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Triangles

by Ellen Hopkins (Goodreads Author)

3.9 of 5 stars 3.90 · rating details · 3,326 ratings · 505 reviews

THREE FEMALE FRIENDS FACE MIDLIFE CRISES IN A NO-HOLDS-BARRED EXPLORATION OF SEX, MARRIAGE, AND THE FRAGILITY OF LIFE.Holly: Filled with regret for being a stay-athome mom, she sheds sixty pounds and loses herself in the world of extramarital sex. Will it bring the fulfillment she is searching for?Andrea: A single mom and avowed celibate, she watches her friend Holly’s mel...more

Hardcover, 529 pages

Published October 18th 2011 by Atria Books

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The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Books I Want to Read (2011/2012)

44th out of 275 books — 183 voters

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Community Reviews

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Feb 11, 2012 Meg ♥ rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-books, z-2011-reads, written-in-verse

So, Triangles. I've recently read a few of Ellen Hopkins' YA books and really enjoyed them. Since she usually does YA work I decided to try her first adult book.

She's known for tackling taboo subjects in her YA books, and she does so just as much in Triangles. A few things discussed are affairs, threesomes, swinging and much more. The story is told from the perspectives of three women who live parallel lives. I really enjoyed the story and was so into it in the beginning. Then it kinda became a...more So, Triangles. I've recently read a few of Ellen Hopkins' YA books and really enjoyed them. Since she usually does YA work I decided to try her first adult book.

She's known for tackling taboo subjects in her YA books, and she does so just as much in Triangles. A few things discussed are affairs, threesomes, swinging and much more. The story is told from the perspectives of three women who live parallel lives. I really enjoyed the story and was so into it in the beginning. Then it kinda became a huge story about him cheating and her cheating and everyone cheating on their husbands and wives and it was just like...really? Enough cheating. That's a pet peeve of mine though so if it doesn't bother you then okay maybe you will like this one more.

The only other complaint I had was that there was just too much going on for such a quick read. As I mentioned the story is told from the three women. Each of those women has a family life, as well as their own struggles. Maybe if this book had two characters it wouldn't have felt so cluttered, but then it wouldn't be able to have the title Triangles. If she really wanted to include so much in this story as well as her little separate poems at the beginning of each chapter I think this book should have been a little longer.

Scientists say every action

initiates an equal and opposite

reaction. I say that’s just the start.

I say

every action initiates a most

unequal and unpredictable

chain reaction, that

every

filament of living becomes

part of a larger weave, while

remaining identifiable. That each

line

of latitude requires several

stripes of longitude to obtain

meaning. That every universe

is part

of a bigger heaven, a heaven

of rhythm and geometry,

where a heartbeat is the apex

of a triangle

The book is well written ,though, as are all of the things I've read from her. When I read her books I do expect a good quality of writing. The story is very intense and captures bitterness that could only be felt so strongly by a woman scorned. As far as Hopkins goes I think she's a fabulous writer and I will definitely check out her other books.(less)

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Jun 14, 2012 Merary rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, backstabbing-fun, boring-bland-main-characters, bored-me-to-death, i-can-hear-the-porno-music, fucked-up-situations, novels-in-verse, religion-themes, that-s-why-i-hate-boys, cheating-partners, it-s-all-about-sex-baby, it-just-wasn-t-for-me, tearjerkers, main-characters-are-hopeless, damn-book-you-dirty, chick-lit

Hmm, difficult . . . very difficult . . .

I have mixed reactions towards Triangles.
I have never read any Ellen Hopkins book. Until now. I'm well familiar with her Crank trilogy, but I just never got the time to read them. I have heard wonderful things about them: the verse is beautiful;
Hopkins creates well narrators, etc.
So, when I picked this book up--knowing that it was targeted to adults--I took it as a change to finally explore what everyone has been talking about. The plot sounded intriguin...more

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Jan 04, 2012 Denise rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook-d

This was my first book by this author as I'm not a huge fan of YA. Since I listened to it on audio book, her verse type writing style didn't really come across. The characters were extremely engrossing and I found myself caught up in the lives of these 3 women instantly. Although it wouldn't take a literary genius to figure out which way the storylines where headed, I truly enjoyed the ride. The emotional punch of several parts of this story left me breathless. Other parts made me angry. One poi...more

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Oct 08, 2011 Tara Hall rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Mothers, Women

Shelves: reviewed, arcs

I was lucky enough to pick up an ARC of this three days ago. Every free moment has been devoted to reading it since.

I should say something as a word of warning. While many authors that started out in YA fiction have been making the jump to adult literature recently, many of their books could still be read by their teen fans. This is NOT one of those books. In fact I doubt it appeals to many people under 30. I find it highly unlikely that they would get it (as evidenced by the some of the other...more

16 likes · like · see review

Oct 14, 2011 Bonnie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, full-of-wonderful, adult

Interested in more of my reviews? Visit my blog!

