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These Days Are Ours
These Days Are Ours by Michelle Haimoff is a shrewdly observed coming-of-age story set in New York, for lovers of Girls and Gossip Girl, recommended to Penguin by bestselling author of Fever Pitch and About a Boy, Nick Hornby.
Only six months has passed since 9/11 and New York is still reeling from its devastating after effects.For Hailey, living back with her parents in their Fifth Avenue penthouse after graduation, life feels like a struggle - to find a job, to come to terms with her new post 9/11 home, and to create a new identity in the adult world she finds herself thrust into.Whilst all those around her seem to be doing so well -Katie is already working at Morgan Stanley, Randy and Jess seem content to stay out all night and party like they are still students - Hailey is desperate for something more. She just doesn't know what. And to top it all, Michael Brenner, the man she feels sure is the one for her, always seems just out of reach.But when she meets Adrian, a recent Brown graduate who is wildly different from her privileged milieu, she finds her world view turned upside down and begins to realise that there is more to life and love than she ever believed.
These Days Are Ours is a shrewdly observed and thoughtful portrait of what it means to be young, insecure and trying to find your place in the world.'Smart, witty, honest, and never anything less than utterly engaging' Jonathan Tropper, author of, How to Talk to a Widower
'Engrossing . . . Haimoff's writing resonates with an authenticity and gravitas that books about girls trying to find themselves in the big city often lack. Her details about elite schools and childhood haunts in Manhattan pepper Hailey's memories in often touching ways. A thoughtful novel for our time' Publishers Weekly
Michelle has written for the Los Angeles Times, PsychologyToday.com, The Huffington Post, YourTango.com and NYTimes.com. Corporate clients include IDEO, Jane Street Capital and Red Antler. She blogs about First World feminism at genfem.com and her podcast can be heard at michellehaimoff.podomatic.com.
Only six months has passed since 9/11 and New York is still reeling from its devastating after effects.For Hailey, living back with her parents in their Fifth Avenue penthouse after graduation, life feels like a struggle - to find a job, to come to terms with her new post 9/11 home, and to create a new identity in the adult world she finds herself thrust into.Whilst all those around her seem to be doing so well -Katie is already working at Morgan Stanley, Randy and Jess seem content to stay out all night and party like they are still students - Hailey is desperate for something more. She just doesn't know what. And to top it all, Michael Brenner, the man she feels sure is the one for her, always seems just out of reach.But when she meets Adrian, a recent Brown graduate who is wildly different from her privileged milieu, she finds her world view turned upside down and begins to realise that there is more to life and love than she ever believed.
These Days Are Ours is a shrewdly observed and thoughtful portrait of what it means to be young, insecure and trying to find your place in the world.'Smart, witty, honest, and never anything less than utterly engaging' Jonathan Tropper, author of, How to Talk to a Widower
'Engrossing . . . Haimoff's writing resonates with an authenticity and gravitas that books about girls trying to find themselves in the big city often lack. Her details about elite schools and childhood haunts in Manhattan pepper Hailey's memories in often touching ways. A thoughtful novel for our time' Publishers Weekly
Michelle has written for the Los Angeles Times, PsychologyToday.com, The Huffington Post, YourTango.com and NYTimes.com. Corporate clients include IDEO, Jane Street Capital and Red Antler. She blogs about First World feminism at genfem.com and her podcast can be heard at michellehaimoff.podomatic.com.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
August 22, 2014
This novel has already attracted comparisons to GIRLS because it is set in New York and features a collection of exuberant, young and reckless graduates. However one you begin reading you realise it is quite un-like GIRLS because it focuses purely on the upper classes; the trust-fund kids of NYC who live in their parents’ penthouse apartments, wear designer clobber, are constantly bouncing from the coolest new clubs, dabbling in drugs, paying their way into internships, paying their way out of trouble. This novel wasn’t for me; I found the protagonist to be very shallow and all of the action happens on the surface; nothing is left unsaid (and we know how I relish in the unsaid). I disliked characters intensely, I found them annoying and their occasional bouts of rich-kid ‘guilt’ glaringly insincere. In this way it reminded me of Adelle Waldman’s THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF NATHANIEL P, a novel I couldn’t connect with but one that critics and readers showered with praise. However this will appeal if you enjoy getting a glimpse into the lives of glamorous American twenty-somethings (if you enjoyed Sophia Coppola’s BLING RING, or are feeling nostalgic about The O.C) it definitely has a voyeurism which has the potential to draw in readers. It also has a beautifully designed, instagram-style cover which wouldn’t look out of place on the trendy, minimalist bookshelves of an expensively-lit, exposed-brick NY apartment.
December 7, 2012
The backstory: I discovered These Days Are Ours when Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review and said "What differentiates the book from similar fables with young protagonists able to afford endless rounds of drinks in hipster bars is Hailey’s sense of self and her thoughtful inner life; the shopping and club crawls of her privileged life are just a backdrop, not the story." I immediately pre-ordered it for my Kindle, where I foolishly let it languish for nine months before reading it.
The basics: These Days Are Ours follows Hailey, a recent college graduate, in New York City in the spring of 2002. She and her privileged high school friends are in various states of employment, but they're also all still processing 9/11 and expecting another terrorist attack at any time. Hailey searches for a job, a life, a sense of belonging, and a sense of purpose.
My thoughts: As I said the last time I rated a book 6 stars out of 5, "About once a year, I encounter a book that works for me on every level...It's a novel I immediately wanted to stick in people's hands and say "read this book." These Days Are Ours is the fourth such book since I started blogging. (The others are American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld, Room by Emma Donoghue, and State of Wonder by Ann Patchett.)
Even though I enjoyed this novel from the beginning, Haimoff's writing snuck up on me. This novel unfolds both slowly and quickly as the reader gets to know Hailey. There is a hopefulness and youthfulness to her initially as she imagines her future life with her crush: "And our kid—kids—would ask us what we were whispering about. And we’d say, “Nothing.” And the kids would roll their eyes because we always had these private jokes." I was transported back to my early twenties, a time in which I imagined many possible lifes for myself.
Hailey also has a sense of honesty and tragi-comedy I adored: "The thing that would be awesome about getting blown up by terrorists is that everyone would think we had all this unrealized potential." While she could come across as flippant, instead Haimoff reminded me of those unsettled feelings post-9/11 as we adjusted into what our new normal would become.
Part of what I love about Hailey is how she reminded me of the significance encounters have when you're 22:
Haimoff couples the earnestness of Hailey's voice with her emotional rawness beautifully. As a reader I never felt dismissive of Hailey's feelings, as I increasingly do with coming of age novels. Instead, Haimoff reminded me of those years and transported my emotions back to 2002.
Perhaps one of the reasons this novel resonates so deeply with me is Hailey and her friends are around the age I was in the spring of 2002. The pop culture and media references were spot on. Haimoff so captured that time, both in the time of 2002 and the state of being 22. The combination is particularly poignant, as the uncertainty of post-college days pairs beautifully with the uncertainty of the post-9/11 months: "Most sadness isn’t debilitating; it just makes regular life seem a little stupid."
