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anniejmelody's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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
4.5
If you are a The Virgin Suicides, My Year of Rest and Relaxation, White Oleander girly like me you will LOVVVE this.
suzzeb22's review against another edition
3.0
I picked up this book partly because I found it interesting when I first heard of it and partly because they are making it into a movie and I wanted to read it first. I wasn't super enthused about Rebecca Miller's writing for the first part of the novel and also found the ending wrapped up a little abruptly but I found the middle chapters when the main character, Pippa, flashes back to her upbringing and her sordid past is when the story really takes off. Maybe more of that would've propelled it a little higher in my estimation. All in all a solid book. I wouldn't recommend it to just anyone but I enjoyed it. Seems like a bad choice to make a movie with though.
lilyreadingbooks's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
laurawil's review against another edition
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
3.5
lisawhelpley's review against another edition
3.0
This was a quick book that, unlike other reviewers here, I thought was good all the way through to the very end. It could have been longer and we could have known some of the minor characters better, but sometimes you just want a nice, short read that still makes you think a teeny bit. And this book did that for me.
ladyreading365's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
god_frina's review against another edition
4.0
First off, to be perfectly honest, I only picked up this book in an HMV in London because it was only £ 3.00 and I've previously heard about the movie.
Even though I still haven't seen the film the literary source didn't disappoint me.
The shortish story is divided in four main parts. It creates an atmosphere and mood on its own which has to be matched. And which had gripped me by the time I reached part two.
Pippa Lee's story starts off in the present, when she is past 50, her husband Herb going on 80 and they are moving to a retirement community. There, Pippa is one of the youngest residents. This is one of the reasons she starts to reflect on her life: Her two children are independent and successful in their life and the thought that life still holds something else for her but waiting for her aging husband's (and also her own) death, absorbs her mind.
Part two unravels Pippa Sarkassian's past; how and why she came to be who and where she is, what people influenced her. Pippa's childhood was unusual but loving, yet her life took turns nobody could have foreseen. Her teenage years were far from ordinary, still she spent years roaming the streets, searching for something, searching for a purpose, searching for peace of mind she thought she had finally found in her love for her husband Herb.
To not spoil the twists and developments of part three and the shortest fourth part, I best end my review quoting my favourite passage of the book:
"Still wakeful on the night of the whips and chains, I mulled over my life so far. I was a botch. I could see no future. I had no plans. I saw no example I wished to follow. I didn't want to be a nurse, or a stewardess, or a secretary; I didn't want to work in the meatpacking district or be a housewife. I just wanted to prowl around. I walked the streets endlessly. Watching people. I had a ravening mind; I wanted I wanted I wanted. I wanted into people's lives. I followed couples as they scurried down the street, carrying groceries and bunches of flowers, children tugging on their arms. I followed businessmen on their way from work. I followed elegantely dressed women who marched resolutely down the street and raised their hands for taxis. They were all bustling, all running, all rushing. Everyone in New York City seemed to have a purpose, except for me. I was driven by a need with no end, no goal. I was looking for love, I think, though that's not what it felt like at the time. At the time I felt hard and cold as a knife in the snow." (page 109, part two)
If you are looking for an intelligent, insightful, thought-provoking piece of women's literature, you have found it.
Even though I still haven't seen the film the literary source didn't disappoint me.
The shortish story is divided in four main parts. It creates an atmosphere and mood on its own which has to be matched. And which had gripped me by the time I reached part two.
Pippa Lee's story starts off in the present, when she is past 50, her husband Herb going on 80 and they are moving to a retirement community. There, Pippa is one of the youngest residents. This is one of the reasons she starts to reflect on her life: Her two children are independent and successful in their life and the thought that life still holds something else for her but waiting for her aging husband's (and also her own) death, absorbs her mind.
Part two unravels Pippa Sarkassian's past; how and why she came to be who and where she is, what people influenced her. Pippa's childhood was unusual but loving, yet her life took turns nobody could have foreseen. Her teenage years were far from ordinary, still she spent years roaming the streets, searching for something, searching for a purpose, searching for peace of mind she thought she had finally found in her love for her husband Herb.
To not spoil the twists and developments of part three and the shortest fourth part, I best end my review quoting my favourite passage of the book:
"Still wakeful on the night of the whips and chains, I mulled over my life so far. I was a botch. I could see no future. I had no plans. I saw no example I wished to follow. I didn't want to be a nurse, or a stewardess, or a secretary; I didn't want to work in the meatpacking district or be a housewife. I just wanted to prowl around. I walked the streets endlessly. Watching people. I had a ravening mind; I wanted I wanted I wanted. I wanted into people's lives. I followed couples as they scurried down the street, carrying groceries and bunches of flowers, children tugging on their arms. I followed businessmen on their way from work. I followed elegantely dressed women who marched resolutely down the street and raised their hands for taxis. They were all bustling, all running, all rushing. Everyone in New York City seemed to have a purpose, except for me. I was driven by a need with no end, no goal. I was looking for love, I think, though that's not what it felt like at the time. At the time I felt hard and cold as a knife in the snow." (page 109, part two)
If you are looking for an intelligent, insightful, thought-provoking piece of women's literature, you have found it.
