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carlytenille's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
minimicropup's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
This was so fascinating. Mundane yet intriguing, strange yet familiar. Gotta be in the mood for it though. And have time– if I took long breaks, I would have been so lost coming back. It’s what I’d call a flexible read if you can get invested in the story. Could go with the flow just watching what happens or dissect all the nuanced commentary.
Energy: Desultory. Jaunty. Perceptive.
🐩 Tail Wags
Realistic well-developed characters and dialogue [take character notes, there are many]. Fine-tuned, very detailed character appearances and settings [could feel like too much detail if you aren’t a mind’s eye reader or prefer to customize your imaginings]. The randomness. Just taking it all in and watching things unfold. How the character arcs and plot points start to interconnect. Writing style that is almost jolting at times.
Scene: 🇺🇸 Set in Fayetteville, Arkansas, mostly at the University of Arkansas.
Perspectives (3): A professor with relationship struggles starts a new writing project but gets sidetracked during their research. A residential assistant majoring in Hospitality Management is eager to start their adult life after taking a break to help their mother out. A transfer student is nervous about their new school but hoping to make friends and put their past behind them.
Timeline: 2017 mostly. Takes place over the academic term, so it’s multi-season with summer breaks, autumn chill, and winter festivities.
🔥 Fuel: Character investment. Parallel plots. Evolving relationships between characters. What’s the deal with ____? Almost everyone is a little mysterious in that way getting to know someone can be.
📖 Cred: Hyper realistic with a based-on-a-true-story feel.
Mood Reading Match-Up:
Febreze. Candy perfume. Lanyard jingles. Dryer sheets. Wet laundry. Frozen pizza. Music from laptop speakers. Shea cream. Deodorant. Whole Foods. Christmas albums. Dirty dishes.
- Thrown in the story, figure it out as you go
- Slice-of-life University life randomness
- Dorm life, roommate drama and dysfunction, friendship and relationship struggles
- ‘No plot, just vibes’ vibe
- Nothing happens…unless you look closer
- Detailed descriptions and world-building
- Many morally grey and unlikeable characters (ymmv)
- Parallel character studies that gradually overlap
- Exploration and social commentary around race, class, academia, and finances/consumerism
- Questionable journalism, getting the tea
- Psychological mystery/suspense driven by character investment
- You Never Know What Someone Is Going Through complexities
- Fly on the wall, observation driven narratives
Content Heads-Up: Prejudice, bias (ignorance, comments; sexuality, race). Cannabis use (medicinal, recreational). Adderall (recreational). Glaucoma. Relationship breakdown (finances, resentment). Loneliness. Suicidal thoughts. Social anxiety. Dog death (very brief but on page). Sexual content (brief; intoxicated/regretful but coherent, meaningless, consenting, experimenting). Substance abuse (anti-anxiety, recreational). Tietze Syndrome.
Rep: Black, Biracial, Indigenous, and White Americans. Mexican, Irish-Danish, ancestry. Diverse bodies (above avg height, pear shaped, gapped teeth). Lesbian. Questioning. Hetero. Cisgender. Pale pink, rosy brown, tan, and very dark brown skin tones. Crohn’s Disease.
📚 Format: Library Digital
My musings 💖 powered by puppy snuggles 🐶
😍 Potential Fav of 2024
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Animal death, Drug use, and Sexual content
drymice's review
emotional
funny
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, and Blood
Minor: Drug use, Racism, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
clairebartholomew549's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I'm not sure how to feel about this book. I should probably stop reading reviews before I read books, because I saw a review that said this book had no plot, and maybe it colored my view of this book. Or maybe it didn't, because honestly this book has no plot. It's more accurately described as a character or environment study, and the dorm atmosphere is fascinating to dive into. The tableau is really interesting, and I enjoyed seeing every character's perspective. But I would have liked some insight into Tyler, Jenna, and Casey - I realize it was part of the point to only see them through the other characters' eyes, but it certainly flattened them. And at the end of the book, I was confused what the point was. I found Such a Fun Age really interesting and dynamic, so this one was disappointing to me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Gore, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, and Classism
madybreadz's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
zombiezami's review against another edition
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Racism, Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, and Alcohol
Minor: Bullying, Confinement, Eating disorder, Death of parent, and Cultural appropriation
bellsdixon's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Minor: Cursing, Sexual content, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Cultural appropriation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
ittywitty's review
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
alanabenjamin's review
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I really wanted to love this book but the plot just felt flat...