The more I read, the more slowly I read. I began to savor Hailey's sentiment and cared less about the ending than her journey. I highlighted more obsessively as I read, and I ended up with 35 highlighted passages and almost as many notes. If I could change one thing about the reading experience, I would read this novel listening to a Spotify playlist composed of all the songs mentioned in this book. The next time I read it, I will.
Favorite passage: "It was that undefined pause between the past and the future that had no other significance other than us experiencing it together."
The verdict: These Days Are Ours is a refreshing, smart, accomplished, ambitious, intimate and beautiful novel of hope, fear, longing, sadness, and life. It's a novel I will give to many, many people this holiday season because Michelle Haimoff has captured the essence not only of my generation, but of early adulthood and post-9/11 New York. It's a novel I will re-read in the years to come. It's a novel I will share with my children and with my nieces and nephews to help them understand what it was like.
Rating: 6 out of 5
The basics: These Days Are Ours follows Hailey, a recent college graduate, in New York City in the spring of 2002. She and her privileged high school friends are in various states of employment, but they're also all still processing 9/11 and expecting another terrorist attack at any time. Hailey searches for a job, a life, a sense of belonging, and a sense of purpose.
My thoughts: As I said the last time I rated a book 6 stars out of 5, "About once a year, I encounter a book that works for me on every level...It's a novel I immediately wanted to stick in people's hands and say "read this book." These Days Are Ours is the fourth such book since I started blogging. (The others are American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld, Room by Emma Donoghue, and State of Wonder by Ann Patchett.)
Even though I enjoyed this novel from the beginning, Haimoff's writing snuck up on me. This novel unfolds both slowly and quickly as the reader gets to know Hailey. There is a hopefulness and youthfulness to her initially as she imagines her future life with her crush: "And our kid—kids—would ask us what we were whispering about. And we’d say, “Nothing.” And the kids would roll their eyes because we always had these private jokes." I was transported back to my early twenties, a time in which I imagined many possible lifes for myself.
Hailey also has a sense of honesty and tragi-comedy I adored: "The thing that would be awesome about getting blown up by terrorists is that everyone would think we had all this unrealized potential." While she could come across as flippant, instead Haimoff reminded me of those unsettled feelings post-9/11 as we adjusted into what our new normal would become.
Part of what I love about Hailey is how she reminded me of the significance encounters have when you're 22:
"Okay, okay. But the point is, we ended up going on a weird walk together for seltzer and then eating macaroons on his roof and then having sex.”
“That’s the most Jewish thing I’ve ever heard in my life. You should call your grandmother right now and tell her this story. You had seltzer and macaroons and sex with a Jewish future lawyer. On Passover."
Haimoff couples the earnestness of Hailey's voice with her emotional rawness beautifully. As a reader I never felt dismissive of Hailey's feelings, as I increasingly do with coming of age novels. Instead, Haimoff reminded me of those years and transported my emotions back to 2002.
Perhaps one of the reasons this novel resonates so deeply with me is Hailey and her friends are around the age I was in the spring of 2002. The pop culture and media references were spot on. Haimoff so captured that time, both in the time of 2002 and the state of being 22. The combination is particularly poignant, as the uncertainty of post-college days pairs beautifully with the uncertainty of the post-9/11 months: "Most sadness isn’t debilitating; it just makes regular life seem a little stupid."
The more I read, the more slowly I read. I began to savor Hailey's sentiment and cared less about the ending than her journey. I highlighted more obsessively as I read, and I ended up with 35 highlighted passages and almost as many notes. If I could change one thing about the reading experience, I would read this novel listening to a Spotify playlist composed of all the songs mentioned in this book. The next time I read it, I will.
Favorite passage: "It was that undefined pause between the past and the future that had no other significance other than us experiencing it together."
The verdict: These Days Are Ours is a refreshing, smart, accomplished, ambitious, intimate and beautiful novel of hope, fear, longing, sadness, and life. It's a novel I will give to many, many people this holiday season because Michelle Haimoff has captured the essence not only of my generation, but of early adulthood and post-9/11 New York. It's a novel I will re-read in the years to come. It's a novel I will share with my children and with my nieces and nephews to help them understand what it was like.
Rating: 6 out of 5
August 22, 2025
The vapid, self-centered musings of a privileged college graduate in post 9/11 New York. I loved it.
April 26, 2012
I could not connect with this book. I'm the same age as the protagonist, have had similar experiences, but our world views could not be more different. I feel very let-down by this book. The format was also challenging for me. There are no chapters, just page breaks, and later in the book she reminisces in the middle of conversations and that makes no sense. Finish the conversation and then go explain the memory. The lack of chapters also meant lack of suspense and interest. I was not dying to turn the page to find out what happened at any point. There was one quote about writing that I really loved, it smacked me in the face and I will hold on to it, that's why the book gets 3 stars. But really, I am disappointed that I spent so much time trudging through this book. Skippable.
June 26, 2017
After being attracted by the cover, but deterred by the blurb, I took this book anyway because we were at a box sale, and the number of books we got didn't matter.
Between starting and finishing this book, I think I read about 2 or 3 other books. Honestly, I had no particular desire to finish it, so I kept looking to other books to read in my free time.
All I could think while reading this was "where is the plot?" or even, "what is the plot?".
Between starting and finishing this book, I think I read about 2 or 3 other books. Honestly, I had no particular desire to finish it, so I kept looking to other books to read in my free time.
All I could think while reading this was "where is the plot?" or even, "what is the plot?".
March 13, 2012
Very interesting, engaging, honest book. I enjoyed reading it so much. Once I started reading it, could not let go. Would probably read it again. Absolutely recommended reading to any one interested in NYC society stories, (Who is not?). I feel Michelle Haimoff has a great future as a successful contemporary writer.
May 29, 2014
I got this novel from a First Reads giveaway, I now wish I had lost. This book is 60% about a girl obsessed with a horrible guy and 40% her being depressed about her parents and being rich. Don't waste your time.
June 17, 2021
A contemplative novel about the tumultuous 20s, amidst the backdrop of the immediate(ish) aftermath of 9/11 in New York City.
Hailey, the daughter of media executives who own a condo on the Upper East Side, struggles with finding her place after college. She’s trying to land a job without her parents’ help, and is mostly going nowhere. She spends most of her time touring bars and eateries with her high school friends, and fantasizing about a life with Brenner, a dude she hooked up with once in college.
It’s the sort of book that some readers are primed to dislike because of Hailey’s privilege. She doesn’t quite dismantle it, but she’s also aware of the insane amount of money she’s surrounded by, spending on luxuries what others couldn’t afford for necessities. But hey, to me rich people are still people--and thereby worthy of character study in fiction.
