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clacranes's review against another edition
slow-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
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault
daera's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
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? Yes
3.0
I don’t know that this is a book I would ever pick up again or recommend to anyone. There were parts that were good (mostly in the middle) but it often felt like I was just trudging through.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Rape, and Sexual assault
emderosa's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Cancer and Rape
madelinedalton's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book made me think a lot more than the usual 3.5 star book does. Rachel's reflections at the very end were really beautiful and singlehandedly bumped this book up by a half star. I really resonated with her thoughts on "settling." I also thought the redemption arc of one very unlikable member of the core four was executed quite well. That said, this book has many flaws.
I believe the message would have been stronger had we bounced between all four characters throughout 2006-2019, vignette-style, rather than picking one character as the central focus of each year. Much of the chapters were spent recapping what had happened to that particular character since we'd last heard from them. It made the book's pacing wonky and dampened my emotional investment.
I think this book also had an opportunity to explore how socioeconomic status and privilege play a role in how our lives pan out, and it did not take it. Maybe this isn't a bad thing, as it could have cluttered up the book or pigeonholed the author into talking about something she isn't qualified to speak about. But it's not lost on me that the majority of these characters are white and all four of them are very wealthy for at least some portion of the book. The novel explores how past choices and past events affect each character's life in the present; the privileges of going to Northwestern, being surrounded by wealth, and (except for Dev) being white equally impact the paths their lives take, and yet it is hardly discussed.
Not necessarily a flaw, but it's worth mentioning that I correctly predicted which one of them died within the first 80 pages. I don't even remember why I thought it would be that person? I just kind of... knew? It seems like many other readers have had that experience, too. Not necessarily a bad thing--books don't need to have unexpected twists in order to be objectively good--but something to note if you're a reader who needs shock value to enjoy a story.
I believe the message would have been stronger had we bounced between all four characters throughout 2006-2019, vignette-style, rather than picking one character as the central focus of each year. Much of the chapters were spent recapping what had happened to that particular character since we'd last heard from them. It made the book's pacing wonky and dampened my emotional investment.
I think this book also had an opportunity to explore how socioeconomic status and privilege play a role in how our lives pan out, and it did not take it. Maybe this isn't a bad thing, as it could have cluttered up the book or pigeonholed the author into talking about something she isn't qualified to speak about. But it's not lost on me that the majority of these characters are white and all four of them are very wealthy for at least some portion of the book. The novel explores how past choices and past events affect each character's life in the present; the privileges of going to Northwestern, being surrounded by wealth, and (except for Dev) being white equally impact the paths their lives take, and yet it is hardly discussed.
Not necessarily a flaw, but it's worth mentioning that I correctly predicted which one of them died within the first 80 pages. I don't even remember why I thought it would be that person? I just kind of... knew? It seems like many other readers have had that experience, too. Not necessarily a bad thing--books don't need to have unexpected twists in order to be objectively good--but something to note if you're a reader who needs shock value to enjoy a story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Drug abuse
Moderate: Death, Rape, and Grief
melissa_isreading's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
2.5
The structure of this really didn't work for me. It's the story of four best friends from college and their lives in the ten years that follow. Each year is told from one person's perspective, and because of this, much of each chapter is spent recapping the last three years from that person's pov. This causes a disconnect in almost everything that happens, and I just didn't care about the characters all that much because of it. In short, there is too much recapping and not enough of being in the moment.
I also didn't like how certain things were vaguely implied and danced around, but not addressed until way too late in the story. It felt like the author was trying to avoid it actually affecting the characters other than as a plot device.
The only thing that kept this from being a flat 2 star rating for me were some of Rachel's musings on life and relationships toward the end.
I also didn't like how certain things were vaguely implied and danced around, but not addressed until way too late in the story. It felt like the author was trying to avoid it actually affecting the characters other than as a plot device.
The only thing that kept this from being a flat 2 star rating for me were some of Rachel's musings on life and relationships toward the end.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Death, and Rape