calamitymane's review
1.0
Ugh, this series!
I hoped that once they got into the Lifestyle this would get more interesting, the characters would get more appealing, the story more compelling... something!
None of that happens for me. You get a recap of the previous book, which I loathe in subsequent books in a series - make people read the first volume if they want to know what happened, and don’t waste pages for those of us who’ve already suffered through, er... read the first volume.
This book finally delves into the lifestyle. It does not speak well of this volume that I was far more interested in the couple Dan and Cathy meet than I am in either of them.
If I disliked the two main characters before, this book did nothing to dissuade me. It’s cool (wonderful, actually) for a husband and wife to still have sexual feelings for one another and want to express them, but Dan and Cathy can’t seem to remember that they have kids. The crap they do out in the open - loud sex on the sofa when their kids are home, cruising the Lifestyle website while the kids are there in the kitchen - makes this seem less about two adults who want to enhance their sex life together, and more about two teenagers who are about to get killed in a horror film.
Once again, Cathy’s thoughts are expressed only in terms of what she wants sexually. She never once expresses a need for time to herself without Dan or her kids, and the only time she sees a friend is to have drinks and talk about sex. Dan has other interests - he games, we learn the names of the people he games with, we know he wants to write - but does Cathy want anything other than sexy fun times?! We never find out and it’s infuriating.
Once they decide to embark on the Lifestyle, Dan’s insecurities (control issues masked as insecurities?) come to the forefront. He doesn’t really want to do this (he was more than happy with the set up from Volume 1) and only tries because he’s worried Cathy might resent him, not because he wants to help her explore the thing she’s really been asking to explore all along. Most of the rules are sensible, one is him being utterly selfish. He even pretends to be Cathy when they chat online, so he can vet potential partners.
I find Dan particularly vile.
They’re both selfish and insensitive towards Cathy’s mom. Do not get me started on Dan being married to a Taiwanese woman for 8 (9?) years and never learning a single word of Mandarin, or Cathy lying when she interprets what her mother says to protect poor Dan’s feelings (and further serve as a way to make her mother the monster).
Of course, the conflict generated is because of something Cathy does. And the thing she does is incredibly stupid and the writers’ reason for her doing the stupid thing is also incredibly stupid. They find a way to paint Cathy as the bad person. Again, typical.
There’s something going on in this book with drawing of Cathy and it’s making me uncomfortable. Is she getting… less Asian-looking?!
I hoped that once they got into the Lifestyle this would get more interesting, the characters would get more appealing, the story more compelling... something!
None of that happens for me. You get a recap of the previous book, which I loathe in subsequent books in a series - make people read the first volume if they want to know what happened, and don’t waste pages for those of us who’ve already suffered through, er... read the first volume.
This book finally delves into the lifestyle. It does not speak well of this volume that I was far more interested in the couple Dan and Cathy meet than I am in either of them.
If I disliked the two main characters before, this book did nothing to dissuade me. It’s cool (wonderful, actually) for a husband and wife to still have sexual feelings for one another and want to express them, but Dan and Cathy can’t seem to remember that they have kids. The crap they do out in the open - loud sex on the sofa when their kids are home, cruising the Lifestyle website while the kids are there in the kitchen - makes this seem less about two adults who want to enhance their sex life together, and more about two teenagers who are about to get killed in a horror film.
Once again, Cathy’s thoughts are expressed only in terms of what she wants sexually. She never once expresses a need for time to herself without Dan or her kids, and the only time she sees a friend is to have drinks and talk about sex. Dan has other interests - he games, we learn the names of the people he games with, we know he wants to write - but does Cathy want anything other than sexy fun times?! We never find out and it’s infuriating.
Once they decide to embark on the Lifestyle, Dan’s insecurities (control issues masked as insecurities?) come to the forefront. He doesn’t really want to do this (he was more than happy with the set up from Volume 1) and only tries because he’s worried Cathy might resent him, not because he wants to help her explore the thing she’s really been asking to explore all along. Most of the rules are sensible, one is him being utterly selfish.
Spoiler
”No monster cock dudes.” That particular rule seems like it’s more for you, my dude. What if Cathy wants to try a monster cock?!I find Dan particularly vile.
They’re both selfish and insensitive towards Cathy’s mom. Do not get me started on Dan being married to a Taiwanese woman for 8 (9?) years and never learning a single word of Mandarin, or Cathy lying when she interprets what her mother says to protect poor Dan’s feelings (and further serve as a way to make her mother the monster).
Of course, the conflict generated is because of something Cathy does. And the thing she does is incredibly stupid and the writers’ reason for her doing the stupid thing is also incredibly stupid. They find a way to paint Cathy as the bad person. Again, typical.
There’s something going on in this book with drawing of Cathy and it’s making me uncomfortable. Is she getting… less Asian-looking?!
peyjturner's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
everyotherpageorso's review
adventurous
fast-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
3.0
foreveralicexox's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
ninalem's review
3.0
anaggperez's review
2.0
FINAL RATING: 5,4/10 ★★,5
Series
1) [b:Swing, Vol. 1|36963197|Swing, Vol. 1|Matt Hawkins|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1512692183l/36963197._SY75_.jpg|58761891] ★★
It was better that the first but just because it was actually about what it said. Still, I feel like the swing scenes are few and too short; but it was entertaining enough.
Plot: 5/10
Characters: 6/10
Setting/Atmosphere: 5/10
Art Style: 5/10
Entertainment: 6/10
AVERAGE RATING: 5,4/10
FINAL RATING: 5,4/10 ★★,5
Series
1) [b:Swing, Vol. 1|36963197|Swing, Vol. 1|Matt Hawkins|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1512692183l/36963197._SY75_.jpg|58761891] ★★
It was better that the first but just because it was actually about what it said. Still, I feel like the swing scenes are few and too short; but it was entertaining enough.
Plot: 5/10
Characters: 6/10
Setting/Atmosphere: 5/10
Art Style: 5/10
Entertainment: 6/10
AVERAGE RATING: 5,4/10
FINAL RATING: 5,4/10 ★★,5
jassmine's review
3.0
Alright... I skimmed through a lot of it, because these people think and talk a lot and they like to repeat themselves. The idea of swinging isn't really for me, but I still quite enjoyed this. It takes care to educate people on the matter. The second volume seemed more interesting to me than the first one, though it's hard to tell since I'm reading them back to back. Overall, it's fine, I'm not particularly into it, but I can't stop myself from continuing...