Maybe it’s accurate to say that Hailey’s malaise wouldn’t be accessible to all twenty-somethings either; most would be too busy hustling for the necessities to get overly concerned with the meaning of life, the universe, everything. That’s essentially what Adrian tells her, a new young man who enters her midst, an outsider with far less money, attempting to make connections in New York.
Hailey’s struggle with the world seems to be ongoing on several fronts. There’s the reality that job hunting, especially at the beginning of one’s career, is a whole bunch of hurry up and wait (with a bunch of “follow up calls” left to voicemail.) There’s the muted alarm about 9/11; the government continues to issue daily color-coded “terrorist threats,” the World Trade Center is still a crime scene, and most other important NYC landmarks remain closed to the public, and yet in most other ways, six months later, people are back to going about their lives. There’s also a personal storyline for Hailey—her parents divorced and her mother remarried, and this tore a bit of a hole into her idea of self-worth. The reason she pines over Brenner, the outwardly perfect (and inwardly jerky) romantic choice is because of his picture-perfect family.
Haimoff handles Hailey’s most personal struggles deftly. Sometimes the 9/11 references felt overwrought, but then again that could be true to the times. In general I found myself invested in this fast-paced read, where, even if nothing much happens, it’s relatable. Relatable to me as someone who also remembers the 20s more for their tumultuousness than “the best years of your life,” and someone who was also on the cusp of change around 9/11. Hailey was entering the post-collegiate world and I was entering college.
At the end of the day, I wish there was a little more meat on the bones of other characters. Even though I also grapple with that, because the point seems to be Hailey’s distance from her family, and that she doesn’t have a clear sense of what’s going on with them. Then there’s also the friend group, where again, they’re all so wrapped up in their communal experience that maybe it’s difficult to see each member as an individual. But even if I can give Hailey-as-narrator some slack for her self-absorption (and relatedly, her “zero sum” assessments of people,) it ultimately left the narrative feeling a little shallow.
Couldn’t help but compare this to THE FALCONER by Dana Czapnik—another Gen Xer looking back with nostalgia on her formative New York. Once or twice Hailey even seems to be looking at this story from some distance, which I wish Haimoff would have taken out because it was distracting and unnecessary. Mostly it made me wonder about the autobiographical parts of this novel. I ended up googling her, and saw that she died of cancer at 40, may her memory be a blessing. :/ It would be unfair to juxtapose that event too heavily on the novel she wrote several years prior (she died in 2019), though it certainly does speak to the uncertainty of life.
The Jewish stuff was muted, but also present as a personal identifier for Hailey and her ilk. So I’ll keep the book under this tag, hee.
Hailey, the daughter of media executives who own a condo on the Upper East Side, struggles with finding her place after college. She’s trying to land a job without her parents’ help, and is mostly going nowhere. She spends most of her time touring bars and eateries with her high school friends, and fantasizing about a life with Brenner, a dude she hooked up with once in college.
It’s the sort of book that some readers are primed to dislike because of Hailey’s privilege. She doesn’t quite dismantle it, but she’s also aware of the insane amount of money she’s surrounded by, spending on luxuries what others couldn’t afford for necessities. But hey, to me rich people are still people--and thereby worthy of character study in fiction.
Maybe it’s accurate to say that Hailey’s malaise wouldn’t be accessible to all twenty-somethings either; most would be too busy hustling for the necessities to get overly concerned with the meaning of life, the universe, everything. That’s essentially what Adrian tells her, a new young man who enters her midst, an outsider with far less money, attempting to make connections in New York.
Hailey’s struggle with the world seems to be ongoing on several fronts. There’s the reality that job hunting, especially at the beginning of one’s career, is a whole bunch of hurry up and wait (with a bunch of “follow up calls” left to voicemail.) There’s the muted alarm about 9/11; the government continues to issue daily color-coded “terrorist threats,” the World Trade Center is still a crime scene, and most other important NYC landmarks remain closed to the public, and yet in most other ways, six months later, people are back to going about their lives. There’s also a personal storyline for Hailey—her parents divorced and her mother remarried, and this tore a bit of a hole into her idea of self-worth. The reason she pines over Brenner, the outwardly perfect (and inwardly jerky) romantic choice is because of his picture-perfect family.
Haimoff handles Hailey’s most personal struggles deftly. Sometimes the 9/11 references felt overwrought, but then again that could be true to the times. In general I found myself invested in this fast-paced read, where, even if nothing much happens, it’s relatable. Relatable to me as someone who also remembers the 20s more for their tumultuousness than “the best years of your life,” and someone who was also on the cusp of change around 9/11. Hailey was entering the post-collegiate world and I was entering college.
At the end of the day, I wish there was a little more meat on the bones of other characters. Even though I also grapple with that, because the point seems to be Hailey’s distance from her family, and that she doesn’t have a clear sense of what’s going on with them. Then there’s also the friend group, where again, they’re all so wrapped up in their communal experience that maybe it’s difficult to see each member as an individual. But even if I can give Hailey-as-narrator some slack for her self-absorption (and relatedly, her “zero sum” assessments of people,) it ultimately left the narrative feeling a little shallow.
Couldn’t help but compare this to THE FALCONER by Dana Czapnik—another Gen Xer looking back with nostalgia on her formative New York. Once or twice Hailey even seems to be looking at this story from some distance, which I wish Haimoff would have taken out because it was distracting and unnecessary. Mostly it made me wonder about the autobiographical parts of this novel. I ended up googling her, and saw that she died of cancer at 40, may her memory be a blessing. :/ It would be unfair to juxtapose that event too heavily on the novel she wrote several years prior (she died in 2019), though it certainly does speak to the uncertainty of life.
The Jewish stuff was muted, but also present as a personal identifier for Hailey and her ilk. So I’ll keep the book under this tag, hee.
July 24, 2013
This very readable book reminded me a Woody Allen movie—lots of intense, witty dialogue among a young Jewish group of NYC friends. There were beads of wisdom in the conversations; comments that made me put the book down a second and think. Haimoff makes writing seem effortless; in just a few sentences she’s able to convey the pulse of New York City. The fact that the novel takes place six months after 9/11 adds a more serious tone, though this isn’t, in fact, a 9/11 book. The time frame is just a backdrop.
My problem with the book is that I’m a middle-class, non-Jewish suburbanite in my sixties, so I couldn’t relate to the wealthy NYC Jewish 20-somethings. Yes, the book contained some ageless wisdom and humor, but in fact the book was written for the young. I knew some of the music references only because I have kids in their twenties. And true to the age, it’s a bit angst-y. The book opens with the main character fantasizing about marrying her current crush (who’s a total jerk), and I found it pretty silly and boring. Still, her brightness and intelligence did lure me in, and I ended up liking the main character and the book. In fact, I realized there is a connection between a new college grad in search of a job and a recently retired person in search of meaningful activity. Some things transcend age—finding meaning in life spans all ages.