Thank you Simon & Schuster for allowing me to read this early! I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to read this.

’Two lines that never intersect are parallel. Two lines that intersect forming ninety-degree angles, are perpendicular. Perpendicular lines cross each other. Crossing lines. Today I’m thinking about how easy it is to be perpendicular. And about how, while parallel lines may not intersect, parallel lives too often do.’

Thoughts
I go...more

9 likes · like · see review

Nov 15, 2011 Annie *Perky Monkey-Buns* rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, i-own, poetry, favorite

I won a copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads.

Let me just start with the cover. The cover is beautiful. Now the cover does not make the book, but having a pretty one certainly does not hurt. The book is set up more like an epic poem or string of poems than a traditional novel. With that being said it is not the kind of poems that require you to figure out that because she said “it was storming out” that it meant she was an emotional wreck. Everything is spelled out. At the end of each...more I won a copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads.

Let me just start with the cover. The cover is beautiful. Now the cover does not make the book, but having a pretty one certainly does not hurt. The book is set up more like an epic poem or string of poems than a traditional novel. With that being said it is not the kind of poems that require you to figure out that because she said “it was storming out” that it meant she was an emotional wreck. Everything is spelled out. At the end of each section there is a poem that kind of sums up everything that person was feeling at the moment and those are somewhat symbolic in some places.

Each of these women have their own struggles; Holly the unhappy and sexually frustrated housewife, Marissa has a worthless husband, handicap daughter, and a gay son, and Andrea is struggling with being a single parent to her teenage daughter. I know people who would fit into each of these women’s lives. It is uncanny how close to home these women’s situations have hit. For that I give that author points for writing believable and relatable characters. All the characters are dealing with problems of there own. They each want love, romance, and family. How each of them go about it is the difference.

You often look at people and wonder how that got themselves in the mess they are in. This book puts you smack in the middle of the lives and feelings of these three women and you see why some people make the choices they do. They suddenly do not seem so crazy anymore, but just normal and trying to survive.

I am not the type who does a plot summary in their review. There is a synopsis by the author that does a very good job of telling you what the book is about, go read that. I will tell you that despite the fact that I am in my 20s and these women were in there 40s the book still completely captivated me. The emotions she conveyed were very real and towards the end of the book I even cried a little. I would have never known this was Hopkins first attempt at a novel geared towards adults. I hope she writes more. She is a truly talented author.
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Jan 07, 2012 Sterlingcindysu rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-first-wins-reviews

Thanks to Atria Books for an ARC! My husband will lllloooooovvvvvvveee this cover.

1-7-12 Hopkins writes this in poetry so it's quite different in the way it's read--slower to read the poems that are written down two sides of the page and there's more of an emotional feel. The cover should tip you off to how steamy it is! It's been a long time since I've read a "bodice ripper" (and this book doesn't fall under that category) but depending on your imagination it could really rate an XXX! The stor...more

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Jul 24, 2012 Bobbie Williams rated it 5 of 5 stars

Loved it.

Three female friends face midlife crises in #1 New York Times bestselling author Ellen Hopkins’s no-holds-barred exploration of sex, marriage, and the fragility of life.
Holly is filled with regret after eighteen years at home with her three children. She sheds sixty pounds and loses herself in the world of extramarital sex. Andrea is a single mom watching her friend Holly’s meltdown with a mixture of concern and contempt. Holly is throwing away what Andrea has spent her whole life sear...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Christi Snow rated it 2 of 5 stars

My Review:
This book was sent to me unsolicited by the publisher. I like that sometime because it challenges me to read books outside the lines of my normal reading. This book DEFINITELY falls in that category. This is not anything that I ever would have picked up for myself to read. One reason for that is because of the story, but we'll discuss that in a moment.

But first we have to talk about the way that this book is written. The ENTIRE book is written in poetic, stanza-like prose. It's incredi...more My Review:
This book was sent to me unsolicited by the publisher. I like that sometime because it challenges me to read books outside the lines of my normal reading. This book DEFINITELY falls in that category. This is not anything that I ever would have picked up for myself to read. One reason for that is because of the story, but we'll discuss that in a moment.

But first we have to talk about the way that this book is written. The ENTIRE book is written in poetic, stanza-like prose. It's incredibly creative and interesting. Straight up, I am NOT a poetry person, so I wasn't sure if I was even going to be able to read this book, but it worked. I found it a really interesting way to read the book and absolutely would like to read another book written like this (as long as the story was a completely different story.)

The story is about three women: Holly, Marisa, and Andrea. The story changes to each of their point of views on a regular basis. The way the book is arranged is they each have around 6-8 poems each time it is their section. The first 5-7 of those are straight up telling the story, albeit in ever changing poetic style verse. Then the final poem is a true poetic poem (i.e. lots of symbolism...by the end of the book, I wasn't even reading the last poem in each section anymore. I told you, I am NOT a poetry person.)

