From the Bookshelf of Around the World in 80 Books…
Find A Copy At
Group Discussions About This Book
No group discussions for this book yet.
What Members Thought
One of those books that you invest a lot of time in so you think they must be good and then you get to the end and think, "Dang, did I really just read that?" I mean, the writing style and characters must have had something going for them to make me want to continue reading. However, this really isn't a very interesting book. It's about three self-absorbed rich kids from Brown that don't really have any problems but think that they do. As an English major myself, at the start the depiction of En
...more
Probably 3.5 stars. Would have been 4 but for the first part of the book, which builds really slowly and wanders somewhat. The three main characters are well drawn and become very real to the reader, but I couldn't find myself overly caring about any of them, and although it was entertaining while I was reading it, it hasn't stayed with me. It was ultimately about as bland as this review. Great ending though.
...more
There were times in this story that I tuned out what the narrator was saying. I wanted more efficiency in the book and felt exhausted listening to all of the details and perspectives (though I appreciated the multiple points of view later). I liked the story of the bipolar character best as it made me really think about his perspective. Glad to have this checked off as I had picked it up to make some progress on the 1,001 books to read before you die list. Won't be recommending it to friends as
...more
In Madeleine's face was a stupidity Mitchell had never seen before. It was the stupidity of all normal people. It was the stupidity of the fortunate and beautiful, of everybody who got what they wanted in life and so remained unremarkable.
It was possible to feel superior to other people and like a misfit at the same time.
"Who are you anyway?"
"Just someone who knows, from personal experience, how attractive it can be to think you can save somebody else by loving them." ...more
It was possible to feel superior to other people and like a misfit at the same time.
"Who are you anyway?"
"Just someone who knows, from personal experience, how attractive it can be to think you can save somebody else by loving them." ...more
This book really spoke to me on many levels - the time period (the 80s), the setting (Providence and Cape Cod) and the twisting and complicated marriage plot that unfolds. As a mother of two girls about that age, I completely felt the pain of Phyllida and Alton.
Nov 05, 2011
Ginger
marked it as to-read
Dec 29, 2011
Sara
marked it as to-read
Jan 04, 2012
Patricia
added it
Jan 13, 2012
Tanayia
marked it as to-read
Feb 05, 2012
Jennifer
marked it as to-read
Oct 10, 2012
Chris Hammer
added it
Jan 01, 2013
Curlysue
marked it as to-read
Jan 18, 2013
Sherry
added it
Jan 30, 2013
Terri
marked it as boxall-s-1001
Shelves:
awards-nom-national-critics,
american-fiction
May 19, 2013
Natasha
marked it as to-read
May 23, 2014
Kelli
marked it as to-read
Feb 13, 2017
Nanosynergy
marked it as to-read
