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graceboyd's review
emotional
sad
fast-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
2.0
Awful. Goodreads has the in depth review
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Infidelity, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Alcohol
cakeroo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
For my fellow Gilmore Girls fans- Lauren Graham narrates the audiobook version of One Italian Summer and she does an amazing job.
The originality of the plot of One Italian Summer appealed to me quite a bit, but nothing else lived up to my expectations. The characters were boring and their experiences read a bit like wish fulfillment (with the exception of the mother's death). Who wouldn't want to spend a summer in Italy eating amazing food, drinking wine all day, going dancing, falling for a handsome & wealthy stranger? The heavier aspects of the novel were overshadowed by the romantic ideal of an Italian summer. In addition to being boring, I found some of the characters' actions to be reprehensible. The main character cheats on her husband but it isn't treated as such. The main character's mother abandons her infant daughter to party in Italy for a summer and everyone excuses this behavior after the initial (and very short lived) feeling of betrayal. Personally, I think it's dangerous and reductive to contribute to the narrative that a woman's life and sense of self stops the moment she has a child. Women continue to be individuals after becoming mothers. They can also continue to change and grow without having to abandon their families. I think there is much more to be gained in having children than lost, and it would have been nice if the book had explored that more .
I think the author's writing really shined when she wrote about grief. The passages about Katy's depression during her mother's illness, and the subsequent anger and grief, were really moving. She didn't shy away from the dark thoughts that can come from grieving. I also enjoyed her descriptions of setting. In the end, I think this author is probably a decent writer and I will likely give her another chance.
Edit: I knocked this down from 2.5 to 2 stars because I remembered that Katy unironically mentions shopping at Erewhon.
The originality of the plot of One Italian Summer appealed to me quite a bit, but nothing else lived up to my expectations. The characters were boring and their experiences read a bit like wish fulfillment (with the exception of the mother's death). Who wouldn't want to spend a summer in Italy eating amazing food, drinking wine all day, going dancing, falling for a handsome & wealthy stranger? The heavier aspects of the novel were overshadowed by the romantic ideal of an Italian summer. In addition to being boring, I found some of the characters' actions to be reprehensible.
I think the author's writing really shined when she wrote about grief. The passages about Katy's depression during her mother's illness, and the subsequent anger and grief, were really moving. She didn't shy away from the dark thoughts that can come from grieving. I also enjoyed her descriptions of setting. In the end, I think this author is probably a decent writer and I will likely give her another chance.
Edit: I knocked this down from 2.5 to 2 stars because I remembered that Katy unironically mentions shopping at Erewhon.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer and Abandonment
This book contains cheating in a marriage.butle2em's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-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
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity and Abandonment
reasek's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer and Death of parent
Minor: Abandonment
ktv's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
Really liked this. It was a chill book. This was my first audiobook too, and I was addicted to it. I've literally never gotten thru a book so fast.
The spicy scenes weren't even spicy but I was still in shock, jaw dropped, hand over my mouth and everything. I think it was mostly due to it being narrated to me.
6/6/23 edit: this wasn't as good as i thought immediately after reading. i decided to change my rating because i recently finished tfgsc. i didn't take that much off the original rating (4.25) because of the fact that it was my first audiobook and i had a good experience with it.
The spicy scenes weren't even spicy but I was still in shock, jaw dropped, hand over my mouth and everything. I think it was mostly due to it being narrated to me.
6/6/23 edit: this wasn't as good as i thought immediately after reading. i decided to change my rating because i recently finished tfgsc. i didn't take that much off the original rating (4.25) because of the fact that it was my first audiobook and i had a good experience with it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Abandonment
fifteenthjessica's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-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
3.0
One Italian Silver follows thirty year old Katy Silver, whose life has spun out of control because of her mother's recent death. She hopes that taking their planned mother-daughter trip to Positano, Italy will help her figure out what to do with her confusion about her future, including her marriage. What she doesn't expect is to see and befriend a thirty year old version of her mother there.
This is very much a three star book for me. It was an overall enjoyable experience, but oftentimes, phrases would kick me out of the narrative with thoughts of "Why is Rebecca Serle describing this that way?" or "This character's reaction seems a little on the melodramatic side." Still, if you want a quick read about mother-daughter relationships that are more fraught than they seem with a side of romance and time shenanigans, this is your book.
This is very much a three star book for me. It was an overall enjoyable experience, but oftentimes, phrases would kick me out of the narrative with thoughts of "Why is Rebecca Serle describing this that way?" or "This character's reaction seems a little on the melodramatic side." Still, if you want a quick read about mother-daughter relationships that are more fraught than they seem with a side of romance and time shenanigans, this is your book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Infidelity, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol
abby_can_read's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
📱
This book wasn't for me. I struggled to connect with the characters and the plot. I found the details of Positano were lovely.
This book wasn't for me. I struggled to connect with the characters and the plot. I found the details of Positano were lovely.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Cancer, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Alcohol
greatexpectations77's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Fun little story of magical realism, but holy goodness does the MC need a therapist to work through the fact that she and her mother were enmeshed. And using a Lorelei Gilmore quote and having Lauren Graham narrate just drives the enmeshment home even more. Also, I'm pretty sure that cheating on your husband even though in your current timeline, you are not married yet is still cheating??? And like? Did it magically make her sex with her husband better? I little too tidy of a tie-up there, for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Death and Toxic friendship
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
Flag for anyone who wants to keep away from reading about alcohol - the drinking is near-constant.thekiwibibliophile's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Honestly, I think this woman was in love with her mother.
Katy has lost her mum after a battle with cancer and decided to go on the trip to Italy they had planned together. It’s started off so odd. She spoke down to her husband and invalidated his grief. She continues to mope around before finally running into Carol & ends up being obsessed with her. I couldn’t get over the crazy “magic” of the story or the absolutely weird relationship she had with her mum.
Kinda bummed cause I was really looking forward to this..
Katy has lost her mum after a battle with cancer and decided to go on the trip to Italy they had planned together. It’s started off so odd. She spoke down to her husband and invalidated his grief. She continues to mope around before finally running into Carol & ends up being obsessed with her. I couldn’t get over the crazy “magic” of the story or the absolutely weird relationship she had with her mum.
Kinda bummed cause I was really looking forward to this..
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer and Death of parent
Minor: Abandonment
toofondofbooks_'s review
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I liked this book a lot. it felt unique but also gave eat pray love vibes which I loved. emphasis on the eat - the food descriptions made me so hungry. the relationship between mother and daughter almost made me cry because of how close I am with my own mom. the fact that Lauren Graham narrated the audiobook was the icing on the cake. there were some aspects of the book that I didn't connect with, such as the romance subplot. I came here for family drama and tears, not necessarily romantic relationship drama, you know?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Pregnancy