I could have really liked this book, but the story just wasn't the type that I enjoy. I had a pretty good idea of that going in. I am a romance reader. I like books that overall leave me with a happy feeling. This is not one of those books. These three women have incredibly messed up lives and their focus on sexual matters when it comes to every aspect of their lives means that things aren't going to change for them. There are no happy endings here. Quite honestly, I don't even feel like the book resolved anything in these three women's lives. You follow them and hope that things are going to get better after the book ends, but I have my doubts. That being said, though, it is thought-provoking. I'm at the same place as these women...41, with a teenager and a 20 year marriage. There were definitely aspects of the story that resonated with me, but only enough to terrify me...LOL!

Overall, it wasn't a book for me, but I could see how it would appeal to a lot of other people. I see this as an Oprah book club kind of book. Don't let the poetic slant put you off if the story appeals. I think you'll find that you like that aspect of it.
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Jun 15, 2012 Angela rated it 5 of 5 stars

Review: Triangles by Ellen Hopkins

Title: Triangles
Author: Ellen Hopkins
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: 2011

Good Reads Synopsis
Why I Read It

For those who know my strong dislike of love triangles in YA literature might be surprised by my choice in reading this book, which is all about love triangles. Bear with me though! I chose this book because:

It is a novel in verse. I am currently participating in Camp NaNoWriMo and am trying to write a novel in verse. So it was research. :-)
It was...more

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May 24, 2012 Tina Rae rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of Ellen Hopkins

So I originally hadn't wanted to read this book because Beth didn't like it so much. But I was wandering through the library and happened upon it. I love Hopkins's writing style so I thought I'd give it a try.

Having just finished it an hour or so ago, I'm honestly not entirely sure how I feel about it. On the one hand, some part of me did like it but, on the other even in my limited experience with her novels, she honestly has some that are much, much better than this one. So I'll try to put thi...more

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May 16, 2012 Laney Powers added it

I think that this book was really good. It was about cheating on each other with others. In this book, the three main characters are Holly, Andrea, and Marissa. They all have kids but Marissa has a little girl with SMA one who is homosexual. SMA is Spinal Muscular Atrophy. They know she isn't going to live very long and then she finds out her husband is cheating on her. Another girl is cheating on her husband, and her best friend and him have a fling. When Marissa finds out about her husband, sh...more

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Apr 21, 2012 Karissa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Okay, I listened to this book and I had no idea that it was in stanza. I probably wouldn't have picked it up then, because I tend to not like that whole sort of set up. But I wish I had read Ellen Hopkins' other books first because this one was like whoa. And not necessarily in a good way.

The book is told in the point of view of 3 different women. Holly, who has been married for quite some time with 3 kids. She's lost a lot of weight and is apparently a nymphomaniac that doesn't like sleeping w...more Okay, I listened to this book and I had no idea that it was in stanza. I probably wouldn't have picked it up then, because I tend to not like that whole sort of set up. But I wish I had read Ellen Hopkins' other books first because this one was like whoa. And not necessarily in a good way.

The book is told in the point of view of 3 different women. Holly, who has been married for quite some time with 3 kids. She's lost a lot of weight and is apparently a nymphomaniac that doesn't like sleeping with her husband so she has some extra-marital affairs. But it's for research for the erotica she's writing.
Then there's Andrea, who is best friends with Holly and doesn't approve of what her friend is becoming. She is divorced and has given up on men pretty much (a total 360 from Holly) and has one awesome daughter who is best friends with Holly's youngest. Andrea also has a slight crush on Holly's husband.
Marissa is Andrea's sister. She has a gay teenaged son, and a four year old daughter that is dying. Her husband is never home, always wrapped up in work. Their son resents him for putting the burden of his younger sister on his mother.

Holly is obviously going through a mid-life crisis. She does turn 40 after all. But I have to say I couldn't stand her at all. I mean, you have a wonderful family and a loving husband. That is obviously not enough now that you have your old body back. COMMUNICATION! I sometimes don't understand why it's so hard for people (real and fiction) to talk to people. Yeah, I have trouble getting stuff out sometimes, but at least I manage to communicate with my husband.

Andrea kind of seemed to whine a lot, which is rude of me to say because I liked Andrea. She was all right. Totally had a melt down when she found out that her mother wasn't sure of her patronage though. Considering her parents practiced "free love" it shouldn't be all that surprising. Though I guess I would flip out too.

And poor Marissa. I felt so sorry for her. I felt like I could relate to her the most, though I do not have a terminally ill child and goodness help me if I do because I may just fall apart. I wasn't in the least surprised when she learned of her husbands activities, and I do give her kudos for letting him make it up to her. I mean, it was a completely stressful time in their marriage. Though I'm not sure I would forgive so easily, or try to forgive.

