baguettekelly's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I absolutely love Jennifer Egan’s prose, and this is a beautifully written novel.
I was intrigued by and invested in Charlotte Swenson’s story of moving though the world with a new face, and the, but the parallel stories taking place in Rockford didn’t hold my attention. I think this book would be equally effective without Charlotte Hauser, although I get what Egan was trying to do with . This point was made several times in several points in the story and I don’t think it was a worthy payoff for an entire half of the book.
I was intrigued by and invested in Charlotte Swenson’s story of moving though the world with a new face, and the
Spoiler
commentary on how this great trauma was co-opted and capitalized upon by a social media companySpoiler
the two Charlottes’ experiences stepping outside who others perceived them to be
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Body shaming, and Violence
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