This isn’t a “wow” book. Nothing important happens. It annoyed me that there were no chapters, plus the ending is too abrupt. But, that said, I enjoyed reading it.
My problem with the book is that I’m a middle-class, non-Jewish suburbanite in my sixties, so I couldn’t relate to the wealthy NYC Jewish 20-somethings. Yes, the book contained some ageless wisdom and humor, but in fact the book was written for the young. I knew some of the music references only because I have kids in their twenties. And true to the age, it’s a bit angst-y. The book opens with the main character fantasizing about marrying her current crush (who’s a total jerk), and I found it pretty silly and boring. Still, her brightness and intelligence did lure me in, and I ended up liking the main character and the book. In fact, I realized there is a connection between a new college grad in search of a job and a recently retired person in search of meaningful activity. Some things transcend age—finding meaning in life spans all ages.
This isn’t a “wow” book. Nothing important happens. It annoyed me that there were no chapters, plus the ending is too abrupt. But, that said, I enjoyed reading it.
August 16, 2022
I was ready to write this book off after I was about 30 pages in. But, I read this book in about a day, so I think I have to admit to myself that I enjoyed it. It was simple in the perfect way that ideal beach reads are simple; but still it went just a bit deeper than that. It focused a lot on relationships but it focused even more on family and friendships and careers (or lake thereof) and how scary it is to be 23-years-old and feel like you're not doing anything. Like Hailey, I was born and raised in NYC. Like Hailey, I am 23 and unemployed and not wanting to take just any old job but also wanting to do that just to get everyone off my back about not having one. I found myself wanting to roll my eyes about another set of rich, privileged New York kids who are miserable with their catered lives. Even still, I did feel for her, despite the silver platter she undoubtedly has everything handed to her on. The child of divorce (ditto) who just wanted to create a life entirely by herself for herself (ditto) who is afraid that she will never get married/have children/have a career/be happy (yeah, pretty much) and feels both trapped and in everlasting love with this city she has spent the last 23 years in. This was an easy read and I found a lot of myself in it, without really expecting to. I really enjoyed this book, in spite of ... or maybe because of its flaws.
November 8, 2012
A perfect encapsulation of your 20s. Full of people you kind of despise even though they're your best friends. Lots of brunch. An obsession with some guy who is occasionally profound but mostly just a complete fucking dick. Parts of it are witty and insightful but larger parts are just plain boring. It's supposed to be a snapshot of post-9/11 NYC, but it's really just about a bunch of navel-gazing rich kids who never take the subway.
April 19, 2012
I loved this book. Whip-smart, engaging, heartbreaking, and absolutely hilarious. Not only does the author brilliantly capture post-college angst, she also broadens and deepens the book by setting it in a post-9/11 context. The result is a near-perfect picture of the anxiety and fear that grips all of us at times, regardless of our age, economic means, or social status.
June 18, 2012
Amateurish all around - writing, plot, etc. Do not bother. I have read such better books set in NYC. Sort of a bad imitation of The Emperor's Children.
January 21, 2015
I think I'm too old for this book. To be fair, I was too old (and too middle class) for this book in my twenties. Readable, but not likeable.
August 24, 2017
I didn't hate this book but it wasn't quite worth 3* as I forgot it almost as soon as I read it. It wants to be profound but ended up being a bad version of a Bret Easton Ellis novel with vapid characters and disjointed meaningless dialogue where people talk but no one really says much. There were moments when I thought they were going to explore some of the more philosophical points brought up but then the character was like "yeah, it sucks" and that was the end of it. I didn't even feel like I knew the main character Hailey even though it was told from her perspective. She seemed to just be floating through her life moping over an a*hole of a guy, feeling sorry for herself about her parents' divorce which happened over 10 years ago, and not actually doing anything proactive. Typical poor little rich girl character feeling sorry for herself despite her incredible privilege and opportunity. She's so self-absorbed that she doesn't realise that the perfect life everyone constructs is fake and her character development only occurs right at the end of the book when she realises that life is fake and everyone is acting.
I can kind of relate to that lost feeling you get when you've just graduated and realise that you were fed a load of lies and that a job won't just fall in your lap because you've got a degree. But I didn't spend more than 6m moping around, doing half-hearted interviews and partying every night in expensive (London) bars. I travelled a bit, talked to people and found out what was out there. I got a crappy retail job for a few months and then flew as far away as possible to escape the rat race and it was the best decision I ever made.
The most laughable thing is that at the end of the book there is a section of reading group questions as if this book has anything profound enough to actually discuss. The author explicitly stated in the Q&A that she wanted interesting, non-superficial female characters who discussed more than boys but she failed on two-thirds of that (they don't always talk about boys but the conversation usually comes around to it in the end).
The only character I liked was Adrian and even he was a caricature because I've never met such an openly feminist, self-assured guy who didn't care about his reputation and who has all his s**t together. I feel like the guys weren't given a chance to have a voice, they were all just stereotypes.
I can kind of relate to that lost feeling you get when you've just graduated and realise that you were fed a load of lies and that a job won't just fall in your lap because you've got a degree. But I didn't spend more than 6m moping around, doing half-hearted interviews and partying every night in expensive (London) bars. I travelled a bit, talked to people and found out what was out there. I got a crappy retail job for a few months and then flew as far away as possible to escape the rat race and it was the best decision I ever made.
The most laughable thing is that at the end of the book there is a section of reading group questions as if this book has anything profound enough to actually discuss. The author explicitly stated in the Q&A that she wanted interesting, non-superficial female characters who discussed more than boys but she failed on two-thirds of that (they don't always talk about boys but the conversation usually comes around to it in the end).
The only character I liked was Adrian and even he was a caricature because I've never met such an openly feminist, self-assured guy who didn't care about his reputation and who has all his s**t together. I feel like the guys weren't given a chance to have a voice, they were all just stereotypes.
April 12, 2024
So disappointed in this book. It could have been a unique story as the characters are young wealthy priviledged kids in Manhattan. Generally these types of people are throw away characters in books and film, the cliché spoiled rich kid villain. Although I really don't know any of these people in person, I assume there is more to them than that. Well, if so, this novel doesn't argue that point. Hailey and her fellow children of elites lead listless lives post college, which of course was at elite universities. Some have jobs obtained through nepotism which by their description don't entail any real work, some don't even bother with that. Hailey, bless her heart, is trying to get a job on her own but failing. But that is about the extent of her altruism. She and her friends' lives revolve around shopping at designer stores and clubbing. She meets one guy who appears like he might be normal, it is never spelled out but inferred he comes from more of a middle class or perhaps upper middle class background. But he is never developed at all as a character until near the end, and even then only slightly so; just enough that he is more insufferable than Hailey's vapid wealthy friends as he lectures her on her family relationships, offers his opinions on her parents based on what he's heard from other parents, and basically mansplains her life to her. He then lectures her (and us) on why we had it coming on 9/11 and it wasn't the terrorist fault (the book is set right after 9/11).
