Reviews

You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith

jaclyncrupi's review against another edition

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4.0

I read this after seeing it in @fran.berry’s top books of 2023 list (I’d read and loved all the others). It’s a beautiful and poetic (Smith is a poet) divorce memoir. Female writers are so good at these. I loved it completely except for Smith’s tendency to admonish the reader for ‘wanting’ details Smith did not wish to reveal. Sweetheart, this is your memoir and you’re setting the boundaries, not me. Tell me whatever you want to tell me. I’m way more interested in how you’re telling me in any case. And you really did make it beautiful, even the pain, especially the pain.

nelleplett's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.75

bluecantdrive's review against another edition

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3.5

I thought this was mcgonagall Maggie but it was still good lol 

mlleblanc10's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

4.5

carrieemoran's review against another edition

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3.0

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I like Maggie Smith's poetry, and there was a lot I liked about this book. There was also a lot of repetition and vagueness. It was strange to read a memoir that reveals very vulnerable things but then also makes a point to leave things out. It was painful to read at times. But also beautiful.

nataliereinhart's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

4.0

saholst's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective tense fast-paced

5.0

juliagtoth's review against another edition

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3.0

I thought the idea of telling the story through vignettes was good, but honestly got a little repetitive.

launab's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

4.5

sydneyalexis119's review

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4.0

I found this book to be so beautiful and relatable in many ways. I have never read any of Maggie Smith’s poetry but I definitely plan to now.

The only thing I didn’t love was when Smith would weirdly confrontationally address me as the reader. Something like “Reader, ask yourself why you want to know this private thing” or something. Like bro I’m just reading your memoir that you wrote and published for the world to read - why are you assuming I want to know about these private things that you’re choosing not to share? This happened multiple times and just turned me off every time.