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janey's review against another edition
4.0
Well done! This brought back memories of stories told by an old friend, without the silver linings that he always found. I agree with the blurbs that say this doesn't read like a first novel.
p_t_b's review against another edition
3.0
this is a review of myself and not of this book. i have too many opinions about the cultural meanings of baseball as well as the consumer politics of literature to be fair to this book. i am a 60% good human being
sarahastrid3's review against another edition
1.0
I didn't finish this. I was just tired of seeing it on my reading list. I don't think I ever will finish it. It was boring. I don't care so much that it wasn't about baseball as some others have said. I care that they kept introducing people and I was tired of keeping track. I love baseball, I love Spring Training in Arizona. I wanted so much more from this.
supertenn115's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
2.75
22reader22's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Deeply misogynistic. The bad women of the book neglect children, manipulate men, focus on attaining body privilege, or just whimper and simper. The only good woman character in the book is a nursing mother who stays away from the other baseball wives and girlfriends, is devoted to her husband, and uses English in the author's wrong idea of how a Spanish-as-first-language speaker would. It's not diversity if a character is just there to be a cardboard stereotype. This is a book for people who want their ugly stereotypes about women confirmed. The author seems to feel the characters are more complicated than the good-bad dichotomy I've addressed here, but they really aren't. It's a college writing exercise printed in novel form.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
lilly71490's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
cody240fc's review against another edition
3.0
Most people are probably going to focus on Nemens’ use of the multiple POV, a structure she utilizes with much success (except for the chapter centering around the team owner with a bruised ego, as well the chapter focusing on the players’ wives). Nemens appears to have logged some time at spring training herself, and she paints the whole mess with clear lines for us readers.
What really stood out to me, however, was the tone Nemens sets throughout the story. This is not a story of redemption, nor is it a story of doom and gloom. With ‘The Cactus League’ Nemens gives us the hint that things might turn out all right, but in a likelihood probably not.
A couple of readers have mentioned that baseball really is a perfect metaphor for life, and I tend to agree. Nemens does the game justice. A promising debut. Solid three stars.
What really stood out to me, however, was the tone Nemens sets throughout the story. This is not a story of redemption, nor is it a story of doom and gloom. With ‘The Cactus League’ Nemens gives us the hint that things might turn out all right, but in a likelihood probably not.
A couple of readers have mentioned that baseball really is a perfect metaphor for life, and I tend to agree. Nemens does the game justice. A promising debut. Solid three stars.
emulator's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction and Alcohol
Moderate: Body shaming, Drug use, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Fatphobia, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
jorsarian's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
lbolesta's review against another edition
3.0
Nothing WRONG with this one, but books where the POV changes each chapter and never goes back to revisit a character always feel unfinished to me (contrast with how well this is done in Trouble the Saints).