In the end, no one, including Hailey really showed any growth and nothing of any consequence happened. Their blasé attitudes towards life are reflected in dialogue where one points out their parents were so high achieving, they are titans of industry, leaders of companies, etc... so the bar for them is impossibly high, so why try? They recognize their privilege but see it as an unfair burden. And there is a clear arrogance where they refer to the unfairness that even with all their elite educations no one will give them a chance to perform at the proper level, as if aghast they are expected to start outside the C Suite. Just tone def. So disappointing because I think this writer could have done more, so far as the technical aspects of writing she is on point and she did manage to keep me interested to finish the book (though I have only gave up on a handful of books in my life), perhaps some better suggestions from an editor could have made a difference.
In the end, no one, including Hailey really showed any growth and nothing of any consequence happened. Their blasé attitudes towards life are reflected in dialogue where one points out their parents were so high achieving, they are titans of industry, leaders of companies, etc... so the bar for them is impossibly high, so why try? They recognize their privilege but see it as an unfair burden. And there is a clear arrogance where they refer to the unfairness that even with all their elite educations no one will give them a chance to perform at the proper level, as if aghast they are expected to start outside the C Suite. Just tone def. So disappointing because I think this writer could have done more, so far as the technical aspects of writing she is on point and she did manage to keep me interested to finish the book (though I have only gave up on a handful of books in my life), perhaps some better suggestions from an editor could have made a difference.
June 16, 2019
Okay. Hmm. There was a lot of really good stuff in here. I'm just not sure it really dug deep enough. A lot of the criticism I've seen about this book is that it centers around pretty privileged post-college New Yorkers who are just sort of hanging out in bars and restaurants and each others apartments in the Upper East Side, or, like, the BERESFORD (I have a thing for Central Park West, Emory Roth designed apartment buildings). I didn't have an issue with that. I'm not particularly bitter that I'm not rich. So I kind of like reading about rich people in the same way I like watching nature documentaries. But, more, really, because (in literature at least) one of the prerequisites of being rich is that you are also deeply dissatisfied. So, Hailey, our somewhat vapid lead character, is rich as hell thanks to her successful mother's marriage to her even more successful second husband after a divorce that devastated the family, but she can't find a job. She's spent the six months between graduation and passover doing interview after interview. In 2001. So 9/11 also looms heavy. In the meantime she obsesses over a recent Princeton grad, who's frankly an ass, meets a nice guy, and hypothesizes over why New York kids feel the need to succeed without letting anyone know they tried. It's gotten a lot of comparisons to the television show 'Girls', I guess, and I see it. They're both about slightly, or not so slightly, spoiled kids trying to figure themselves out after college. But, I don't know. I probably wouldn't compare them.
September 13, 2018
i liked this book and liked how the main character changed throughout the book and she realised that the popular guy who she thought had the perfect life didn't actually have the life she thought he had.
I did find it slightly annoying her references to her parents divorce as at some points it felt quite repetitive.
I did find it slightly annoying her references to her parents divorce as at some points it felt quite repetitive.
April 21, 2022
A very Sally Rooney voice. Enjoyed how it captured a post graduate struggle albeit amongst the elite. Some may find this insanely rich girl moaning about how she can never be successful compared to her parents slightly grating.
However, I really enjoyed reading this as a kind of coming of age story.
However, I really enjoyed reading this as a kind of coming of age story.
February 6, 2024
I looked this book it was fun and quick. It was a snapshot of a post grads life while she’s unemployed and two guys are interested in her. I think this book could have taken place any time, just not 9/11
November 17, 2017
Enjoyed it quickly but is a rather forgettable read, however I liked the character's exchanges, especially on the phone; dry, realistic, you could picture them in your head.
December 25, 2018
Jag har läst denna flera gånger och gillar den verkligen! En bra chick-lit med gossip girl feeling!
February 7, 2023
I think this book was fun, but the writing style is pretty amateur. Trying too hard to be deep, makes you feel bad for rich kids. Good encapsulation of being post college grad though.
February 21, 2024
1.81 / 5 - there weren’t any chapters ???? Just 275 pages of basically nothing
December 17, 2013
Taken from my blog at www.takemeawayreading.com
I didn't hear about this book until nomadreader (http://nomadreader.blogspot.com/) raved about it. I have to say I'm surprised at the little publicity it's received, especially with a cover blurb from Jonathan Tropper, "Smart, witty, honest, and never anything less than utterly engaging." I will say that These Days Are Ours was and wasn't what I was expecting which I'll explain; but overall it was a quick and fantastic read that was iconic in its representation of modern day high society New York as well as in its depiction of what I'll refer to as the "quarter life crisis". It is essentially the story of Hailey and her friends after they graduate from college and try to figure out what to do next, set in NYC right after 9/11.
Despite the humorous authenticity of Hailey's (main character's) thought processes in the beginning as she tried to maneuver her way into the life of her crush, I did not expect the initial chick-flick/rom-com feel that I noticed. I also had expected that I'd immediately relate to the characters better. I mean, I knew I wouldn't relate to the whole "Fifth Avenue" lifestyle in general but didn't realize how far that lifestyle permeated; for instance, I have always worked, full time, before, during, and after college and felt that the lifestyles of the characters were too irresponsible, cavalier. I've always had an extreme streak of independence - never moved back in with mom and dad, have never bemoaned the woes of being an adult, etc. that separated my complete understanding of life from theirs.
But what did meet my expectations was that I was able to relate to the characters in a broader, more abstract way, as in schooling is finally over so what now?... as in entering and partaking in the reality of "the real world" that in your twenties you start to see from a new perspective such as learning that your parents are human and don't know everything. I thought this quote from one of the characters describing their work represented this well:
"And another thing that takes some getting used to is how seriously everyone takes this stuff. Like, the biggest account you could be on at BBDO, the account you would be on if you were rocking it, is Pepsi. And if you're somehow on Pepsi, the highlight of your life would be some new soda they were launching with even fewer calories than the old soda. And I'm sorry, but it's just hard to pretend to care that much about a lower-calorie soda when you've just been in college learning actual things." (p.155)
Writing these characters against the backdrop of 9/11 New York City adds to the whole "quarter life crisis" and the characters' startling realizations about what life does and will entail for them. It's a jolt into reality that I also experienced while in college. It's not what this book is about but it does have a part in teaching the characters about life and also about how their interpretations of it differ. The following is a quote from Hailey after she sees the debris at Ground Zero:
" Ground Zero wasn't the right name for this. Ground Zero sounded like a blank canvas. For now it should be called 'The Disaster Zone' or something. Ground Zero could be later, when the area was nothing but a desert in the middle of the skyscrapers. Emptiness. Dust to dust. Ground Zero could honor a time before accountants and stock market and buildings that loomed so large it felt like you were drowning." (p. 78)
After the book picked up, that "chick-flick" feel I mentioned earlier made way for a much more insightful and intuitive read.
