lucasgarner's review against another edition
2.0
What do you get when you mix South Park, MSNBC, and Chuck Palahniuk? This mess of a book. It really reminded me of a failed South Park episode that took itself way to seriously. But that’s because Noah Hawley has So. Much. To. Say! And this would be all well and good if he was able to concisely put together all of his thoughts, but instead we are left with an endless regurgitation of preachy liberal nonsense (note: I say this as a proud liberal) that makes any point he is attempting to make sound like a toddler trying to cry his way out of eating his vegetables. It’s just too much. The book is also very condescending, which makes me wonder just who this novel is actually written for. Any self respecting liberal will realize what a bastardization of our logic this novel is, and any conservative will throw this out with the rest of the “woke trash” they don’t want to listen to. I know there a decent reviews for this, but I’m really scratching my head wondering what kind of person would enjoy this novel. Maybe I missed something here.
mhworth's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 honestly. This book is so current it hurts- and Hawley’s take on current events is so prescient that he basically wrote about the Jan 6 insurrection in October 2020. Tragic, epic and powerful, but the fourth wall breaking doesn’t pay off like I want it to. Definitely read it- and not just because there is a character named Margot (I listened to the audiobook, so the spelling didn’t affect me) and her husband graduated from my alma mater, although both of those very personal little relatable details made me happy!
justluck's review against another edition
3.0
This book had an awesome set up, awesome writing, and awesome characters. But as I approached the end some great plot lines were erased before they could satisfactorily close, the writing became rushed, and the characters didn’t come through for me. I overall had a fun time reading it but the ending ruined it for me
richisdrinkingcoffee's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-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? No
5.0
tehlanna's review against another edition
5.0
This one will stick with me for a long time. A timely and disturbing fictionalized take on what took place in the last few years politically and socially. Can something be dark and uplifting at once? The authors’ commentary throughout the book tickled me, despite not being a fan of fourth-wall violation. His thoughts on empathy are thought provoking and something I’ve struggled with myself.
dlsmall's review against another edition
4.0
So if I had finished this tale, and you were to tell me that a creator of many a show that I have watched wrote it, it wouldn’t take a ton of reflection time before blurting out, “Noah Hawley.”
btodd12's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I really enjoyed this book for the first half. The second half just seemed too unbelievable. I couldn’t keep the huge cast of characters straight, and their backstories were confusing. Major plot points happened with little to no reflection by the characters. I didn’t like the lack of resolution of some of the big plot points.
lucy05's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
bookybecka's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-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
5.0