wants to put off that kind of commitment for as long as possible. His parents, unhappily married, own a mediocre business that Patrick wants nothing to do with. His older brother, Ryan, is miserable that his separated wife finally wants a divorce. His best friend and coworker, Sharon, goes through life with an aggressive âdonât careâ attitude, scamming airlines any chance she gets rejecting all possible suitors for silly reasons. When Patrickâs younger brother Tony calls him for the first time in years to express doubts about his wedding, Patrick becomes invested in Tonyâs life and begins to consider more thoroughly the choices that arise at each crossroad. Each OâNeal brother will eventually be forced to confront some of the things they have been denying- unless they take the easy way out.
Pros:
â˘the characters are unique, idiosyncratic,memorable, and funny, and the dynamics between the characters are equally as compelling. I particularly loves the dynamic between Ryan and Sharon and that between Arthur and Patrickâs different family members.
â˘The story feels honest: there isnât a big dramatic 11 oâclock scene or a crazy ending
â˘Overall, it was a fun read
Cons:
â˘The flipside of the honesty of the novel is that itâs missing a satisfying âOHHHâ moment where everything falls together. Not objectively bad, but something to note.
â˘I found the characters and themes of this story to be VERY similar to Object of My Affection. Like if you changed the names, I feel like this could have been its sequel. This made the story feel a little less original; I may have liked it better if I hadnât read Object
Recommend: I recommend if you like books with idiosyncratic characters and slightly off-beat (but not wild) narration. This book does at times feel a little outdated but itâs easy to look past that thanks to the great writing and fun characters. I also recommend if you like books that are more honest and nuanced with character-driven plots. Avoid if you want uncomplicated-ly likable characters or easy, simple plots. Also probably avoid if you donât like McCauleyâs other stuff.
Pros:
â˘the characters are unique, idiosyncratic,memorable, and funny, and the dynamics between the characters are equally as compelling. I particularly loves the dynamic between Ryan and Sharon and that between Arthur and Patrickâs different family members.
â˘The story feels honest: there isnât a big dramatic 11 oâclock scene or a crazy ending
â˘Overall, it was a fun read
Cons:
â˘The flipside of the honesty of the novel is that itâs missing a satisfying âOHHHâ moment where everything falls together. Not objectively bad, but something to note.
â˘I found the characters and themes of this story to be VERY similar to Object of My Affection. Like if you changed the names, I feel like this could have been its sequel. This made the story feel a little less original; I may have liked it better if I hadnât read Object
Recommend: I recommend if you like books with idiosyncratic characters and slightly off-beat (but not wild) narration. This book does at times feel a little outdated but itâs easy to look past that thanks to the great writing and fun characters. I also recommend if you like books that are more honest and nuanced with character-driven plots. Avoid if you want uncomplicated-ly likable characters or easy, simple plots. Also probably avoid if you donât like McCauleyâs other stuff.
suzmac's review
5.0
One of my favorites! A travel agent near Harvard U, who rides his bike to work, cannot bring himself to break-up with his perfect (on paper) boyfriend. Many individual passages are memorable. One critic called this guy "the lovechild of Edity Wharton & Woody Allen". I won't argue.
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