beanie_bob's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I started reading this because I needed a follow up to season one of The Bear and this was the only novel I knew of set in a restaurant.
It’s almost a Sad Girl Book but the main character is too…naive to be a sad girl. I do like the all vibes no plot feel of the story but at the same time a lot of moments seem to happen just so the characters can wax poetic, or so Tess can practice her new, refined way of thinking.
I wanted more scenes in the restaurant but I understand that’s my bias, since I’m searching for restaurant books.
The Jake, Simone, Tess triangle was interesting but even in the end there were no real answers. There are vibes but they’re always obscured, abstracted, etc.
There are no lessons learned.
It’s almost a Sad Girl Book but the main character is too…naive to be a sad girl. I do like the all vibes no plot feel of the story but at the same time a lot of moments seem to happen just so the characters can wax poetic, or so Tess can practice her new, refined way of thinking.
I wanted more scenes in the restaurant but I understand that’s my bias, since I’m searching for restaurant books.
The Jake, Simone, Tess triangle was interesting but even in the end there were no real answers. There are vibes but they’re always obscured, abstracted, etc.
There are no lessons learned.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Misogyny, and Drug abuse
time_travel_tragedy's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This is like one of the most depressing books I've ever read. She goes to New York and we find out way later she was supposed to be pursuing creative aspirations but she spends the entire book drinking and doing drugs, and overall wasting away. Even the ending, when she realizes the reality of her situation, she doesn't make it better, she does something in line with all her other self destructive actions and then the next day it's like on to better horizons. The ending could have been uplifting, but this character was broken in so many ways, and we get no glimpse into what her future might hold. I needed something a little more at the end to believe there's hope for the character after the novel ends.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Sexual harassment
poppyseedbagel's review
emotional
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Death of parent, Drug use, Misogyny, and Sexism
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