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mommaslonglegs's review against another edition
2.0
Respectfully this was bad. When you look up pretentious in the dictionary this book spits on you for using something as pedestrian as a dictionary. The concept was unique but the most interesting plotline is like the f plot (f for f*ck you for being curious about anything other than existential angst). 2/10 not a vibe
alissamk's review against another edition
4.0
Oh man I honestly almost gave up on this book. I put it down for a couple of months after reading halfway through but I'm glad I picked it up again. I really wasn't feeling the first half because I found Lotto to be completely insufferable and I didn't think I could stand to read about him for a whole 390 pages. But in the second half we learned the rest of the story from Mathilde's point of view and that was when the story of their marriage fascinated me until the very end. I was all set to put this book down and declare that I hated it but it ended up being a journey for me. This was a really interesting take on what it means to love and to be loved.
hongjoongie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
It occurred to her then that life was conical in shape, the past broadening beyond the sharp point of the lived moment. The more life you had, the more the base expanded, so that the wounds and treasons that were nearly imperceptible when they happened stretched like tiny dots on a balloon slowly blown up. A speck on the slender child grows into a gross deformity in the adult, inescapable, ragged at the edges.
Begs to be reread.
morgpurv's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
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
4.5
matt74915's review against another edition
4.0
At first, the whole "Guinevere/Lancelot/Gawain" and Greek chorus things were a little off-putting [trite, tired or precious]. But I'm glad I stuck with it, as a complex tales of perspectives followed. Definitely a good and worthwhile read.
suzecluez's review against another edition
2.0
I just couldn't get behind this book. Maybe it's even worse as an audiobook, though I could acknowledge that Groff has beautiful writing even while listening. This was a book I probably should have quit, but with many friends having enjoyed this when it first came out, I stuck with with it.
I agree with other reviews that the writing doesn't make up for the plot, confusing structure, unlikable characters, and overall everything about the story bummed me out. Lotto is unbearable throughout most of the book and his half seriously drags. Once we finally get to Mathilde I was further disappointed and disturbed.
2 stars for beautiful writing (though sometimes heavy handed), fleshed out characters (even though I didn't like them), and one plot twist I didn't see coming.
I agree with other reviews that the writing doesn't make up for the plot, confusing structure, unlikable characters, and overall everything about the story bummed me out. Lotto is unbearable throughout most of the book and his half seriously drags. Once we finally get to Mathilde I was further disappointed and disturbed.
2 stars for beautiful writing (though sometimes heavy handed), fleshed out characters (even though I didn't like them), and one plot twist I didn't see coming.
lauraborkpower's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted to like this book. I heard Richard Russo talking about Groff's book on NPR, and specifically about her chutzpah in writing this story. And I like Russo's writing and trust his judgment, but his middle-aged-male-writer's patronizing of Groff really pissed me off. I wanted to read this book because she is a young woman--a "girl" to Russo--and I wanted to see if she deserved her seat at the table, regardless of her age or gender.
And I don't know it she does.
Groff's style is just so...precious. Every sentence is laden with metaphor--like she tried to jam in every single figurative detail she possibly could. And while there are some poignant bits throughout, it's just so much to wade through.
And I didn't like Lotto at all, nor did I sympathize with why Mathilde loved him so much. He was just kind of a tall, privileged asshole who stole other people's stories. And, oh, god, the summaries of Lotto's plays. The plays themselves were so pretentious; and it's not at all interesting to read someone's explanation of a work of "genius."
Thankfully, Lotto's story is over halfway through, and Mathilde's story is more interesting. But it still wasn't enough to pull me into it--because Groff's writing style doesn't let up, not for one second. A quarter through the book, Mathilde comments on something (I can't remember what), that "on and on it went, forever." And I frequently felt that way about Groff's writing.
I might have liked this more had I read a hard copy instead of listening to the audiobook, because I disliked both narrators ('Fates' was read by Will Damron and 'Furies' was read by Julia Whelan--both narrators read this like they were reading the secrets of the universe). But the long and short is that it's an overwrought story about characters whose real personas are clouded by strings and strings of metaphors. You will be exhausted.
And I don't know it she does.
Groff's style is just so...precious. Every sentence is laden with metaphor--like she tried to jam in every single figurative detail she possibly could. And while there are some poignant bits throughout, it's just so much to wade through.
And I didn't like Lotto at all, nor did I sympathize with why Mathilde loved him so much. He was just kind of a tall, privileged asshole who stole other people's stories. And, oh, god, the summaries of Lotto's plays. The plays themselves were so pretentious; and it's not at all interesting to read someone's explanation of a work of "genius."
Thankfully, Lotto's story is over halfway through, and Mathilde's story is more interesting. But it still wasn't enough to pull me into it--because Groff's writing style doesn't let up, not for one second. A quarter through the book, Mathilde comments on something (I can't remember what), that "on and on it went, forever." And I frequently felt that way about Groff's writing.
I might have liked this more had I read a hard copy instead of listening to the audiobook, because I disliked both narrators ('Fates' was read by Will Damron and 'Furies' was read by Julia Whelan--both narrators read this like they were reading the secrets of the universe). But the long and short is that it's an overwrought story about characters whose real personas are clouded by strings and strings of metaphors. You will be exhausted.
jamiecakes0522's review against another edition
1.0
Someone needs to tell this author that every single sentence does not need to be flowery. An editor maybe???? And, not to mention, how many sentence fragments can one book have??? You can't disguise this as poetic. It was terrible.
If I had to read one more word comma word comma word disguised as a sentence... 🤦
It was not profound. It was not deep. It was a so so story about two people who thought way too highly of themselves and a wife who kept secrets.
And honestly it was weird. And indulgent. And the wordy wordy poetry deep bullshit with the pedestrian plot was like putting lipstick on a pig. But like gaudy lipstick.
One of the worst books I've ever read.
I've never read anything so pretentious.
If I had to read one more word comma word comma word disguised as a sentence... 🤦
It was not profound. It was not deep. It was a so so story about two people who thought way too highly of themselves and a wife who kept secrets.
And honestly it was weird. And indulgent. And the wordy wordy poetry deep bullshit with the pedestrian plot was like putting lipstick on a pig. But like gaudy lipstick.
One of the worst books I've ever read.
I've never read anything so pretentious.