This book felt like Erotica to me. At least, all of Holly's scenes did. And, I'm sorry but I didn't want to read much less listen to Erotica. I could feel my face fill with heat every time Holly spoke about her escapades.

I do not plan on reading Tilt, the sequel to this. One erotic book is enough for me thank you.
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Jan 15, 2012 Nancy/girlsinthestacks.com rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ellen Hopkins has a successful career as a young adult writer, with a fiercely devoted fan base and lots of accolades (as well as controversy). Triangles, her first foray into adult fiction, is just as mesmerizing and remarkable as her YA fiction. It’s written in her signature verse novel format, which makes the pages fly by.

What I love about Ellen Hopkins is her ability to capture the emotions of her characters, and to dig deep into their psyche to get to the heart of what drives them. The ent...more Ellen Hopkins has a successful career as a young adult writer, with a fiercely devoted fan base and lots of accolades (as well as controversy). Triangles, her first foray into adult fiction, is just as mesmerizing and remarkable as her YA fiction. It’s written in her signature verse novel format, which makes the pages fly by.

What I love about Ellen Hopkins is her ability to capture the emotions of her characters, and to dig deep into their psyche to get to the heart of what drives them. The entire human experience is fleshed out in her writings – some I can identify with, some I cannot, but I always gain understanding.

As an adult reading Hopkin’s YA novels, I sought to identify with characters very unlike me. As an adult reading Triangles, I felt the book hit disturbingly close to home. These women were just like me, or my friends, or people I know - dealing with midlife, children, divorce, death, serious problems. These characters resonated with me and made me look at certain issues differently - is this how some of my friends may feel about these issues? Would I have behaved in the same way as these characters in that situation? Would I have had more sympathy for a friend if I had an inkling of what she was really going through?

The narratives from the three women are skillfully intertwined and absorbing. Of course, this book is for adults and it does cover some very adult situations frankly and honestly. Sex is a large part of the lives of these women, and for the character of Holly it’s not vanilla. But if you have read any of Hopkins’ work, you know that she doesn’t shy away from taboo topics.

I’m so glad Ellen Hopkins decided to begin writing novels for the adults in her fan base – she has another one coming in the fall of 2012 titled Collateral, about deployment and what that means to those left behind. I recommend this book for adult women of all ages who appreciate frank and honest depictions of their lives – warts and all.

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Jan 15, 2012 Sharon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

This was the second Ellen Hopkins book I've read. I read Impulse a really long time ago, so long ago that I don't really remember anything about what happened. I've never had the urge to pick up another one of her books until now because the dark storylines aren't something I naturally gravitate towards. But I saw Triangles in the library and thought, what the heck, I'll give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised. It was so addicting to read, mostly because everyone's life was shit if I'm being q...more

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Jan 05, 2012 Between the Covers rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-fiction

REVIEWED by Chris for Between the Covers blog:

I have to start by telling everyone that before Triangles I was an Ellen Hopkins virgin. I avoided her YA books because they are written in verse, and I was positive that they just were not for me. I was wrong. Triangles is wonderfully written and unique story to me, and that is because of it being told in verse.

Triangles is the story of three very different women told from each woman’s point of view. Their stories weave together to tell a tale of su...more REVIEWED by Chris for Between the Covers blog:

I have to start by telling everyone that before Triangles I was an Ellen Hopkins virgin. I avoided her YA books because they are written in verse, and I was positive that they just were not for me. I was wrong. Triangles is wonderfully written and unique story to me, and that is because of it being told in verse.

Triangles is the story of three very different women told from each woman’s point of view. Their stories weave together to tell a tale of suburban life and the joys and heartaches that go with it.

Holly is on the cusp turning the BIG 40 and on the brink of, if not already in, a midlife crisis. She has a new, slim body that she worked hard for which she flaunts to no end, a dream of writing erotica which her husband frowns upon, and a goal of finding her biological family. She has a wonderful family and an adoring husband but yearns for something more exciting, particularly in the bedroom.

Andrea is Holly’s best friend and a divorced mother who longs for a relationship like the one that Holly has with her husband. Andrea is down to earth and searching for a connection that she just cannot seem to find.

Marissa is Andrea’s sister and has been dealt the worst hand of the three women. She has a daughter who is disabled and who is suffering from an illness which could take her at anytime, a gay teenage son who smokes pot, and a husband that has mentally checked out of the family and finds solace in the bottom of a bottle whenever he decides to be at home.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book. I knew that it would be different because of being told in verse, but after a couple of sections I was flowing with the verse pattern and fully emerged in these women lives. I found myself connecting with Marissa and her family the most and enjoying her story the best. I have a cousin with Muscular Dystrophy and have seen the struggles first hand, so I related the most with this family. I did actually enjoy the other two women, though I disliked Holly 99% of the time. I was amazed how each verse (or poem) put the pieces of this story together with very little actual dialogue. I also liked how each change of character was connected with the theme of the last character's section.