This is a very readable book. It is more of a character study about college life and the ways that money fuels lifestyle. However, the narrative just didn't deliver in an entertaining or intriguing way. The plot twists were predictable and a bit dull.
I think there were just too many secondary characters. As a result, the reader lost the plot and purpose of the book.
I would mark this as a sophomore slump. I really think the author has very interesting takes on the intersection of class and race as displayed in her debut. However, I think that plot point got a little lost because I think the subject matter of college life in the South was a bit too nuanced for the mainstream reader. I really had to think deeply to understand the commentary, unlike her debut.
This is a very readable book. It is more of a character study about college life and the ways that money fuels lifestyle. However, the narrative just didn't deliver in an entertaining or intriguing way. The plot twists were predictable and a bit dull.
I think there were just too many secondary characters. As a result, the reader lost the plot and purpose of the book.
I would mark this as a sophomore slump. I really think the author has very interesting takes on the intersection of class and race as displayed in her debut. However, I think that plot point got a little lost because I think the subject matter of college life in the South was a bit too nuanced for the mainstream reader. I really had to think deeply to understand the commentary, unlike her debut.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Drug use, Racism, and Sexual content
hiddenfallacies's review
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
This novel is hard to describe. Even harder to sell to other people as a recommendation when all you can think to say is "it's really good." So I'll try my best to do so here.
Come and Get It follows three perspectives over the course of an undergraduate fall semester, with glimpses into the past added as necessary to explain how they got into their current situation. Agatha, a mid-30s journalist working a year of residency at the University of Arkansas. Millie, a super senior RA looking to finish her degree, land a job, and buy a house. And Kennedy, a junior looking for a fresh start as a transfer student. As the innocuous moments of their lives intertwine, a descent towards their ruin begins. Its arrival is sudden and swift, the kind of downfall that makes all too much sense in hindsight.
The greatest strength of this narrative lies in these characters, who are written so realistically that they feel as if they walked out of your life rather than the mind of Reid. Crafting this kind of realism is supremely difficult, so the fact that even minute dialogue and quirks feel true-to-life is an accomplishment. This makes you, as the reader, feel as if you've truly participated in the scene rather than acted as an observer.
Rather than construct the plot around traditional forms of conflict, Come and Get It is propelled forward through the interpersonal lives of its characters. At no point does it feel like a scene is wasted, even if it only serves to capture simple moments of life such as dorm conversations or a trip to Target. Although this structure might not work for everyone, I found it a natural extension of its focus on the inner lives and decisions of its main characters.
Themes of class, race, sexuality, and gender are all on display within this novel, engaged with in the same way you'd talk about the subjects with friends - without formality and with a certain level of disdain towards the world. What it has to say is layered and worth discussing.
If none of this interests you, I urge you to at least give the first chapter or two a go. The writing pulled me in before I realized it - it might do the same for you.
Come and Get It follows three perspectives over the course of an undergraduate fall semester, with glimpses into the past added as necessary to explain how they got into their current situation. Agatha, a mid-30s journalist working a year of residency at the University of Arkansas. Millie, a super senior RA looking to finish her degree, land a job, and buy a house. And Kennedy, a junior looking for a fresh start as a transfer student. As the innocuous moments of their lives intertwine, a descent towards their ruin begins. Its arrival is sudden and swift, the kind of downfall that makes all too much sense in hindsight.
The greatest strength of this narrative lies in these characters, who are written so realistically that they feel as if they walked out of your life rather than the mind of Reid. Crafting this kind of realism is supremely difficult, so the fact that even minute dialogue and quirks feel true-to-life is an accomplishment. This makes you, as the reader, feel as if you've truly participated in the scene rather than acted as an observer.
Rather than construct the plot around traditional forms of conflict, Come and Get It is propelled forward through the interpersonal lives of its characters. At no point does it feel like a scene is wasted, even if it only serves to capture simple moments of life such as dorm conversations or a trip to Target. Although this structure might not work for everyone, I found it a natural extension of its focus on the inner lives and decisions of its main characters.
Themes of class, race, sexuality, and gender are all on display within this novel, engaged with in the same way you'd talk about the subjects with friends - without formality and with a certain level of disdain towards the world. What it has to say is layered and worth discussing.
If none of this interests you, I urge you to at least give the first chapter or two a go. The writing pulled me in before I realized it - it might do the same for you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Body shaming, Cancer, Cursing, Self harm, Medical content, and Religious bigotry