Reviews

This is one of those books that is sad and also just gives that little boost one needs. I laughed out loud at some of the descriptions of Arthur's behavior and personality. Definitely a book of tiny little nuggets of quotes that I recall none of now. I would reread this book.

akingston5's review against another edition

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“Strange to be almost fifty, no? I feel like I just understood how to be young. It’s like the last day in a foreign country. You finally figure out where to get coffee, and drinks, and a good steak. And then you have to leave. And you won’t ever be back.”
•••
I picked this up awhile back because the premise sounded interesting, and there was a lot of noise with the Pulitzer. Arthur Less’s old boyfriend/not boyfriend is getting married, so he plans a many month trip abroad to NY, Italy, France, Morocco, Germany, India, and Japan. Along the way he turns 50, and he reflects on his life, the youth that was there and suddenly gone, the way age has creeped into his life next to relationships and his writing career. In many ways, this hit a little harder than I anticipated, mostly because I’ll turn 30 (not 50!) next year, but I feel like I’ve been turning 30 since my birthday this summer, like a slow walk to it with lots of celebrations and some odd grief. The line above especially has given me something to think over. It’s a pretty quick read that pulls you along, and it’s fun to guess who the narrator is for the first half!

psalm7325's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I really enjoyed this book. The words and phrases were absolutely beautifully well written. The characters were all interesting and I was rooting for them. The setting was very well developed. And perhaps most interesting of all was the narration. It was sort of written in second person. As if I and the narrator were sitting next to each other throughout the whole book. Occasionally the narrator would say things like “you see our brave protagonist sitting over there” which was deeply interesting and unique. Plus! Perhaps best of all, the book was not deeply sad! We love to see it.

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