georgiarose710's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-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
3.25
acourtofbooksandtaylor's review against another edition
3.0
Story takes place in September of 1957, it’s about a newlyweds from Georgia (Effie and Henry) on their honeymoon for two weeks in Cape May, New Jersey. The town is deserted at this time of the year. Feeling shy of each other and Isolated, they decide to cut the trip short. As they are about to leave, they meet a glamorous set of people who are there for a birthday party over the weekend who sweep them up into their drama real quick.
Clara, a beautiful socialite who feels her youth slipping away; Max, a wealthy playboy and Clara’s lover; and Alma, Max’s aloof and mysterious half-sister, to whom Henry is irresistibly drawn.
Then numerous number of series take place. Henry and Effie slips from innocence into betrayal, and it has an impact on their married life for rest of their lives.
.
As Whitney Sharer says, ‘A heartbreaking portrait of a marriage undone by betrayal’
.
This novel is about love, marriage, sexuality and betrayal. How sometimes little moments of ignorance can have effects on your lives in a way, that you would have never imagined.
In this novel you would explore the social and sexual mores of 1950‘s through the eye of a newlywed couple.
.
Its is a good, quick read, story moves a little slower and as a reader that made me anxious but overall i quite enjoyed it.
Clara, a beautiful socialite who feels her youth slipping away; Max, a wealthy playboy and Clara’s lover; and Alma, Max’s aloof and mysterious half-sister, to whom Henry is irresistibly drawn.
Then numerous number of series take place. Henry and Effie slips from innocence into betrayal, and it has an impact on their married life for rest of their lives.
.
As Whitney Sharer says, ‘A heartbreaking portrait of a marriage undone by betrayal’
.
This novel is about love, marriage, sexuality and betrayal. How sometimes little moments of ignorance can have effects on your lives in a way, that you would have never imagined.
In this novel you would explore the social and sexual mores of 1950‘s through the eye of a newlywed couple.
.
Its is a good, quick read, story moves a little slower and as a reader that made me anxious but overall i quite enjoyed it.
xanderarey's review against another edition
4.0
I wasn’t too sure about this in the beginning. But the characters are great and it was easy to get into. I liked the end, but was a little annoyed that it had a “happy” ending amidst turmoil.
sonia_reppe's review against another edition
5.0
I like novels that feature a well-drawn torrid love affair; but Henry was a jerk to do that on his honeymoon?! Especially because he and Effie married right out of high school, and sex with her was still new to him. I couldn't enjoy reading about his affair as much as if it had been twenty years later. But I really enjoyed spending the days on the boat, drinking, and swimming with their sophisticated neighbors; and I loved how everything came crashing down, at which point I saw the demise of the marriage. It was brand-new with no legs to stand on, and I didn't think either of them could forgive the other.
agalles's review against another edition
2.0
Wasn't for me. Interesting setting in cape may in september but the plot and characters didn't connect for me.
renwar96's review against another edition
3.0
I felt like this book has a Great Gatsby vibe to it. A young couple mingle and party with the rich, enjoy the good life and get carried away in their temporary surroundings. I kept waiting for the story to pick up and after about halfway through, it started to but just not enough to keep me wanting to read just one more page. This book left me with an empty feeling when it ended. I guess there are some people who can never get over past mistakes they've made.
_b_t_h_'s review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity
bestdressedbookworm's review against another edition
1.0
DNFd at about 15%
The characters were dull the setting was dull and I started skimming pretty early.
The characters were dull the setting was dull and I started skimming pretty early.
pam_sartain's review against another edition
5.0
Cape May by Chip Cheek is set in New England in 1957, with Henry and Effie on their honeymoon to her childhood summer vacation spot, but they're visiting it in the off season, and so it's much emptier than she remembers.
Pretty soon, Effie's bored of the place, and wants to go home. It's not like she remembers, and whilst Henry feels hurt, he's willing to leave. And then they meet one of the neighbours, someone that Effie knew a long time ago.
