Reviews

Very Nice by Marcy Dermansky

jlllzz's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

michellekmartin's review against another edition

5.0

I read VERY NICE over the course of 24 hours last week and I loved every single minute of it. It was absorbing, fast-paced, a little bit dark, and intelligent. ⁠⠀

The story follows Zahid, a famous writer, as he has an affair first with his student and then with her mother. The trio spends a summer cooped up in a fancy house on the Connecticut shoreline as tensions rise and everyone goes through a bit of self-discovery. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
I loved how the multiple character storylines overlapped and wove in and out of each other as the story was told from multiple perspectives. I also loved how modern the story felt - weaving in topics that feel so relevant to 2019. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Highly recommend this one for fans of Emma Straub, Maria Semple, and even Sally Rooney.

flapjacks's review against another edition

3.0

short darkly humorous novel about a group of interrelated self obsessed people. i didn't love it, but i also didn't hate it.

lea0708's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

along500's review against another edition

2.0

I was really enjoying it for the light hearted drama until towards the end it turned into some kind of niche erotica?

lameeya_'s review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Everyone was so hateable, and I generally like reading about unlikeable people but this one didn't click with me, the writing felt stilted and weird somehow. The story was fine, and I didn't hate the ending but I couldn't connect with the writing at all.

jan_db's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious tense 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

4.5

the way that the characters interacted with each other was so interesting and unpredictable. i loved the little reveals we had throughout the book, and honestly i don't particularly like multiple pov's in a story but i think this one was really well done

kmerms's review against another edition

dark funny tense fast-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

4.25

shimimire's review against another edition

2.0

I received this book for my birthday. I failed to become engaged with this book. I just felt that all the characters were terrible selfish people who I did not want good things for which may have been the point but it wasn’t my cup of tea.

allieruth's review against another edition

3.75

I am once again begging you to read Marcy Dermansky... but maybe don't start here. the multiple perspectives and pacing is off on this one — it doesn't just feel very coherent or polished, when her other books are so sleek.

still, there's an addicting quality to Dermansky's writing that I can't put down. something to her clipped, deceptively simple sentences, unusual internal dialogues. she's smart, gleefully nasty, a little (or a lot) unhinged. her other books have more emotional heft/payoff to balance it out, while this one was mostly just jaded. still, there's fun mocking of elites and a mother-daughter relationship that I wish got more attention, was almost heartfelt.