Katie

Okay, editing this review based on the review by Neville and other comments on various threads. There was a lot that didn't add up in this book, and now I feel like I know why.

Original review, 3 stars: This was probably a 3.5 for me. I found the story interesting and the author's writing was great. It was interesting to see her speculate on what her mother might have experienced without any concrete information other than historical facts.

This was hilarious.

This book had everything–magical negroes and white saviorism! Plus plot inconsistencies (she has no idea when Christmas is because she doesn't have a calendar, but she waits all day on the beach on the 4th of July? And how does she even know what a month is? Who taught her about a calendar when she never had one?). I gave up about halfway through. I really don't care who murdered Chase. Three stars for the good metaphors scattered throughout.

Wow. I have been wanting and needing this book for so, so long. I feel so much more knowledgable and confident about what is going on in the Middle East now. Sokatch understands exactly where I'm coming from on many levels and addressed all of my questions and concerns.

This got three stars from me not because it's badly written, but because I just didn't enjoy reading it. I didn't understand why he loved the people he loved, and the book was generally depressing and a bit confusing, as well, with massive time skips. I guess it was supposed to be interconnected stories? But was billed as a novel?

This was classic Lynda Barry–disturbing, funny, traumatic, and heartbreaking. It was like her comics, only with all those words there was plenty of time to really dig in to the awful details of everything that happened. You might say the story wasn't believable, and that it got a lot less believable towards the end, but I wasn't reading it for believability.

I wish all the people who have been telling me over the years to read Louise Erdrich had mentioned how funny she is. But that's not even the best part about this book. The characters are all so lovable, the story is deep and moving, and just so much fun to read. I can't wait to go back and read all of her books I've missed over the year.

This is a 3.5 for me. The author's elitist asides really annoyed me, but it's an interesting story and fascinating to read about how towns are repairing themselves by helping addicts recover.

Well, this was a strange book. And a wonderful, funny book. And tragically sad. The writing was hard to follow at times–it jumped around from past to present (in the story) to present (in the writing) without much warning. The writing was dense, as well. But, all in all, I loved the book!

This was a fun read (and a fast one). I think maybe I understand Slack a little better now? But maybe not...

This book was very heavy (ha). She covers a lot of issues, both personal and structural. I don't know how I felt about the dictionary definition tactic–at first it seemed like the worst graduation speech, but after a while It felt genuine and sometimes insightful.

This seemed like two books–the humor pieces, and the story. The humor pieces got 5 stars or more from me, and the story maybe a little less, though it was still thoughtful, insightful, and meaningful. There are definitely parts of this book I'd like to read again and again.

Wow. This was a loaded gun of a book. I loved it. I loved the way she said all the things that you're maybe not supposed to say, and they were so true. I don't know if I'd always agree with Dara Horn, but I was very glad to read this book.

I love her slang and her wordplay, but it just took too many words for her to say everything she wanted to say, at least for the mood I was in this week. Sorry, Phoebe. You really are hilarious. I'll try you again later.

I'm a sucker for a retold fairy tale, and this one was just right. ;)

This is one of those situations where I wish Goodreads had a 10-star option. Miriam Toews is so smart, so funny, so wonderful. I hate when her books end.

I read this in one sitting–it was that engrossing. It's interesting how you think, at places, “this is ridiculous...” and then you think about what it's a metaphor for, and you realize it's as realistic as it gets. Fun read.

This was an almost overly detailed story of how the fire unfolded in Paradise. I enjoyed getting to know the people she profiled and it was frightening to put yourself in their place as you read. It's disgusting what PG&E got away with–and, I'm sure, is continuing to get away with.

Wow. This was a book. I got into the weirdest funk reading it–it was so consuming and depressing and engrossing and weird. I felt so bad for the author–I keep flipping back to the author bio thinking, “she is STILL married to this man?”

Wow. This book was so, so, so good. I thought I knew where it was headed in the beginning, but I was wrong and it was so much better than I was anticipating. Incredible. I hope everyone reads it.

This was interesting and heartening. It got a little too sappy at the end for me, but I'm way more of a cynic than she is. :)

This had so many mind-blowing concepts in it.

This common sense, smart, effective prescription for stopping mass shootings made me sad, because we're so far from being in a place where we can implement it. Still, this book was a fascinating and hopeful read.

This is a solid 3.5 for me. I enjoyed the book but didn't find it particularly deep or moving, I guess. It was a bit trite, but did take on some big issues. I will most likely read the sequels. :)

Liane Moriarty sure can tell a good story with lots of interesting twists and turns. This was a fun one.