These Days Are Ours is about life in your twenties, looking forward, starting careers, friendships, relationships, and just taking it all in. It's full of realistic dialogue, humor, sadness, and reality (told in part through the NYC nightlife). I read this in one day, almost in one sitting.
I didn't hear about this book until nomadreader (http://nomadreader.blogspot.com/) raved about it. I have to say I'm surprised at the little publicity it's received, especially with a cover blurb from Jonathan Tropper, "Smart, witty, honest, and never anything less than utterly engaging." I will say that These Days Are Ours was and wasn't what I was expecting which I'll explain; but overall it was a quick and fantastic read that was iconic in its representation of modern day high society New York as well as in its depiction of what I'll refer to as the "quarter life crisis". It is essentially the story of Hailey and her friends after they graduate from college and try to figure out what to do next, set in NYC right after 9/11.
Despite the humorous authenticity of Hailey's (main character's) thought processes in the beginning as she tried to maneuver her way into the life of her crush, I did not expect the initial chick-flick/rom-com feel that I noticed. I also had expected that I'd immediately relate to the characters better. I mean, I knew I wouldn't relate to the whole "Fifth Avenue" lifestyle in general but didn't realize how far that lifestyle permeated; for instance, I have always worked, full time, before, during, and after college and felt that the lifestyles of the characters were too irresponsible, cavalier. I've always had an extreme streak of independence - never moved back in with mom and dad, have never bemoaned the woes of being an adult, etc. that separated my complete understanding of life from theirs.
But what did meet my expectations was that I was able to relate to the characters in a broader, more abstract way, as in schooling is finally over so what now?... as in entering and partaking in the reality of "the real world" that in your twenties you start to see from a new perspective such as learning that your parents are human and don't know everything. I thought this quote from one of the characters describing their work represented this well:
"And another thing that takes some getting used to is how seriously everyone takes this stuff. Like, the biggest account you could be on at BBDO, the account you would be on if you were rocking it, is Pepsi. And if you're somehow on Pepsi, the highlight of your life would be some new soda they were launching with even fewer calories than the old soda. And I'm sorry, but it's just hard to pretend to care that much about a lower-calorie soda when you've just been in college learning actual things." (p.155)
Writing these characters against the backdrop of 9/11 New York City adds to the whole "quarter life crisis" and the characters' startling realizations about what life does and will entail for them. It's a jolt into reality that I also experienced while in college. It's not what this book is about but it does have a part in teaching the characters about life and also about how their interpretations of it differ. The following is a quote from Hailey after she sees the debris at Ground Zero:
" Ground Zero wasn't the right name for this. Ground Zero sounded like a blank canvas. For now it should be called 'The Disaster Zone' or something. Ground Zero could be later, when the area was nothing but a desert in the middle of the skyscrapers. Emptiness. Dust to dust. Ground Zero could honor a time before accountants and stock market and buildings that loomed so large it felt like you were drowning." (p. 78)
After the book picked up, that "chick-flick" feel I mentioned earlier made way for a much more insightful and intuitive read.
These Days Are Ours is about life in your twenties, looking forward, starting careers, friendships, relationships, and just taking it all in. It's full of realistic dialogue, humor, sadness, and reality (told in part through the NYC nightlife). I read this in one day, almost in one sitting.
August 30, 2013
First things first, two confessions"
1. I received a copy of this book as a Goodreads First Reader winner.
2. I'm not sure I'm the ideal audience for this book.
My opinion of this novel was constantly changing throughout the book. The first 30 pages were very tough to get through. I didn't care for any of the characters at first because they felt whiny and shallow. Sometimes I find it very difficult to read or watch stories of women who can't help falling for jerks even though everyone else can see this a mile away. But the protagonist, Hailey, grew on me. Like me, she navigated a post- 9/11 New York at almost the same age I was when I lived there. This common ground and familiar references kept me reading.
Ms. Haimoff is no slouch, but she is also by no means, a writer of Literature. But this is not necessarily a bad thing. I just got the feeling that she aspired to be saying something of great importance. Haimoff's strong points are her characters and her dialogue. She doesn't particularly have a way with words. But she does have an ear. Some of the best scenes in the book were Hailey sitting around with her friends talking. Much of this felt autobiographical, so I am sure Haimoff ripped conversations straight from her own friends' mouth while plugging them into her characters. But this has the effect of making it seem more realistic.
Where Haimoff falls short is her need to examine deep themes of loss of innocence and change. She doesn't really have the insight or the facility with language that would make this worthwhile. Her character, Hailey, does tap into the essence I remember everyone feeling after 9/11. There was a sudden moment in time where everyone cared. You talked about death, you felt like all New Yorkers were in it together. If you saw a fireman, you pulled him into a bar and bought him a drink. This quiet reverence and staid solemnity felt right, but then it was gone abruptly. Everyone had moved on with vague feeling that even though we were supposed to do this, it still felt wrong. Hailey says this essentially near the end, but it still feels like Carrie from Sex in the City at the end of her column. And I must admit that there are so many other novels that deal with post 9/11 themes with more depth and deftness.
I'm not trying to dismiss this book as chic lit because it was worth more than that, and I have read many books by male authors about the male psyche/dating that have the same failings. But I did find this book an entertaining and enjoyable read simply because of the characters relationships and dialogue. Haimoff also does a fantastic job of inserting little details that remind the reader exactly of the time period in New York. The include little things like a Nickelback song at a Bridge and Tunnel bar or a recording of Michael Orr when you get in a cab. These details really added a delightful layer to the book in the same way those retro 80's books celebrating the culture of the time period have fascinated.
1. I received a copy of this book as a Goodreads First Reader winner.
2. I'm not sure I'm the ideal audience for this book.
My opinion of this novel was constantly changing throughout the book. The first 30 pages were very tough to get through. I didn't care for any of the characters at first because they felt whiny and shallow. Sometimes I find it very difficult to read or watch stories of women who can't help falling for jerks even though everyone else can see this a mile away. But the protagonist, Hailey, grew on me. Like me, she navigated a post- 9/11 New York at almost the same age I was when I lived there. This common ground and familiar references kept me reading.
Ms. Haimoff is no slouch, but she is also by no means, a writer of Literature. But this is not necessarily a bad thing. I just got the feeling that she aspired to be saying something of great importance. Haimoff's strong points are her characters and her dialogue. She doesn't particularly have a way with words. But she does have an ear. Some of the best scenes in the book were Hailey sitting around with her friends talking. Much of this felt autobiographical, so I am sure Haimoff ripped conversations straight from her own friends' mouth while plugging them into her characters. But this has the effect of making it seem more realistic.
