Mollie

Meh. Average. I do not have anything deep to say. Just felt rushed and characters lacked dimension. But it wasn't bad. It's fine.

I don't really know how this book is so well rated. I'll start off by saying something positive though- it is a quick read and I did not find it boring in a large sense. The premise is interesting. I guess I was just expecting something different.

However, for a book full were many of the characters are writers, how are they all so dreadfully dull? The book inside of the book is very elementary and just lackluster. The bones of this story could have been interesting, but the execution just was not there for me. The dialogue was very robotic to me, and contrived. The characters (especially the present day ones) are very surface-y and have such little depth that it makes it hard to illicit any real emotional response to a book trying to be very emotional.

This is a really interesting take on grief, trauma and facing your past- in a way I would never expected or have ever read before. I really enjoy Nina LaCour's writing style- she just really makes you FEEL what the characters are feeling. I think going into this book not knowing what it's about is for the best. I'll be thinking about this one for awhile.

3.75. I thoroughly enjoyed this glimpse into the life of a NYT food crtitc. Reichl writes with purpose and feeling, and her thoughts on food are especially lyrical. At times I found myself a bit put off with her- but that is also the point of the book, I think.