From the Bookshelf of Crazy Challenge Connection…
Find A Copy At
Group Discussions About This Book
No group discussions for this book yet.
What Members Thought
At first, I didn't think I was going to like this book. But has the storyline unfolded. I began to become intrigued with the characters, especially with the hopes and dreams of Pasquale the innkeeper and the inter-weaving of real-life events and figures. It all came together for me in this delightful and sad novel. Its definitely a book to be read again. I look forward to visiting this small Italian village again and vacationing at Pasquale's Inn. :) ...more
I'm more than a little bit surprised at how much I enjoyed this novel! I went in thinking it was going to be chick lit written by a man (so, not all that promising) but what I got was a gorgeous novel with amazing writing from page one!
The novel is set mostly in present day Hollywood and a small Italian village (even village is maybe a bit generous) in the 1960s, with a few chapters set in between both in time and location. Walter does an absolutely gorgeous job with the settings. I could reall ...more
The novel is set mostly in present day Hollywood and a small Italian village (even village is maybe a bit generous) in the 1960s, with a few chapters set in between both in time and location. Walter does an absolutely gorgeous job with the settings. I could reall ...more
Meh! This got such glowing reviews but I still don't understand why. I did read the whole thing, hoping something would change my mind. The writing is good, and I don't mind the multiple times and places.But most of the tone was depressing, with self-absorbed characters whose conversions (when they had them) were unconvincing. Again, I like books that play with convention but in this case, the insertion of a screenplay and a couple of chapters that were ostensibly from books written by the chara
...more
I neither liked nor disliked Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter. And I didn't particularly find it amusing as the book blurb promised I would. I felt it quite sad, and some what boring.
Michael Deane's motto of "We want what we want," certainly shines throughout the novel. And so called Actors of today drive me berserk because of that sentiment. It seems like Hollywood must have what it wants when it wants. Group think mentality without one original thought espousing some idiotic drivel. When I wat ...more
Michael Deane's motto of "We want what we want," certainly shines throughout the novel. And so called Actors of today drive me berserk because of that sentiment. It seems like Hollywood must have what it wants when it wants. Group think mentality without one original thought espousing some idiotic drivel. When I wat ...more
I enjoyed Pasquale's story and found several threads of this book enjoyable. I do think, however, the book tried too hard and had too many threads. Not that it was confusing, because it wasn't - it was actually pretty simplistic in the way it wove them all together. Only that the varied threads became a bit uninteresting.
...more
So good. Took me a minute to follow...because of the twisting story-lines. It makes me want to go to Italy, and call my mama.
The last chapter is the best of all...but the rest is worth reading...if in a slightly haphazard way.
Sep 29, 2012
Elle
marked it as reevaluate-for-tbr
Nov 23, 2012
Yvonne
marked it as to-read-around-the-world
Apr 10, 2013
Sue
marked it as to-read
Jul 08, 2013
Helen Southall
marked it as to-read
Aug 12, 2013
Carol
marked it as to-read
Jun 23, 2014
Jessica
marked it as to-read
Apr 04, 2015
Jim Townsend
marked it as to-read
Sep 30, 2016
Sandy
marked it as to-read