Where Haimoff falls short is her need to examine deep themes of loss of innocence and change. She doesn't really have the insight or the facility with language that would make this worthwhile. Her character, Hailey, does tap into the essence I remember everyone feeling after 9/11. There was a sudden moment in time where everyone cared. You talked about death, you felt like all New Yorkers were in it together. If you saw a fireman, you pulled him into a bar and bought him a drink. This quiet reverence and staid solemnity felt right, but then it was gone abruptly. Everyone had moved on with vague feeling that even though we were supposed to do this, it still felt wrong. Hailey says this essentially near the end, but it still feels like Carrie from Sex in the City at the end of her column. And I must admit that there are so many other novels that deal with post 9/11 themes with more depth and deftness.
I'm not trying to dismiss this book as chic lit because it was worth more than that, and I have read many books by male authors about the male psyche/dating that have the same failings. But I did find this book an entertaining and enjoyable read simply because of the characters relationships and dialogue. Haimoff also does a fantastic job of inserting little details that remind the reader exactly of the time period in New York. The include little things like a Nickelback song at a Bridge and Tunnel bar or a recording of Michael Orr when you get in a cab. These details really added a delightful layer to the book in the same way those retro 80's books celebrating the culture of the time period have fascinated.
May 26, 2015
This novel is totally up my alley and would resonate with anyone in their early to mid-twenties. It is thoughtful, engaging and absolutely right. This is not about a little rich girl constantly whining. This is about a young women whose structured life-list has dwindled to two more boxes to tick: get a job and get married. On the outside her life seems fantastic. She can go out till dawn at fancy clubs drinking Mandarin Tonics, go for a luxury brunch and if she really wanted, have her mum make that call that would get her a job. But she wants to be somebody with a sense of purpose, and finally achieve something by herself, not wasting away at an empty penthouse. There are also so many crappy issues swimming around and plenty for the reader to chew on. She is in love with someone who is too perfect he is unreal. She tries to deal the massive rifts in her family and on top of that struggles with the tremors of uncertainty that 9/11 had created.
I am not an Upper East Sid-er or a Chelsea girl but I have definitely not been roughing it all my life. So I get how Hailey feels when the pressure is there to succeed, especially when the odds are stacked in your favor. As graduates we KNOW right? We are in a hotpot of expectations: comparing, asking, waiting… Its funny how situations haven’t really changed since the early 00’s. The author captures all these feelings very well.
The novel is structured with no chapters, but paragraph breaks, which really captures the never ending fragmentation. Hailey’s thoughts drift back and forth between dark memories, make-belief scenarios and dreams of the future. The writing is super witty at times, with very sharp dialogues. I loved this line of Hailey’s: ‘Even if I handed her the stack of cover letters I sent out since I graduated, or mentioned all the second round interviews I’d gone on, or all the hours I spent perusing the Times, Hotjobs and Craiglist, they’d still picture me in my pajamas padding around this apartment all day’ (p.27) (I totally get you girl).
It was really interesting getting an insight into a post-9/11 world and the New York elite; their lives are so shiny but suffocating. I never realised that you can live in a big city but still feel like your in a small neighborhood where everyone knows everybody’s business. But this novel is not all gloom. Hailey’s hopes are restored towards the end, especially in the form of Adrian, who breezes in like fresh air.
I am not an Upper East Sid-er or a Chelsea girl but I have definitely not been roughing it all my life. So I get how Hailey feels when the pressure is there to succeed, especially when the odds are stacked in your favor. As graduates we KNOW right? We are in a hotpot of expectations: comparing, asking, waiting… Its funny how situations haven’t really changed since the early 00’s. The author captures all these feelings very well.
The novel is structured with no chapters, but paragraph breaks, which really captures the never ending fragmentation. Hailey’s thoughts drift back and forth between dark memories, make-belief scenarios and dreams of the future. The writing is super witty at times, with very sharp dialogues. I loved this line of Hailey’s: ‘Even if I handed her the stack of cover letters I sent out since I graduated, or mentioned all the second round interviews I’d gone on, or all the hours I spent perusing the Times, Hotjobs and Craiglist, they’d still picture me in my pajamas padding around this apartment all day’ (p.27) (I totally get you girl).
It was really interesting getting an insight into a post-9/11 world and the New York elite; their lives are so shiny but suffocating. I never realised that you can live in a big city but still feel like your in a small neighborhood where everyone knows everybody’s business. But this novel is not all gloom. Hailey’s hopes are restored towards the end, especially in the form of Adrian, who breezes in like fresh air.
February 18, 2013
I was so excited to read These Days Are Ours. I won it in a contest on Goodreads and was convinced I had found my new favorite novel.
My first thought when the book arrived: I love the cover. It's got colors I love and a photograph that looks fun. And so I began reading the book.
The general plot of the book is a rich twenty-something girl in post 9/11 New York City figuring out her life - finding a job, figuring out which type of guy is right for her, and healing from the childhood trauma of her parents' divorce, all while going to bars every night with other rich friends.
I was surprised at the love/hate relationship I developed with These Days Are Ours. I was so excited to dive right into the story, but it was strange - there really wasn't much of a storyline at all. In fact, there weren't even chapters - the text was broken up by dropcaps. I quickly developed a disdain for the main character, Hailey. She's insecure, damaged by 9/11 and her parents' divorce (which happened 10+ years ago), lives off of her parents' money, and clearly has an alcohol problem. She's so in love with a guy (Brenner) that she will desperately do anything to get his attention, including having sex with him on a whim. Where are your standards, girl!?!? Not even 50 pages in, I realized I wasn't going to like this book as much as I thought, but I continued reading. I'm glad I finished the book. Hailey grows up in so many ways by the end that when you turn the last page, you finally feel confident that she'll be okay.
As for Michelle Haimoff's writing style, I'd say I'm a fan. Her writing style reminded me very much of my own - she writes very conversationally. Actually, the way the book was written is set up quite perfectly for a screen rendition. There's not really a climactic point in the book, though, so this would be one of those artsy movies that play sad music and have a lot of scenes where people stare out a window pondering their life. You know what I'm talking about...
My two favorite quotes from the book are as follows:
Love endures all, even reality.
and...
Artists should have rights about not having their songs played in the places they'd never hang out or by people they'd never hang out with.
My first thought when the book arrived: I love the cover. It's got colors I love and a photograph that looks fun. And so I began reading the book.
The general plot of the book is a rich twenty-something girl in post 9/11 New York City figuring out her life - finding a job, figuring out which type of guy is right for her, and healing from the childhood trauma of her parents' divorce, all while going to bars every night with other rich friends.
I was surprised at the love/hate relationship I developed with These Days Are Ours. I was so excited to dive right into the story, but it was strange - there really wasn't much of a storyline at all. In fact, there weren't even chapters - the text was broken up by dropcaps. I quickly developed a disdain for the main character, Hailey. She's insecure, damaged by 9/11 and her parents' divorce (which happened 10+ years ago), lives off of her parents' money, and clearly has an alcohol problem. She's so in love with a guy (Brenner) that she will desperately do anything to get his attention, including having sex with him on a whim. Where are your standards, girl!?!? Not even 50 pages in, I realized I wasn't going to like this book as much as I thought, but I continued reading. I'm glad I finished the book. Hailey grows up in so many ways by the end that when you turn the last page, you finally feel confident that she'll be okay.
