karabeta's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
- 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
5.0
melancholylethe's review against another edition
4.0
I’m not sure how I feel about this book. It was sad. It’s characters felt real and raw. But the stories the book told were sad. There were parts I absolutely loved though. Well worth the read.
joaniemaloney's review against another edition
3.0
I always feel the need to take a break from stories taking place in small towns or any close-knit communities for a while, after I'm done reading one. (I don't think I could ever stay in a small town either, in which even thinking about it makes me anxious, but that has nothing to do with this story.) This was no exception, moreso than usual perhaps because of the format of the novel, with the Mothers - the elderly church ladies who have lived for many years and seem to know and see all - having their own collective voice to jump in and out of the narrative, forever existing above Nadia, Aubrey, and Luke, ready to judge and gossip at every turn. Of course, they'd say that they have the experiences to teach the lessons that these young folks so require, and it's not gossip if they're just chit-chatting and praying amongst themselves, but it's stifling all the same. With every passing chapter, I was waiting for one thing or another to slip out, make its way to the ears of one of the Mothers, before spreading like wildfire to the rest of the community, without any sort of responsibility to the ones who are actually involved and are already hurting, even before the news bulletins being posted around town.
Nadia and Luke's secret relationship, then the pregnancy, then abortion, after the suicide of Nadia's mother is the catalyst for the story, which then spirals out to the families and Aubrey, who is unaware but has plenty of grief for her own. They are never assured that they're taking the right paths, and keep stumbling along anyway, painfully unable to let go of wondering: 'What if?' It's an impossible question, and one that is foolishly latched onto. Brit Bennett writes with such an ease and awareness of the various ways that we can hurt those we love the most, those we try to love in the most tender of ways. She seems to understand how inexplicable grief and loss can be, and doesn't try to parse it all the way through, because we never have and never will have all the broken pieces to put together.
I do wish I had loved it more. I do want to love it more, but something was missing. I can't pinpoint it. Maybe I felt too stifled by it, hoping and hoping that there'd be more to their lives and if closure wasn't ever possible, anything else, I would've accepted it. Or maybe I'm being too harsh on all of them, for wanting a wider scope to the story when they will always be tied to this one event. The writing is stellar. The perspectives flow seamlessly where you're able to get both sides of a relationship often in the same scene, also weaving through past and present without the reader even being aware of a transition. It feels effortless. Highlights for me include the fraught relationship between Nadia and her father, Robert, after her mother's death, both of them reeling from the grief in their own way, and the friendship between Nadia and Aubrey. Both of these relationships I ended up caring about the most, drawn with such a deft and delicate hand.
I'll admit, my expectations were quite high having heard about the buzz for months now, so it's somewhat my fault, but I can also see how it'd warrant the praise. A 3.5, and not a 3, by the way.
Nadia and Luke's secret relationship, then the pregnancy, then abortion, after the suicide of Nadia's mother is the catalyst for the story, which then spirals out to the families and Aubrey, who is unaware but has plenty of grief for her own. They are never assured that they're taking the right paths, and keep stumbling along anyway, painfully unable to let go of wondering: 'What if?' It's an impossible question, and one that is foolishly latched onto. Brit Bennett writes with such an ease and awareness of the various ways that we can hurt those we love the most, those we try to love in the most tender of ways. She seems to understand how inexplicable grief and loss can be, and doesn't try to parse it all the way through, because we never have and never will have all the broken pieces to put together.
I do wish I had loved it more. I do want to love it more, but something was missing. I can't pinpoint it. Maybe I felt too stifled by it, hoping and hoping that there'd be more to their lives and if closure wasn't ever possible, anything else, I would've accepted it. Or maybe I'm being too harsh on all of them, for wanting a wider scope to the story when they will always be tied to this one event. The writing is stellar. The perspectives flow seamlessly where you're able to get both sides of a relationship often in the same scene, also weaving through past and present without the reader even being aware of a transition. It feels effortless. Highlights for me include the fraught relationship between Nadia and her father, Robert, after her mother's death, both of them reeling from the grief in their own way, and the friendship between Nadia and Aubrey. Both of these relationships I ended up caring about the most, drawn with such a deft and delicate hand.
I'll admit, my expectations were quite high having heard about the buzz for months now, so it's somewhat my fault, but I can also see how it'd warrant the praise. A 3.5, and not a 3, by the way.
hannahmarkezich's review against another edition
5.0
This was...perfect?
I know that's a big claim for a debut book, but...wow. Bennett can write.
Let's start off with the characters. This book follows Nadia, Aubrey, and Luke for a number of years, from the end of high school through college and marriages and drama and loss. Each character was so well-formed. They were easy to sympathize with, but I also felt like giving them a stern talking-to sometimes. They make choices that are so natural and understandable but so frustrating because, as the reader, you can see exactly how they're harming themselves and others. They grow and they fail. They feel real, which makes the story that much more compelling.
Bennett also employs another perspective every once in a while - the mothers. They narrate the book as an "us." They're the old women of the church. The ones with wise advice but also the ones who are judgmental and gossipy. They serve as guiding figures, but some of their beliefs are obviously antiquated and frustrating as well. Seeing the story from their perspective as church elders and outsiders was riveting.
