A review by birdykinsreads
This Must Be the Place by Maggie O'Farrell

reflective slow-paced

4.0

We did high tea at @fawnresto for this month’s bookclub, @amandajuli3n’s pick was Maggie O’Farrell and it was a little polarizing but I think those who liked it really liked it and those who didn’t were just haterzzz (jk, points were for sure made, among them the slowness, plot spoiling (aka “dear reader this happens” before it happens), the hateable characters and the surplus of POVs). But we all agreed that O’Farrell is a beautiful and talented writer even if this particular book wasn’t for everyone.

Personally, I was in the really liked it category. I rated this one 4⭐️s and honestly I might have gone higher if I was more in the mood for meandering litfic. I did find I liked the beginning and the end more than the middle, it dragged for me too—I wish that it had been cut down a bit, there were certain POVs and characters that seemed a little superfluous but overall her writing was wonderful and I don’t mind some unlikeable characters as long as they make me feel something! Also, narratives about people just struggling to make their marriages work always appeal to me. 

And so another season of bookclub concludes! Next meeting will mark our 20th book! Which is wiiiiiiild. Love bookclub love these ladies. Love high tea! 🫖