As for Michelle Haimoff's writing style, I'd say I'm a fan. Her writing style reminded me very much of my own - she writes very conversationally. Actually, the way the book was written is set up quite perfectly for a screen rendition. There's not really a climactic point in the book, though, so this would be one of those artsy movies that play sad music and have a lot of scenes where people stare out a window pondering their life. You know what I'm talking about...
My two favorite quotes from the book are as follows:
Love endures all, even reality.
and...
Artists should have rights about not having their songs played in the places they'd never hang out or by people they'd never hang out with.
January 31, 2013
I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this book. There is no gimmick, no complicated plot full of twists and turns, heavy writing or surprise endings turning the book upside down. Absolutely not. It's just an honest to goodness, "hit it on the head" picture of twenty-somethings trying to find their way after 9/11 in New York City. They are questioning the fact that they can't find jobs, that they may die in a terrorist attack at any time, that they've lived easy and affluent lives and that maybe there is no rainbow at the end of the storm. They are coming to the realization that possibly no matter how much they achieve, they might never come close to their parents achievements, and there might be no reason to even try.
This book made me reminisce about all kinds of distant evenings; memories tinged with booze and muted laughter, wayward glances at boys and nights at the "Bow and Arrow" and "The Hong Kong." It reminded me of all the wrong decisions I made and how insecure a person can be after college has spit you out of its warm and secure belly, showing the harsh reality of day to day without class, dinner and socializing.
There are moments of profound insight:
"I still think being on track when you're twenty-three doesn't mean anything."
Amen.
"I think he's a douche. I feel like he's the one who laughs the longest and hardest even though he doesn't get the joke."
I so remember meeting that guy.
But beyond the insecurities, there is also the incredible humor in this book:
"Did you get a manicure?"
"Yeah. THey did it while I was sitting in one of those seats with a hole in it."
"A toilet?"
"No, a seat with a hole for your face."
Oh.....a toilet?"
"No, like a massage chair."
"Oh,....."Speaking of which,..."
It's these kind of passages that made me totally fall in love with this book. I can remember having these conversations that made no sense, but completely made sense in an abstract way. The characters are lovable, believable, self-absorbed, drunk, sex crazed and just wacky. But we all were, at that age. It took me a day to read this and I totally ignored my daughter for thirty minutes just to get to the ending.
This book made me reminisce about all kinds of distant evenings; memories tinged with booze and muted laughter, wayward glances at boys and nights at the "Bow and Arrow" and "The Hong Kong." It reminded me of all the wrong decisions I made and how insecure a person can be after college has spit you out of its warm and secure belly, showing the harsh reality of day to day without class, dinner and socializing.
There are moments of profound insight:
"I still think being on track when you're twenty-three doesn't mean anything."
Amen.
"I think he's a douche. I feel like he's the one who laughs the longest and hardest even though he doesn't get the joke."
I so remember meeting that guy.
But beyond the insecurities, there is also the incredible humor in this book:
"Did you get a manicure?"
"Yeah. THey did it while I was sitting in one of those seats with a hole in it."
"A toilet?"
"No, a seat with a hole for your face."
Oh.....a toilet?"
"No, like a massage chair."
"Oh,....."Speaking of which,..."
It's these kind of passages that made me totally fall in love with this book. I can remember having these conversations that made no sense, but completely made sense in an abstract way. The characters are lovable, believable, self-absorbed, drunk, sex crazed and just wacky. But we all were, at that age. It took me a day to read this and I totally ignored my daughter for thirty minutes just to get to the ending.
December 4, 2014
I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway
After September 11th, New Yorkers learned that getting back to their lives is easier said than done, despite the facades they put up. For Hailey, it was one extra thing to worry about on top of everything else.
But Hailey isn't the only one with fears, although her fears made me think she had some psychological issues. And maybe she does, but the more I read, the more I realized that she is a recent college graduate female who likes men, wants a relationship, and wants things to be better.
“I was angry, not at the terrorists, but at us, for shutting things down. Where was all that ‘If we don’t get on with our lives, then the terrorists win’ crap? This was New York City. I should have been allowed to go into the Empire State Building anytime I wanted, twenty-four hours a day.” – page 88
Within all, there are those fears I mentioned:
The fear of another attack.
The fear of not finding someone.
The fear that the boy you like doesn't like you.
The fear that that girl hates you, or wants to take what you have.
The fear that others think you rely on mommy and daddy to get you through life; that you can't do it on your own.
The fear of not finding a job.
What makes me knock this from a four-star review is how much smoking and drinking (even during the day) and illegal activity there is. Maybe this is common among young adults, and while some of my friends were into that, it seemed entirely prevalent here. Maybe it's a city thing, or just a rich entitlement thing. It opened my eyes to a culture I didn't know exist (because I hate NYC).
I just don't like those sorts of things.
But it was all about humanity and life. Life is messy and crazy, and sometimes we're lucky but others aren't. There are always those questions of "what if" hanging around that you know you can't focus on but you do anyway.
Haimoff makes me want to open my eyes more to my surroundings though.
“A train full of strangers who would become the most important people in my life if anything bad happened.” – page 21
That's the thing - you never know what'll happen or who will come along to change your thoughts and feelings.
After September 11th, New Yorkers learned that getting back to their lives is easier said than done, despite the facades they put up. For Hailey, it was one extra thing to worry about on top of everything else.
But Hailey isn't the only one with fears, although her fears made me think she had some psychological issues. And maybe she does, but the more I read, the more I realized that she is a recent college graduate female who likes men, wants a relationship, and wants things to be better.
“I was angry, not at the terrorists, but at us, for shutting things down. Where was all that ‘If we don’t get on with our lives, then the terrorists win’ crap? This was New York City. I should have been allowed to go into the Empire State Building anytime I wanted, twenty-four hours a day.” – page 88
Within all, there are those fears I mentioned:
The fear of another attack.
The fear of not finding someone.
The fear that the boy you like doesn't like you.
The fear that that girl hates you, or wants to take what you have.
The fear that others think you rely on mommy and daddy to get you through life; that you can't do it on your own.
The fear of not finding a job.
What makes me knock this from a four-star review is how much smoking and drinking (even during the day) and illegal activity there is. Maybe this is common among young adults, and while some of my friends were into that, it seemed entirely prevalent here. Maybe it's a city thing, or just a rich entitlement thing. It opened my eyes to a culture I didn't know exist (because I hate NYC).
I just don't like those sorts of things.
But it was all about humanity and life. Life is messy and crazy, and sometimes we're lucky but others aren't. There are always those questions of "what if" hanging around that you know you can't focus on but you do anyway.
Haimoff makes me want to open my eyes more to my surroundings though.
“A train full of strangers who would become the most important people in my life if anything bad happened.” – page 21
That's the thing - you never know what'll happen or who will come along to change your thoughts and feelings.
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