I also loved the plot. It's not a thriller or a fantasy, and I'm normally never that drawn in by the plot of contemporary/non-magical novels, but the fate of these characters still left me on the edge of my seat. I wanted them to end up in a good place, but I knew, with all of their poor choices, something was going to hurt about the ending of the book. It did hurt, but in a good way. Bennett doesn't wrap everything up in a nice little bow (thank goodness). It's a very real ending to a story of friendship, love, family, death, and betrayal. It's natural yet satisfying.
I got everything I wanted - a story that kept me hooked, characters that stole my heart, and a realistic look at the tragedy and difficult choices that come with being a human. Highly recommend.
I know that's a big claim for a debut book, but...wow. Bennett can write.
Let's start off with the characters. This book follows Nadia, Aubrey, and Luke for a number of years, from the end of high school through college and marriages and drama and loss. Each character was so well-formed. They were easy to sympathize with, but I also felt like giving them a stern talking-to sometimes. They make choices that are so natural and understandable but so frustrating because, as the reader, you can see exactly how they're harming themselves and others. They grow and they fail. They feel real, which makes the story that much more compelling.
Bennett also employs another perspective every once in a while - the mothers. They narrate the book as an "us." They're the old women of the church. The ones with wise advice but also the ones who are judgmental and gossipy. They serve as guiding figures, but some of their beliefs are obviously antiquated and frustrating as well. Seeing the story from their perspective as church elders and outsiders was riveting.
I also loved the plot. It's not a thriller or a fantasy, and I'm normally never that drawn in by the plot of contemporary/non-magical novels, but the fate of these characters still left me on the edge of my seat. I wanted them to end up in a good place, but I knew, with all of their poor choices, something was going to hurt about the ending of the book. It did hurt, but in a good way. Bennett doesn't wrap everything up in a nice little bow (thank goodness). It's a very real ending to a story of friendship, love, family, death, and betrayal. It's natural yet satisfying.
I got everything I wanted - a story that kept me hooked, characters that stole my heart, and a realistic look at the tragedy and difficult choices that come with being a human. Highly recommend.
mirapatodia's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
beholdtheanimals's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars rounded up.
Ah, man. I wanted to like this so much more than I actually did, but it be like that sometimes, no? I won't make this a long rant but, as a person who's had an abortion that was a very emotional experience (kinda personal tbh, but let's just say that relief was not all I felt even though I remain confident that I made the right choice), the treatment of abortion here felt heavy-handed af. I suppose it makes sense given these characters' milieu, and also that no two abortion experiences are the same (and all are valid), but it felt like it lacked nuance or self-awareness—give me Maggie Nelson's wise and compassionate writing in the topic, please. That's not the only reason behind my rating, but perhaps the most pertinent one.
All that said, the book does have some lovely lines and turns of phrase, and the voice feels honest, which is maybe a weird descriptor but one that seems to make sense. Real talk though, this could just be a case of me not be this book's reader. Which is a bummer but ehhh, it be like that sometimes.
Ah, man. I wanted to like this so much more than I actually did, but it be like that sometimes, no? I won't make this a long rant but, as a person who's had an abortion that was a very emotional experience (kinda personal tbh, but let's just say that relief was not all I felt even though I remain confident that I made the right choice), the treatment of abortion here felt heavy-handed af. I suppose it makes sense given these characters' milieu, and also that no two abortion experiences are the same (and all are valid), but it felt like it lacked nuance or self-awareness—give me Maggie Nelson's wise and compassionate writing in the topic, please. That's not the only reason behind my rating, but perhaps the most pertinent one.
All that said, the book does have some lovely lines and turns of phrase, and the voice feels honest, which is maybe a weird descriptor but one that seems to make sense. Real talk though, this could just be a case of me not be this book's reader. Which is a bummer but ehhh, it be like that sometimes.
thelizzabee's review against another edition
5.0
This book is closer to a 4.5 but I am rounding up because of how impressed I was with the author. The flow of the book seemed so effortless and Bennett's ability to capture so many emotions and difficult topics in less than 300 pages is amazing. The book shows the difficulty of life and losing someone can cause, but also how it can shape other relationships and finding a common ground in the loneliness and hurt you may feel. It shows the struggles we may face in our decisions and how it effect those around us.
Like others, I agree that "the Mothers" voice was a bit off. However, it did add a really interesting dynamic to the story and gave the community voice and perspective of those outside the central narrative. I think it helped to lighten the reader's possible discomfort from all the feelings in the rest of the book. This voice also provided a distance in the story and helped to elude to how the characters faired later in life. I really appreciated that because with books like this that focus on a period of life that has a lot of intense emotions, I am often left wondering about the impact of that time on the person's life, but this voice was able to satisfy that desire.
Like I said, I'm very impressed by the author and looking forward to more of her work.
Like others, I agree that "the Mothers" voice was a bit off. However, it did add a really interesting dynamic to the story and gave the community voice and perspective of those outside the central narrative. I think it helped to lighten the reader's possible discomfort from all the feelings in the rest of the book. This voice also provided a distance in the story and helped to elude to how the characters faired later in life. I really appreciated that because with books like this that focus on a period of life that has a lot of intense emotions, I am often left wondering about the impact of that time on the person's life, but this voice was able to satisfy that desire.
Like I said, I'm very impressed by the author and looking forward to more of her work.