Reviews

Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler

Only show reviews with written explanations

_penceyprep_'s review against another edition

Go to review page

1.0

UGH. The worst.

jennieleigh's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

really enjoyed this. easy read. reads like a soap opera but with interesting folks and nice writing.

kimberussell's review against another edition

Go to review page

2.0

Gah. Just ... ugh.

I *thought* it was going to be a more restaurant-centric story. Or at the very least, we'd see Tess's growth from New Girl to Server. But those stories which could have been compelling, were tucked deep in the background behind all of the characters getting drunk, high, drunk and high, screwing each other, and screwing up. Including Tess, who spends the entire book making very bad decisions.

I realize that it's okay to have an unlikable female lead in a book. But when every character in the book is equally awful, it's tiring and you find yourself resting on the one intriguing character. In my case, it was Simone, the older, wiser, senior server. She spoke French, knew everything about wine, and was a jazz-record playing, book-collecting, tub-soaking wise old woman. In my head, she's at least 50. And then it's revealed that she's only 37 and readers, I cackled. CACKLED! Eventually, the author completely assassinates Simone's character and she becomes as reprehensible as the others. (Because Jake couldn't possibly have been an asshole on his own, a WOMAN (women?) made him an asshole.)

Don't read this if you're over 30. Why? As Tess says,

"You're all terrified of young people. We remind you of what it was like to have ideals, faith, freedom. We remind you of the losses you've taken as you've grown cynical, numb, disenchanted, compromising the life you imagined. I don't have to do a single thing I don't want to do. That's why you hate me."

(Jake is only 30, by the way.)

And then a few pages later, Tess mentions collecting $50 from a coworker for eating pizza that was dropped on the floor.

(CACKLES.) Tell me again about what it was like to have ideals, faith, freedom, Tess?

Triggers? There were scenes with Jake where he was uncomfortably emotionally abusive, and sex scenes where I believe he crosses the line. I'm fine with some slap-and-grab sex scenes, but even I was like, "UGH don't do that to her, Jake."