lizaroo71's review against another edition
3.0
this book really is interesting. it begins with the marriage of pippa and her husband that is twenty years her senior. there's seems to be an ideal marriage steeped in love and mutual respect. once her husband retires, they move into a retirement community. this is when pippa begins a transformation of her own. we get pippa's story told in flashback and it is quite a story! some of the turns the story takes seem far-fetched, but they are always a welcome surprise. i read personal volicity by rebecca miller and saw the movie. i really loved that collection of short stories. her stories seem to revolve around women and the various experiences we have in life.
godfrina's review against another edition
4.0
First off, to be perfectly honest, I only picked up this book in an HMV in London because it was only £ 3.00 and I've previously heard about the movie.
Even though I still haven't seen the film the literary source didn't disappoint me.
The shortish story is divided in four main parts. It creates an atmosphere and mood on its own which has to be matched. And which had gripped me by the time I reached part two.
Pippa Lee's story starts off in the present, when she is past 50, her husband Herb going on 80 and they are moving to a retirement community. There, Pippa is one of the youngest residents. This is one of the reasons she starts to reflect on her life: Her two children are independent and successful in their life and the thought that life still holds something else for her but waiting for her aging husband's (and also her own) death, absorbs her mind.
Part two unravels Pippa Sarkassian's past; how and why she came to be who and where she is, what people influenced her. Pippa's childhood was unusual but loving, yet her life took turns nobody could have foreseen. Her teenage years were far from ordinary, still she spent years roaming the streets, searching for something, searching for a purpose, searching for peace of mind she thought she had finally found in her love for her husband Herb.
To not spoil the twists and developments of part three and the shortest fourth part, I best end my review quoting my favourite passage of the book:
"Still wakeful on the night of the whips and chains, I mulled over my life so far. I was a botch. I could see no future. I had no plans. I saw no example I wished to follow. I didn't want to be a nurse, or a stewardess, or a secretary; I didn't want to work in the meatpacking district or be a housewife. I just wanted to prowl around. I walked the streets endlessly. Watching people. I had a ravening mind; I wanted I wanted I wanted. I wanted into people's lives. I followed couples as they scurried down the street, carrying groceries and bunches of flowers, children tugging on their arms. I followed businessmen on their way from work. I followed elegantely dressed women who marched resolutely down the street and raised their hands for taxis. They were all bustling, all running, all rushing. Everyone in New York City seemed to have a purpose, except for me. I was driven by a need with no end, no goal. I was looking for love, I think, though that's not what it felt like at the time. At the time I felt hard and cold as a knife in the snow." (page 109, part two)
If you are looking for an intelligent, insightful, thought-provoking piece of women's literature, you have found it.
Even though I still haven't seen the film the literary source didn't disappoint me.
The shortish story is divided in four main parts. It creates an atmosphere and mood on its own which has to be matched. And which had gripped me by the time I reached part two.
Pippa Lee's story starts off in the present, when she is past 50, her husband Herb going on 80 and they are moving to a retirement community. There, Pippa is one of the youngest residents. This is one of the reasons she starts to reflect on her life: Her two children are independent and successful in their life and the thought that life still holds something else for her but waiting for her aging husband's (and also her own) death, absorbs her mind.
Part two unravels Pippa Sarkassian's past; how and why she came to be who and where she is, what people influenced her. Pippa's childhood was unusual but loving, yet her life took turns nobody could have foreseen. Her teenage years were far from ordinary, still she spent years roaming the streets, searching for something, searching for a purpose, searching for peace of mind she thought she had finally found in her love for her husband Herb.
To not spoil the twists and developments of part three and the shortest fourth part, I best end my review quoting my favourite passage of the book:
"Still wakeful on the night of the whips and chains, I mulled over my life so far. I was a botch. I could see no future. I had no plans. I saw no example I wished to follow. I didn't want to be a nurse, or a stewardess, or a secretary; I didn't want to work in the meatpacking district or be a housewife. I just wanted to prowl around. I walked the streets endlessly. Watching people. I had a ravening mind; I wanted I wanted I wanted. I wanted into people's lives. I followed couples as they scurried down the street, carrying groceries and bunches of flowers, children tugging on their arms. I followed businessmen on their way from work. I followed elegantely dressed women who marched resolutely down the street and raised their hands for taxis. They were all bustling, all running, all rushing. Everyone in New York City seemed to have a purpose, except for me. I was driven by a need with no end, no goal. I was looking for love, I think, though that's not what it felt like at the time. At the time I felt hard and cold as a knife in the snow." (page 109, part two)
If you are looking for an intelligent, insightful, thought-provoking piece of women's literature, you have found it.