This is a tale of an innocent couple, meeting bored, rich people, who open their eyes to a different life.
Can Henry and Effie's marriage survive the ride? You'll have to read to find out more!
This is Chip Creek's debut novel, and it's a stonker! It's so evocative, with the scene being set so well that you can believe yourself in a grey seaside town, the drizzle of rain, and the few people who would be there.
Cape May was published on 30th April 2019, and is available on Amazon to buy on Kindle and on Waterstones. I've found a link to where you can search for local bookshops, including independent!
I was given this book for free in return for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Orion Publishing Group (the publishers) for this book.
bunceyyy's review against another edition
3.0
Many thanks to Netgalley and Orion for an advance e-copy of this book.
Both the book’s blurb and other reviewers have done a good job of summarising the plot of this novel, so I won’t go over it again!
I did enjoy ‘Cape May’ - I got through it quite quickly (which, for me, is a good sign) and found myself wanting to make time to read it, and/or looking forward to my commute, as that’s my best opportunity to read. I thought Cheek did a good job at building an atmosphere, and introducing interesting and engaging characters. I can see why people think they’re unlikeable, but personally don’t think this is necessarily a negative point. However, I feel that the character development was lacking, and they’d often do/say things that felt jarring and mismatched to how they had previously been presented. The description makes it seem like you’ll get to know each of the five main characters, and - as someone else has mentioned - I was especially keen to get into Effie’s head. At first Cheek does switch perspectives quite frequently, but as you get into the novel, the action focuses almost solely on Henry - who really doesn’t have any redeeming features, and is therefore rather uninteresting. Whilst I didn’t find it slow, there is a very long build up; the main crux of the plot doesn’t happen until a good two thirds of the way through, and then it is all wrapped up rather quickly (almost hastily). This is especially true of the last chapter, which basically summarises the rest of Effie and Henry’s lives. It feels like the author thinks he owes you an ending, when it may have been more powerful (albeit frustrating; again, not necessarily a bad thing) to have ended it without this very specific conclusion. I also think that as the author went to the effort of tying up Effie and Henry’s stories, he may as well have told us what happens to the other three characters too, but they just disappear, never to be heard from again - which seems unlikely.
I would recommend this as a quick, fun, and light read - perhaps a good holiday choice. I am keen to see where Cheek’s career goes, and will be sure to pick up his next novel.
Both the book’s blurb and other reviewers have done a good job of summarising the plot of this novel, so I won’t go over it again!
I did enjoy ‘Cape May’ - I got through it quite quickly (which, for me, is a good sign) and found myself wanting to make time to read it, and/or looking forward to my commute, as that’s my best opportunity to read. I thought Cheek did a good job at building an atmosphere, and introducing interesting and engaging characters. I can see why people think they’re unlikeable, but personally don’t think this is necessarily a negative point. However, I feel that the character development was lacking, and they’d often do/say things that felt jarring and mismatched to how they had previously been presented. The description makes it seem like you’ll get to know each of the five main characters, and - as someone else has mentioned - I was especially keen to get into Effie’s head. At first Cheek does switch perspectives quite frequently, but as you get into the novel, the action focuses almost solely on Henry - who really doesn’t have any redeeming features, and is therefore rather uninteresting. Whilst I didn’t find it slow, there is a very long build up; the main crux of the plot doesn’t happen until a good two thirds of the way through, and then it is all wrapped up rather quickly (almost hastily). This is especially true of the last chapter, which basically summarises the rest of Effie and Henry’s lives. It feels like the author thinks he owes you an ending, when it may have been more powerful (albeit frustrating; again, not necessarily a bad thing) to have ended it without this very specific conclusion. I also think that as the author went to the effort of tying up Effie and Henry’s stories, he may as well have told us what happens to the other three characters too, but they just disappear, never to be heard from again - which seems unlikely.
I would recommend this as a quick, fun, and light read - perhaps a good holiday choice. I am keen to see where Cheek’s career goes, and will be sure to pick up his next novel.