allisonreadsabook's review
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
zedohee's review
4.0
Liselle sweats out her blandly curated life like a cheap blowout and I loved every second of it. Brilliant, biting and sharp—Shonda Rhimes mention? Oh you know I was cheesing—this novel was damn near everything I’ve been wanting to read, ever. It’s probably (definitely) too early to be adding to my end of year favourites but I will anyway, because this book is already #1. Asali Solomon pulled me in with her crisp, lush style; I want to do little snow angels between her deliciously direct lines of dialogue. There are no obvious, circular metaphors or overly described, so-precious-it’s-offputting-lines-of-purple-prose here, just wit. And confident, amused stylization, that had me smiling even when I really wanted to shake the characters sensible. Unlike books that show the characters compatibility though cliches, trite observations and generalized couple activities, Liselle and Selena’s experiences and conversations are unique and whole and just disrespectful enough, that at times, I almost felt like an intruder, for how real they were. Like a couple I could know and a couple I definitely wanted more of (that ending? Oh she got me).
Miss Solomon if you’re reading this please drop another one the streets (my block at least) are begging!
Miss Solomon if you’re reading this please drop another one the streets (my block at least) are begging!
cstadler's review
3.0
I enjoyed this while I was reading it, but I feel like I missed the big picture or something.
jennms_qkw's review
4.0
Apparently I missed a lot going to state schools in the midwest and west. Inconclusive and intriguing ending. Interesting story.
kat_withthebooks09's review
emotional
reflective
sad
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
3.0
ellieafterall's review
2.0
While I enjoyed the dinner party setting and the writing style, I would’ve loved this if it had more scenes with Liselle & Selena. I wanted to drown in their time together.
laurab2125's review
3.0
I wanted to like this more than I did. The writing was good, some of the threads throughout were interesting, but in the end, I didn't care too much about the characters on their own and wanted to spend more time with them together.
marylandgeorgia's review
3.0
I really can't figure out if I liked this or not. It started so many thoughts for me and then just left them all open.
The writing was wonderful, except for one chapter that for some reason swapped the two main characters' names. I read the same page 3 times until I figured it out. Copy Editors are important.
The writing was wonderful, except for one chapter that for some reason swapped the two main characters' names. I read the same page 3 times until I figured it out. Copy Editors are important.