This is the part were I fess up. I cried. I didn’t want to, but there is a point toward the end of the book that the story hit home and tears welled up and I cried. Not a very manly thing, but it happens. It actually made me enjoy the book more because of how real Ellen made the characters and events feel. I am glad that I took a chance on this book and decided to read it when it was offered to me. It was well written, the characters came alive on the page, and it was a completely engrossing story.

Rating: 4 stars(less)

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Nov 06, 2011 Tracee Gleichner rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

Ok, I have to admit. I have never read the Crank series. I own it, but it is sitting on my TBR pile crying out to be read. Unfortunately, it is fighting with so many other books that it continues to sit. But, when I was offered the opportunity to review Triangles I knew that it was time to bite the bullet and pick up a book by this author. I am so sorry I waited!

This is the story of three friends going through different dilemmas in their lives. Each stressful in their own right, the author has g...more Ok, I have to admit. I have never read the Crank series. I own it, but it is sitting on my TBR pile crying out to be read. Unfortunately, it is fighting with so many other books that it continues to sit. But, when I was offered the opportunity to review Triangles I knew that it was time to bite the bullet and pick up a book by this author. I am so sorry I waited!

This is the story of three friends going through different dilemmas in their lives. Each stressful in their own right, the author has given the reader the opportunity to delve into their lives, and more than likely relate to one of the situations portrayed - or at least part of the situation.

Holly is a woman who most women would probably love to be. About to turn forty she lives in a fancy home and is married to a successful attorney whose career has allowed her to stay home with her kids and live the life of luxury. Doesn't sound too bad, right? This may sound like a dream life, but she isn't happy. She want to be more than just a wife and mom and when she begins running to lose weight she starts to notice the looks she is given by men - and it fuels her desire. She loves the attention and decides to see what it is like to lose her inhibitions...and her morals. She starts to drift farther and farther away from her family and her husband while exploring her new self.

Andrea is lonely. She is a single mom caring for her daughter, and now is fighting her ex's new girlfriend for being the "cool" one in her daughter's life. Add that to the fact that her daughter is crushing on her soon to be step-brother who is a little too old and you see the stress that goes along with it. She doesn't complain too much and tries to be happy. But, she is really lonely. While she doesn't agree with how Holly handles her loneliness, she can' help but notice that while Holly is out her wonderful husband is left home alone. She wonders what Holly is thinking and starts to wonder what it might be like to live her life. Will she really go through with seducing her husband?

The last friend is Marissa. Marissa's life is extremely sad. Her life centers around the care of her young daughter who is terminally ill. She never expected to have a child with such a horrible diesease, but also never expected to have to care for her alone. Her husband is absent most of the time and when he is around her is busy drinking to ease the pain he feels at his life. Not only does she have a sick daughter, but her husband does not approve of their older son who is gay. When HIV comes into the mix (I won't say how) their life takes one more hit. They were struggling to get through before, is this enough to break them?

I wasn't sure when I first picked up this book if I would like the writing style. It turns out I love it! It was really easy to read and even though each of the three women's lives are explored as separate stories within the book, it wasn't hard to follow at all. I really enjoyed the way that the author wasn't afraid to hit on so many hard topics, but yet did it in a new way. Do I think that women go through mid-life crisis' like they claim some men do? I suppose so. Each one of these women had such a different life and take on what they were going through, I think we all could relate to one of them, or a combination of the three.

Now, off to find my Crank series - sadly I can't read it right away but it needs to stay close so I know where it is!(less)

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Oct 29, 2011 Cornmaven rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I received this Good Reads giveaway and was eagerly awaiting Hopkins’ first foray into adult fiction. She brings her well established YA novel-in-verse format to this story of 3 women and their rather trouble-laden lives. Unfortunately, I felt that Hopkins missed the mark with this effort. But full disclosure here: this qualifies as somber chick lit, and I like very few chick lit novels.

The book is set up with sort of chaptered vignettes with each woman narrating. They each have kids, two have h...more I received this Good Reads giveaway and was eagerly awaiting Hopkins’ first foray into adult fiction. She brings her well established YA novel-in-verse format to this story of 3 women and their rather trouble-laden lives. Unfortunately, I felt that Hopkins missed the mark with this effort. But full disclosure here: this qualifies as somber chick lit, and I like very few chick lit novels.

The book is set up with sort of chaptered vignettes with each woman narrating. They each have kids, two have husbands. Any particular section concludes with a free verse poem which tries to encapsulate the thematic contents of the narration. A couple of those were fairly well done, but most did not work for me. They felt sophomoric and unnecessary, and by the end I was just passing them by. I kept thinking, Hopkins, you really can't write poetry because these are just awful.

