A review by heelturn2
The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer

emotional funny reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I guess Meg Wolitzer is a bit of an Oprah book club sort of author but I do like her whole Thing about complex & morally-compromised characters & their relationships to one another over the course of 30 years. the other book of hers I’ve read, The Female Persuasion, does a similar thing but I think more successfully. this book felt a little unfocused, its characters don’t receive equal attention though it makes overtures like they might, and some parts move very weirdly and rapidly - like
the sudden AIDS gala breakup lol
 

(ACTUALLY as an aside, I did joke to a friend that this was like the straight & not deranged version of A Little Life, down to the part where 1 “core” friend is really going through it and has to be rescued by everyone else but gets like very minimal narration time comparatively lol. also i think i don’t believe that an adult cartoon showrunner would be that rich and famous but i guess it’s not like i know matt groening’s life!!)

realizing that I finished this and found I liked most of the main characters much less on reflection than I did while reading. they’re all so obsessed with talent & being interesting that it makes sense! it is believable characterization. It’s not a negative thing about the book at all, & they’re well written, sympathetic characters generally. but I think the overarching theme of being swept into and seduced by interestingness and excitement/interesting and exciting people isn’t one that resonates (with me!) as much as themes around say, the clash between the stated and actual goals of liberal capitalist feminism in Female Persuasion. but both books do envy in an interesting way, & look at careers & work & identity in an interesting way. 
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