Reviews

Look at Me by Jennifer Egan

becka6131's review

3.0

This is a weird book. Some of the writing was spectacular but a lot of the character arcs felt incomplete, strange somehow - I felt like I never really got a handle on what was going on or what I was necessarily supposed to be getting from the narrative.

callikat's review against another edition

dark sad medium-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

4.0

ctrim's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

tessaays's review against another edition

3.0

I’ve been very conflicted over this review. While (as expected) Egan’s writing is gorgeous, prescient and completely absorbing, I think what didn’t work for me in the end was all the subplots and the characters’ various endings. It was a wildly ambitious novel and I don’t think she completely pulled it off, in the sense that I don’t feel all of the storylines were given their due - some felt extremely well finished (Charlotte and the teacher) while others felt like an afterthought (Moose). If Egan had stuck to Charlotte and, maybe, one other sub-plot/character, this would have been breathtaking. But as it was, it felt overloaded.
Having said all of that - I would still highly recommend it, even if just to marvel at the (often uncanny) foresight Egan displays Re: the internet, selling our personalities, etc.

lesliekyla's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

mham's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

queenofmylife_14's review against another edition

Interesting premise but the story just seemed to drag on without reason. 

aparsons's review

3.0

I feel like the wordiness of this book took away from the storyline to a certain extent. There were times I found myself reading the same sentence 4 times over because I couldn’t get past all of the unnecessary words in order to actually understand what the author was saying.

I wish that the end had been wrapped up a little better, I felt that the ending was very incomplete, and for all the buildup with Z, and his grand plans in America, he kind of just disappeared into irrelevance after they filmed the movie.

I enjoyed most of the storylines, Moose was a hard one for me to both understand and relate to, but I did enjoy the change in perspectives. I just wish that the storylines came together sooner so that there was more time to wrap up and put things together.

linedalbro's review against another edition

Jeg må desværre krybe til korset og indrømme at årets første bog i den grad skuffede mig. Jeg havde ellers glædet mig til "Se på mig", da jeg fandt bagsideteksten interessant og spændende. Jeg har virkelig kæmpet med denne bog, for jeg ville gerne holde af den. Jeg har kæmpet stort set hele vejen igennem, for jeg ville gerne finde den morsom, underholdende og fabelagtigt skrevet, som andre anmeldere har skrevet, men jeg fandt det bare aldrig. Det er rigtig ærgerligt, for jeg havde virkelig forventet mig store ting af denne bog. Bogen er dog velskrevet, men med så store armbevægelser, at det er svært at følge med i alle de tråde der bliver spundet.

Andre vil nok finde bogen interessant, tankevækkende, en rigtig page-turner, bare ikke mig. Måske er jeg bare ikke målgruppen, måske er jeg for dum, for uintelligent til at kunne se det større billede, som denne bog helt sikkert gerne vil skabe, men så er det sådan jeg er.

Dette er den første bog som jeg ikke vil give stjerner, for det er jeg ikke i stand til.

guppygab's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75