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gabie_east's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This book had a good premise but a poor execution. The concept of her condition was interesting and could've had potential as a plot, but i felt there were too many plot holes with it! the love interest was a 30 year old child who i thought was completely insufferable and whiney and was not at all considerate of Daphne and her condition. i also thought it seemed out of character for Daphne to kiss him on their first interaction! the whole trauma cinema plot point felt SO unbeleivable and absurd to me! very frustrating.
the only things i did enjoy - reading about a character who works in a lab working with animals, this was an interesting perspective and i enjoyed reading how she managed her emotions when dealing with the dogs and in a work setting at all.
- in the last 30 pages she went through a journey of understanding her relationship with her condition, the reasons for this felt forced and i didnt agree with them, but the reflections she had were maybe the best part of the book.
overall, i did not enjoy this.
the only things i did enjoy - reading about a character who works in a lab working with animals, this was an interesting perspective and i enjoyed reading how she managed her emotions when dealing with the dogs and in a work setting at all.
- in the last 30 pages she went through a journey of understanding her relationship with her condition, the reasons for this felt forced and i didnt agree with them, but the reflections she had were maybe the best part of the book.
overall, i did not enjoy this.
kategci's review against another edition
3.0
I received an ARC from the publisher Liveright and its editor, Katie Adams. This well-written debut novel tells the story of Daphne who is physically overcome by her emotions due to a very real medical condition. She has learned to "manage" her life, living it mostly looking at it, rather than inhabiting it with all its messy feelings. She has moved from the Midwest to San Francisco and taken a job at a medical device company, managing their dog lab. Her apartment is equally sterile, a place of refuge where she keeps changing the furniture and taking pictures trying to get into her favorite interior design magazine. Then she meets Ollie and her life is upended. Will Boast takes you inside Daphne's head and body, feeling her stress and illness, providing insights into her decision making process which allows the reader to experience empathy for Daphne as well as others with debilitating illnesses.
heidiimmes's review against another edition
4.0
Make that 4.5 stars. I really liked it. A lovely surprise, given that I bought it only because the cover is beautiful!
NB: having been close friends with someone who suffers from narcolepsy and cataplexy made Daphne, her pessimism and her sangfroid feel very natural to me. Living with a hidden illness is torture: I enjoyed the author's exploration of how someone so afflicted navigates life and relationships.
NB: having been close friends with someone who suffers from narcolepsy and cataplexy made Daphne, her pessimism and her sangfroid feel very natural to me. Living with a hidden illness is torture: I enjoyed the author's exploration of how someone so afflicted navigates life and relationships.
annika_de's review against another edition
4.0
Might be inflating this rating because the cover is so pretty. It is shiny and floral and looks great on my bookshelf. I'm only human.
flowers_and_cows's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Maybe I'm just not that great woth mythology, but I didn't make any connections with this story and mythology. (Even after looking up the mythology of Daphne, I still don't see the connection) The book was boring, and the ending felt like a cop out for Daphne's relationships. It seemed like there was no character development and that I just read a really boring story.
caterpillernina's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
bentonnnn1's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
sde's review against another edition
4.0
Received an Advanced Readers Copy at an event for librarians.
First, I am embarrassed to admit, I don't know the story of Daphne and Apollo, so will not comment on the parallels. I will be checking the story out later, though1
Very engaging and inventive writing. Sometimes I didn't like the main characters - Daphne, Brook & Ollie - and sometimes I did. Which I think means that there was good character development and they were 3-dimensional, not flat.
I didn't care for the deification of California in the book, and I'm still not clear how Daphne was able to afford her condo in San Francisco, even in a neighborhood on the edge. Her job didn't seem like it would have a huge salary, and, if it did, I'm not clear on how she got the job.
But these are mere quibbles. The books feel of mostly real with a little sliver of the fantastic was compelling. And the thought of what it would be like to have your feelings slay you was also food for thought. The cameo appearances by Dr. Bell were amusing - I definitely know some scientists like him. And his rather unfeeling description of depression actually made some sense to me, and I might even keep it in mind when dealing with troubles, although I am fairly sure that is not what the author meant for the reader to do.
As a woman only slightly younger than Daphne's mother, I did like the story line about the mother getting her groove back after a couple of decades. There is hope yet
Will definitely look for more by this author. Think this is a good book for book groups. Not everyone will like it, but there is stuff to talk about, for sure.
First, I am embarrassed to admit, I don't know the story of Daphne and Apollo, so will not comment on the parallels. I will be checking the story out later, though1
Very engaging and inventive writing. Sometimes I didn't like the main characters - Daphne, Brook & Ollie - and sometimes I did. Which I think means that there was good character development and they were 3-dimensional, not flat.
