"Exhilarating...irreverent, and extremely funny,"- Ms.
Seventeen and sure of nothing, Maria has left her parents' small-town grocer... read full description
Seventeen and sure of nothing, Maria has left her parents' small-town grocer... read full description
reviews
Sep 25, 2010
Cara
rated it: 
I just read this book over the last few days and I need to read it again I think. I am not sure how I feel about all three characters. I did not have an affinity for any of them. I liked the style, the rhythm of the writing. I just felt the characters were stereotypes I did not truly form an attachment for. I may have also spent too much time thinking about where this story was heading and hoping it wouldn't be cliche. I wanted to love it as it was sent to me from someone I care about, so for th
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Jan 30, 2011
Cindy
rated it: 
I drew up a list culled from a Metafilter posting on happy books to read and this was one of them... This was a charming coming-of-age story set in mid 80s Dublin. Maria is a clueless college freshman from the sticks who movies in with two women who end up being a big part of forming her views on life and relationships. Nothing earth-shattering, just sweet and comfortable (as advertised)
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Jul 16, 2010
Cindywho
rated it:
I drew up a list culled from a Metafilter posting on happy books to read and this was one of them... This was a charming coming-of-age story set in mid 80s Dublin. Maria is a clueless college freshman from the sticks who movies in with two women who end up being a big part of forming her views on life and relationships. Nothing earth-shattering, just sweet and comfortable (as advertised)
Aug 22, 2010
Bloomeenee
rated it:
Aw.. this made me all nostalgic for my year as a women's studies student in the early 90s.
Its sweet, I like the characters, its pretty insubstantial... but thats fine.
Its sweet, I like the characters, its pretty insubstantial... but thats fine.
Oct 11, 2011
Katie
rated it: 
Loved it when I read it in first year of college,didn't notice it was written by the woman who wrote Room... Maybe I'll read that too at some stage.
Mar 03, 2008
Coffeeboss
rated it:
Though this book isn't written for young adults, I think they are the perfect target for this story of a small-town somewhat naive 17-year-old girl who goes off to college in big-city Dublin. She rents a room in a flat shared by two women who turn out to be lovers, which initially shocks her, but doesn't suddenly "turn" her or anything, as she fumbles her way through making friends at school and having an awkward crush on an intellectual guy in one of her classes. I liked that the whol
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Jul 01, 2011
Linda
rated it: 
My first Emma Donoghue book, after a reccomendation to read 'anything' by her. What a disappointment. Found it flat and uninteresting.
Oct 27, 2009
Karla
rated it:
A good book. It's not about Asian cooking. Emma Donoghue is an up-and-coming Irish writer.
Jul 14, 2011
Donna
rated it:
Disappointing after reading her new novel, THE ROOM. This one was her first novel.
Mar 04, 2009
Tatiana
rated it: 
i am such a sucker for a good lesbian story, and i think this is one of the best. i remember finishing it over some depressing stint at home and walking around for the rest of the day with a doofy grin on my face. it did however, make me really nervous 3/4ths of the way through because i realized that the way she had set things up, the ending was going to be really important to the story. it wasn't just going to end the story, it was going to completely make or break the story. and fortunate
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Feb 06, 2008
Kat
rated it:
I love this book so much that I want to read it again for the first time, if that makes any sense. It is a smart, genuine, endearing coming-of-age novel that turns a lot of the typical coming-of-age cliches on their head. I can't say much more about it without giving away the ending (which I think is one of the strongest points of the novel), so I'll just wrap this up by telling you to read it, if you can find it (I borrowed a friend's copy and have since scoured local bookstores without avail).
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Dec 17, 2009
zein
rated it:
Stir Fry is a novel about a first-year college student in Dublin who is the unknowing third side to a lesbian love triangle. This is Donaghue's first novel, and so the writing is a bit off and sometimes I felt like she was writing the story as though she were transcribing a movie; however, I give it four stars because it does an excellent job of portraying the real struggles and thoughts that go through a person's mind when they begin to realize maybe they like girls and not boys. A quick read.
Oct 20, 2007
Turns out I read this five years ago and didn't realize it until I started reading again. I don't know what this says about the book itsself, but after reading Landing and remembering what a wonderful tales Emma Donoghue spins (and it takes a lot to get me through to the end of a romance book), I decided to pick it up. I'm glad I did, because I realized the author had included some references to Stir-Fry in Landing that I would have never recalled had I not revisited it.
Aug 29, 2011
Lisa
rated it:
I read this because she wrote Room which I enjoyed immmensely. This is totally different. Story of a college freshman who unknowingly takes up lesbian roommates.
Jul 20, 2010
Alioh
rated it:
I can't believe I read this whole book, and it didn't even have a redeeming ending.
Aug 10, 2007
Karen
rated it:
I love this one!! Someone once called it a "comfort book", which I thought was a good description. Real, likeable characters. I sympathize with Maria's awkwardness but am impressed by how self-assured she is. The ending is a nice surprise, but feels right. Sometimes I re-read just the last two pages 'cuz they make me smile :)
Jan 06, 2008
penelopewanders
rated it:
This has just arrived as a bookcrossing book-ring. It will go to Germany when I'm done with it.
Quick and enjoyable read about a coming of age, if not precisely a coming out. I'm glad to have discovered this author who was new for me. I'll look out for others by her, as I appreciated her style.
Quick and enjoyable read about a coming of age, if not precisely a coming out. I'm glad to have discovered this author who was new for me. I'll look out for others by her, as I appreciated her style.
Apr 26, 2010
Christina
rated it:
Not bad, sort of cute, but there really wasn't much of a point. I thought that feminism was going to be more of a theme in the book but it really wasn't. Plus the whole "coming of age" and "sexual realization" wasn't entirely convincing, perhaps just more convenient.
Feb 11, 2012
Leigh
rated it:
My first foray into Donoghue. In general, I actually like her contemporary stuff better than the historical fiction that seems to have won her most of her following.
Feb 06, 2011
Lamazone
rated it:
Dit boek heeft een ongelooflijk diepe indruk op me gemaakt. Scherpe analyse van verschillende soorten relaties en meteen een coming of age boek.
Oct 02, 2011
Linds
rated it:
This book took me a while to get into but something about it grew on me. I didn't like it as much as her other book Landing, however.
Jul 24, 2010
Blssjones
rated it:
Another this year re-read (Yes I was on a kick. I also re-read nearly all my Jeanette Winterson).
Feb 11, 2011
Alsha
rated it:
Such a perfect book to read on a cosy autumn day! Love this book to bits, going on literally.
Sep 07, 2008
Maiko
rated it:
First lesbian novel I've read. This book was mailed to me all the way from New Zealand!!