Only Marissa’s character held any appeal to me; Holly and Andrea were clearly stuck in high school – their actions and choices were so adolescent it was embarrassing. Holly, as a sexual outlier, never captured my empathy, sympathy, or even pity. Hard to do that when her reaction to her husband treating her as a possession equates to joining swing groups where she’s a mere object of other men and people. But these are two women who can't control their impulses.

In fact, there are only two male characters who are respectable in this book – Marissa’s longtime friend, Drew, and her son, Shane, who by the way is gay. And Hopkins takes full advantage of that fact to preach about homophobia.

Marissa herself has been forced to grow up because of her daughter Shelby. The rest of them, well, their lives are train wrecks of their own making. I do understand Holly’s lifelong search for self as an adoptee, but I don’t think most adoptees pursue that search in such a manner. I felt a lot of the explicit sexual encounters were totally unnecessary, and diminished whatever power her story might have had. Those parts of the narrative felt to me as if Hopkins were aiming at titillation and controversy, bordering on soft porn, and not the mark of a great writer. Perhaps Hopkins was trying to show that Holly had no talent for writing, although I am not an expert on the erotica genre. Those parts just felt pointless, when one can often create more lasting impressions with less explicit words.

Many times, especially at the end, I think Hopkins started in on preaching. She didn’t really need to do that; could have let the story show the lessons. The relationship lessons that Andrea’s and Marissa’s hippie/free love parents try to impart felt accurate. But I am not really sure what her whole point was anyway – I think it was something about love, but what, really? There were clearly triangular relationships throughout the novel, although the one triangle I was expecting – where all 3 women are connected in a triangle – never happened. Andrea is actually the center between Holly and Marissa, not a triangle.

All in all a very disappointing book. I do, however, appreciate the giveaway from Simon and Schuster!! Perhaps the next one will warrant a better review.

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Oct 19, 2011 Books to the Sky rated it 5 of 5 stars

Check out more reviews at Books to the Sky.

(We received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.)

This book was fabulous. This was the first book I've read by Hopkins in a few years, so I forgot how it was to read in verse. Once I started though it was so easy to follow along with. Each poem flowed into the next. It was seamless.

The characters were so well developed it almost felt like they were real. I connected with each of them and whatever situation they were going through....more

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Oct 17, 2011 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, own, sexuality

I was pumped to get a copy of Hopkins' adult debut at ALA this summer. I'm a big fan of her YA work and I was very interested to see how her style would translate to adult fiction. This tells the story of three interconnected women and how their lives are changing as they approach middle age. I actually found this book to be less risque than her YA books - the main focus of this is sex and it's not all that unusual sex (for the most part). I think what Hopkins really tried to do here was explore...more

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Oct 16, 2011 Jodie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Triangles is nothing shy of marvelous. Ellen Hopkins has created a most wonderful piece looking into the lives of three very different women tied together in some way or another. You'll laugh, you'll cry. You may even connect with them.

As you peek into the lives of three women, each connected together either by friendship or family, you'll find their lives are really quite different, yet each woman struggles with their own battles and hardships of their life. Mainly their husband and the unhappi...more

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Oct 16, 2011 Jessica at Book Sake rated it 5 of 5 stars

Book Review
I’m so glad that I requested this book! I’ve only read two other books by Ellen Hopkins (Crank and Impulse), but after reading Triangles, I remembered why I love her writing so much. Hopkins’ style is incredibly unique and refreshing. She often utilizes techniques such as emphasis, indentation, or text shape to convey an underlying meaning or reinforce the significance of a particular verse. I’ve never read anything comparable to it before.

Triangles is essentially the adult version of...more

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Oct 10, 2011 Dr. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Dr. by: drcowgirl@aol.com

Odd. I have read a few of Ms. Hopkins books. They are all brutally honest. They are all very dark and shocking. I have a doctorte in Psychology and I specialize in addiction(all kinds....sex,drugs,gambling,food,etc.)I have heard many tales from clients in the past that were "sick"(for lack of a better term). So when it coes to sex I am rarely shocked.
I think Ms.Hopkin's writing will offend many, but in reality---this type of behavior happens all the time by our neighbors---we just don't realize...more

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Jul 31, 2011 David rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, read-in-2011, arc, verse

So, this was the first novel written in verse I've ever read. I've never been a big poetry person, but I thought it might be interesting to check out. Three women begin to have middle-life crises of sex and more as they near their 40s. Holly has a marriage and children that might look perfect from the outside, but involves much repression on the inside. Holly's best friend Andrea is a single mom who spends much of her time consumer by her teenage daughter. Andrea's sister Marissa has a child wit...more

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Jul 07, 2011 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ellen Hopkins has a way of connecting with her readers in a way that seems almost intimate and a little voyeuristic. Her novels are written in poetic verse - some more artistic than my non-artistic mind can wrap around - but the story is always touching on some level.

