bookishpriest's review against another edition
dark
funny
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
3.5
chemistrychick68's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
edzee_lcnm's review against another edition
dark
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
It's been a while since I've read a WMFUN (White Male F&ck Up Novel) and even more so, a sub-genre of that the JWMFUN (Jewish White Male F&ck Up Novel) -- and I think my tolerance and interest in this type of book has waned over the years. With this debut novel (he has previously published a poetry collection), there is no doubt that Ben Purkert is a talented writer and that is about the only thing that "saved" this novel for me -- it was a quick, occasionally funny, enjoyable enough read -- but filled with miserable characters, particularly protagonist Seth, and just wacky situations that I never found myself fully invested or entertained enough by it. I'm guessing my expectations were even further inflated thanks to generous cover blurbs from Clint Smith and Hanif Abdurraqib, two authors that I like and respect an awful lot. It just felt like there wasn't anything here that I haven't read a dozen times before and in more experienced hands.
2.5 stars including 0.5 bump again for Purkert being good on the sentence-level and his pacing - but the overall experience being just okay.
2.5 stars including 0.5 bump again for Purkert being good on the sentence-level and his pacing - but the overall experience being just okay.
whattiea's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
rysev's review against another edition
3.0
I’m saying 3 but it’s 3.5. Can’t justify 4 cause I can’t figure out if I’m just too stupid to understand or if nothing happened
hardcoverhearts's review against another edition
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
kjoiiooi's review against another edition
funny
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
fkshg8465's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
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
4.25
This title is so accurate to the character that it’s funny. The protagonist is arrogant and delusional and a danger to himself and the people in his life. It cracked me up, but it also was a bit sobering to think how so many charmed and privileged people are just like him, which is why isms persist. For this reason, I’d classify this book as satire.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Cancer, Infidelity, Drug abuse, and Drug use
tinatormey's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
A little bit Mad Men meets Barbie for its hilarious yet biting social commentary in the setting of the marketing world.
Seth is wholly unlikeable with his egocentrism and self importance. I cringe when he shoves colleague Josie’s chair, attempting to startle her, in a way that any immature man seeking attention in the office would do. Seth believes he is the sun and is threatened by anything that he believes could dim his light. And he seems to be on an upward trend… until he’s not. And while unlikeable, he’s not unreadable. You want to watch how this dude gets in his own way and see the fall out.
The book was fast-paced, similar to a Bret Easton Ellis novel as the reader races along with the cognitively frenetic narrator. There are moments that are actually poetic, such as this passage:
Hey, can I get your eyes on this? Or Can I pick your brain? They’d only ever want my component parts—my eyes, my brain—as if they implicitly understood themselves unworthy of the whole.
This passage caught my attention also because the beginning could have been a description of how women are objectified for their components—but unlike this male protagonist, no one is saying they’re unworthy of the whole. With women, we simply snack our way through: be beautiful but don’t spend too much time doing it. Be smart but don’t appear like you know more than others. Be a good mom, but not if it prevents you from being a good employee or spouse. Be career focused but not if it prevents you from keeping a nice house, being a good wife and serving as an engaged and loving mother. 🫠
Overall, this was a fun and interesting read. Take some time to digest the themes and messages—perhaps while sipping an extra dirty martini and cannibalizing some baby gherkins.