Scan barcode
madelaide's review against another edition
2.0
This was one of the most disappointing books I have ever read. For lack of a better word, it was a mess. The premise of the book is interesting, but it felt carelessly written, and numerous plot holes at times ruined my ability to even comprehend what was happening. I reread several paragraphs, and in many cases came to the conclusion that it simply didn't make any sense. August lacked depth, but her characterization was stellar in comparison to Jane's, who didn't even feel like a real person. I didn't appreciate the way she was portrayed to be some sort of representation for the gay rights movements of the seventies. She's a person with a life and a story, not some spokesperson for the LGBT community who has come to whisk August away and educate her about her own community while simultaneously falling in love with her. The mention of Stonewall felt inauthentic, forced, and completely unnecessary. Especially with the roommate group, it honestly felt like McQuiston was throwing in any sort of marginalized identity/struggle for equality that she could come up with in order to get diversity points. I understand she intended to include the found family trope, but it felt forced in more ways than one. The sex scenes on the public subway were borderline sexual misconduct, and the 'kissing practice' trope was painful to read at best. Overall, this book was corny. It was CLEARLY written for an online audience, specifically for BookTok, and it showed. The author's portrayal of lesbian characters was cringeworthy, the plot, as mentioned earlier, was unfinished and not thought through, and the story dragged on for all 400+ pages. The main couple lacked any chemistry whatsoever, to the point where I found myself rooting for a background couple mentioned only in passing over the main characters. I simply did not care how this book ended. It felt empty, forced, and performative. A huge letdown.
mcc004's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
hi_its_juliette's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
madkatrob's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
noemivee's review against another edition
4.0
Still debating on somewhere between a 3.5 and 4. The drop in rating is because some chapters were unnecessarily long.
mar_w's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
maripasqueto's review against another edition
3.0
começando o ano nas metas de voltar a usar essa rede + ler meus livros abandonados na prateleira ao invés de comprar novos. recebi esse na tag em 2021 e nunca tive interesse, e realmente achei fraco, mas é fofinho. uma comédia romântica clichê dos anos 2000 em forma de livro
kelseycorrine's review against another edition
4.0
my favorite kind of romance books are the ones with a lovable motley crew of side characters. this friend group delivered. such a sweet read that left me smiling. i love the way this author writes about love
moon_water07's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5