Be forewarned Hopkins is not a tiptoeing author. Her previous novels, written for young adults, tackles difficult subjects head on. This one is much more graphic than her previous books. Hopkins tackles the difficult stage of the mi...more Ellen Hopkins has a way of connecting with her readers in a way that seems almost intimate and a little voyeuristic. Her novels are written in poetic verse - some more artistic than my non-artistic mind can wrap around - but the story is always touching on some level.

Be forewarned Hopkins is not a tiptoeing author. Her previous novels, written for young adults, tackles difficult subjects head on. This one is much more graphic than her previous books. Hopkins tackles the difficult stage of the middle age woman, using three women whose lives constantly intersect, like a triangle.

Marissa is stretching towards her mid-forties. She is a stay-at-home mother who is bitter with the cards she has been dealt. Marrying later in life than her contemporaries, she was a stewardess who fell for a passenger, married him, and settled in Reno, Nevada. She is the mother of two children; Shane, her 16 year old gay son and Shelby who is terminally ill and expected to live only months into her fourth year. Christian, her husband, is often absent and Marissa is filled with resentment as her life is completely engulfed in caring for Shelby and dealing with her gay son on her own. When her husband makes an appearance, he is usually drunk.

Andrea is a divorced mother of a 14 year old daughter, Harley. Her specialty is dead-end relationships. Although she craves companionship she knows her tastes tend toward the unavailable - her last relationship being with Geoff, a man who forgot to tell her he was still married. He was also an ugly drunk. Andrea is also the younger sister of Marissa. Both girls are the result of a marriage born of free love hippies. One of the girls may not be the daughter of her identified father. Andrea is a passive player who lacks backbone, at least in the beginning of the book. Andrea covets what Holly has.

Holly is a friend of Andrea's. She is the discontented housewife hiding behind the perfect, successful husband and three lovely children. Adopted as a baby, Holly sought security early in her college career which she cut short. Holly and Jace have the suburban dream. Now Holly is reaching her fortieth birthday and she wonders how life would look if she was not married or a mother. Holly begins a hedonistic second adolescence beginning with innocent flirting at a bar and littered with lies and ideas for her writing career in Erotica.

Although the story is about sex and love, it is also about commitment, friendship and acceptance. It's a difficult book to read for so many reasons. There is loss, betrayal, one character who pursues hedonistic sex. There are also subjects that the middle age woman doesn't want to admit - different figure, lines and sags, existential questions, life defining moments of, "So this is it?" Redefinition of love and marriage, reasons for staying, choices of leaving and all of fascinating in a sociological way at a distance, a personal way closer to the age of forty or so.

If I were to be perfectly honest, I would admit that I identified with each of the characters at least to some extent. Questioning the social mores, religious morality, purpose of life, home, God's will and chance are all part of adult stages of life. Some of these issues were definitely taken to the extreme by some of the characters in the book. And yet I am glad Hopkins went that direction for the reader's benefit. It was a strangely discomfiting yet satisfying read.(less)

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Jun 17, 2012 Deanna Vader rated it 1 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 12, 2012 Claudia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-book-challenge-160-books, contemporary-fiction

Definitely NOT YAL! Hopkins is very up-front about that, and I will continue to make the point when I talk about this book.

This DOES prove her cross-over power. The same format of multiple voices, connected characters, chapters in verse, and her own two-column poems, works wonderfully well.

These are characters I can, as a woman of a certain age, identify with. They're all turning 40-ish, and I've long since passed that milestone, but...Hopkins captures the conflicting emotions of Holly and And...more

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Oct 08, 2011 Coreena rated it 4 of 5 stars

Triangles is about three women whose lives intersect cleverly, written in poetry, with a play on triangles and parallel and intersecting lives. Each of the three women is dealing with a midlife crisis: there is stay at home mom Holly who, outwardly, is living the perfect life with a big house, two kids and a loving husband but who secretly is very bored and dissatisfied and wants to experiment sexually; Andrea, Holly's friend, is a single mom who has given up on men and thinks Holly is crazy for...more Triangles is about three women whose lives intersect cleverly, written in poetry, with a play on triangles and parallel and intersecting lives. Each of the three women is dealing with a midlife crisis: there is stay at home mom Holly who, outwardly, is living the perfect life with a big house, two kids and a loving husband but who secretly is very bored and dissatisfied and wants to experiment sexually; Andrea, Holly's friend, is a single mom who has given up on men and thinks Holly is crazy for taking what she has for granted; and Marissa, Andrea's sister, who is in a bad marriage, has a gay teenaged son and spends her days looking after her terminally ill daughter.

The three main characters are real feeling and full of flaws. We are seeing them at very difficult times in their lives and watching them act out, in many ways. Through her poetry, Hopkins is able to intimately connect the reader with the character. She takes turns with the point of view of each of the main characters thoughout the book, so we have a chance to get into the heads of each of the women. I really felt for them in some cases and was horrified by them in others - Hopkins was able to create a deep, provocative connection with the characters, whether I liked them or not.

