sdugal's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
rotessaboggs's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
chrilaura's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I had a Fiona Apple song stuck in my head every time I put this book down. It was dreamy, watery, poetic and sad. I liked it more when I took the fantastical elements at face value, but it's the kind of story you could probably interpret differently with every re-read. (so I look forward to reading it again.)
"Then there is the ocean, mean and beautiful."
"Jude would never make me think of a timetable or a bank account or a good job, whatever the fuck that means. He'd never make me think of any of the ugly things on dry land. Despite all that is not right with Jude, nothing I do with him is ever held up to the light of judgement. He never thinks I am odd or weird or poor or perverted or wrong. He'd never say, "you're a real nut job." I'd sit in his dirty laundry for days and he would understand. He would even bring me a cup of soup while I sat."
"....the word means, 'the feelings one retains for someone he once loved'.
"Hate?" Jude says.
(...)
"Betrayal," my mother says without looking away from her book.
"No," my grandfather says. "It's the little house love moved out of, maybe a hermit crab moves in and carries the house across the floor of a tidal pool. the lover sees the old love moving and it looks like it's alive again."
They are all wrong. There's a reason why we have no word for it. You don't get to keep the feelings for someone you once loved. Once you've washed your hands of that person, all those feelings, all that dirty water is washed out to sea. There is no word for that dirty water.
(...)
I don't say anything because, 'once loved' is not my specialty as I haven't stopped yet."
"Then there is the ocean, mean and beautiful."
"Jude would never make me think of a timetable or a bank account or a good job, whatever the fuck that means. He'd never make me think of any of the ugly things on dry land. Despite all that is not right with Jude, nothing I do with him is ever held up to the light of judgement. He never thinks I am odd or weird or poor or perverted or wrong. He'd never say, "you're a real nut job." I'd sit in his dirty laundry for days and he would understand. He would even bring me a cup of soup while I sat."
"....the word means, 'the feelings one retains for someone he once loved'.
"Hate?" Jude says.
(...)
"Betrayal," my mother says without looking away from her book.
"No," my grandfather says. "It's the little house love moved out of, maybe a hermit crab moves in and carries the house across the floor of a tidal pool. the lover sees the old love moving and it looks like it's alive again."
They are all wrong. There's a reason why we have no word for it. You don't get to keep the feelings for someone you once loved. Once you've washed your hands of that person, all those feelings, all that dirty water is washed out to sea. There is no word for that dirty water.
(...)
I don't say anything because, 'once loved' is not my specialty as I haven't stopped yet."
hipstamom's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
thisisacornhyperbole's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely fucking loved this book.
This was the first book that I actively chose to read following the last English Class of my degree, and it was so engrossing that I actually read the entire novel in one sitting. I was in the bath and just kept refilling the tub with more hot water so as to fully enjoy the reading.
This was the first book that I actively chose to read following the last English Class of my degree, and it was so engrossing that I actually read the entire novel in one sitting. I was in the bath and just kept refilling the tub with more hot water so as to fully enjoy the reading.
my_name_is_jess's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-paced
5.0
"Fuck the dry land. I am a mermaid."
This was weird and sad and uncomfortably magical.
Audiobook Narration: 5/5
This was weird and sad and uncomfortably magical.
Audiobook Narration: 5/5
cylz's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
montyroz's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0