The poetry in the book is interesting and beautiful at times, as well as being quite readable. I loved how Hopkins played with words and themes for each section of the book, and even how she placed the words on the page. At times the form echoed the meaning of the words. Each section ended with a word or phrase that became the theme of the poem for the the next section, which created a poetic continuity to the book. This was masterful and thoughtful.

I also enjoyed how sparce the words were sometimes and how not everything was layed out. There were a lot of details left to the imagination, like we stepped into the middle of these women's lives with an expectation that we understand their background. This added to the intimacy of the book.

Part of what Hopkins does in this novel is to push the characters and this sometimes manifests in explicit scenes. There are so many interesting themes in this book, primarily sex, marriage and love, but also betrayal, jealousy and friendship amongst others. I would recommend this book for those who like women's liturature or who are looking for something different or who wants to try reading a novel written in poetry. (less)

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Jul 13, 2011 Crystal rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, arc, own

I always find rating Ms. Hopkins novels extremely hard. I mean really how can one person "like" the stories that she creates?? They are all so dark and ugly and honestly they always make me feel uncomfortable. I decided to give this book three stars and I can't believe that I am saying this but it just wasn't ugly enough for me. I have read a few of her previous YA books so I just knew going into this, being it is her first adult fiction book, that I was in for a rough few days. I even had a sta...more I always find rating Ms. Hopkins novels extremely hard. I mean really how can one person "like" the stories that she creates?? They are all so dark and ugly and honestly they always make me feel uncomfortable. I decided to give this book three stars and I can't believe that I am saying this but it just wasn't ugly enough for me. I have read a few of her previous YA books so I just knew going into this, being it is her first adult fiction book, that I was in for a rough few days. I even had a stack of happy books to follow this one to help me recover, but I don't need them. Yes it was dark, but I just really expected more dirt.
The three stories included in this novel are all linked together just like her previous books. You have three women who for one reason or another are unhappy with their lives. Holly wants more out of her marriage even though things are essentially perfect. Andrea is a struggling single mom trying to raise a 13 year old daughter and trying to find the love of her life. She has been burned many times in the past and she feels like maybe men are just not in the cards for her. Her best friend is Holly and she envies the life that Holly has, a wonderful husband, three kids, and a great home. Andrea would do anything to have that life. Marissa is married with two kids and also Andreas sister. Her son Shane is gay and that she accepts, her daughter Shelby has Spinal Muscular Atrophy and that she has to accept even though she doesn't want to. Her husband works far too much and leaves her home to take care of their daughter by herself and to watch as her son tries to find his way through high school. Marissa is tired and when she starts wondering why her husband isn't home more she actually doesn't have the energy to care.
The only storyline that I felt was a true Hopkins was Holly. That one was icky and made me realize that there are all kinds of people in the world. The other two touched me in different ways and they were so much more real than Holly's. I am surprised at a few things that happened but overall I guessed most of the twists. I think this is a strong book, but just beware that this is not as strong as her YA novels. I keep wondering why I feel this way and the only thing that comes to mind is that this book was about adults and not teenagers.
I say that if you like Hopkins you will probably like this book, I will continue reading her stories.(less)

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Feb 17, 2012 Jessica (BookRockGodess) Bolton rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 100-in-2012, books-on-cd

This book contains: Explicit Sex, Extramarital Affairs, Death, Adoption, Homosexuality and Teen Pregnancy.

PLOT:
This book is about three women connected by family and friendship and it is told from all three alternating points of view. All three women are at different stages in their lives. They are all having different family issues and they all have very different views on how to deal with them.

CHARACTERS:
You have Holly who has decided that she is unsatisfied with her life and she feels she ne...more

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About Ellen Hopkins

Ellen Hopkins is the New York Times bestselling author of Crank, Burned, Impulse, Glass, Identical, Tricks, Fallout, Perfect, Triangles, Tilt, and Collateral. She lives in Carson City, Nevada, with her husband and son. Hopkin's Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Pinterest pages get thousands of hits from teens who claim Hopkins is the "only one who understands me", and she can be visited at ellenhopkin...more

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Quotes from Triangles

“Damaged love is like injured skin,I guess. Sometimes a wound will heal completely. Other times, it leaves a scar.” — 17 people liked it

“Dream Bigger
You think. Stop letting
small minded people
dictate your future
when all
they really want is for
you to accomplish
the work of two, for minimum
wage. Reach higher, or
else
plan for retirement
in a cardboard box, praying
global warming is more
than a catchphrase.
And if that
fails
to be the case,
hope freezing to death
is really as simple
as falling asleep,
to the lullaby of teeth chatter.
Dream bigger
before you can't remember
how to dream at all.” — 17 people liked it

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