I didn't care for the deification of California in the book, and I'm still not clear how Daphne was able to afford her condo in San Francisco, even in a neighborhood on the edge. Her job didn't seem like it would have a huge salary, and, if it did, I'm not clear on how she got the job.
But these are mere quibbles. The books feel of mostly real with a little sliver of the fantastic was compelling. And the thought of what it would be like to have your feelings slay you was also food for thought. The cameo appearances by Dr. Bell were amusing - I definitely know some scientists like him. And his rather unfeeling description of depression actually made some sense to me, and I might even keep it in mind when dealing with troubles, although I am fairly sure that is not what the author meant for the reader to do.
As a woman only slightly younger than Daphne's mother, I did like the story line about the mother getting her groove back after a couple of decades. There is hope yet
Will definitely look for more by this author. Think this is a good book for book groups. Not everyone will like it, but there is stuff to talk about, for sure.
lelex's review against another edition
4.0
After legitimately almost 7 months, I've finally finished this book. I've had it checked out since October.
I don't know what it was about it, but it took me so long to get through. It wasn't captivating enough at first. Daphne isn't an intensely likable character, but I liked her well enough anyway. I wanted it to be more, in some ways? It reminded me a little bit of My Year of Rest and Relaxation, but way better. I'm glad I finished it and glad that I liked it a lot more in the last half of the book. I was absolutely floored by the chapter about the movie theatre and the morgue. I'm so so glad she took Prince Hairy and that she may keep up with the group meetings.
"Third drawer: his work hoodie, his "dress" hoodie, his track/house pants, a shirt that read "Oscar Grant: The Movement for Justice."
"Here." He took another mint from his pocket. "Something to make you feel better. Or do you want some candy from our overlords at Eli Lilly?"
"When you insulate yourself against disaster, you're always waiting for it to arrive."
"I grabbed my phone from him, tossed it on the couch, took his hands in mine and wrestled with him, letting myself brush up against a little attack"
"It shook without shaking, clenched while going slack, cried out by falling silent."
"Daphne, don't take this personally."
"Do you worst."
"Cynicism is not going to save your life."
"He paced and beat his fists and told me how exhausting it was, how completely fucking exhausting, my gentle Ollie, finally losing it there in front of me"
"I watched as he hefted the last box out of the front entry to the building. He tripped on the front step and scattered his old records across the sidewalk. Then he knelt there, a full two minutes. Even from four stories up, I could see his shoulders shaking."
"Alden broke into his big wheeze. I slumped forward. The seat belt held me up. Oh, God, the dad jokes and everything."
"But no one stayed in San Francisco. It was a place you were meant to leave and miss for the rest of your life."
"We give you the doubt benefit. Always doubt benefit. Not easy to be the boss." It took a moment to untangle the idiom, and then I liked it too much to correct her."
"No one knew what to say. We were going to have our own little memorial for Sherman - the only reason, I told myself, I'd come today. But, finally, I couldn't take the silence. "Okay, then," I said, "where should we start?"
I don't know what it was about it, but it took me so long to get through. It wasn't captivating enough at first. Daphne isn't an intensely likable character, but I liked her well enough anyway. I wanted it to be more, in some ways? It reminded me a little bit of My Year of Rest and Relaxation, but way better. I'm glad I finished it and glad that I liked it a lot more in the last half of the book. I was absolutely floored by the chapter about the movie theatre and the morgue. I'm so so glad she took Prince Hairy and that she may keep up with the group meetings.
"Third drawer: his work hoodie, his "dress" hoodie, his track/house pants, a shirt that read "Oscar Grant: The Movement for Justice."
"Here." He took another mint from his pocket. "Something to make you feel better. Or do you want some candy from our overlords at Eli Lilly?"
"When you insulate yourself against disaster, you're always waiting for it to arrive."
"I grabbed my phone from him, tossed it on the couch, took his hands in mine and wrestled with him, letting myself brush up against a little attack"
"It shook without shaking, clenched while going slack, cried out by falling silent."
"Daphne, don't take this personally."
"Do you worst."
"Cynicism is not going to save your life."
"He paced and beat his fists and told me how exhausting it was, how completely fucking exhausting, my gentle Ollie, finally losing it there in front of me"
"I watched as he hefted the last box out of the front entry to the building. He tripped on the front step and scattered his old records across the sidewalk. Then he knelt there, a full two minutes. Even from four stories up, I could see his shoulders shaking."
"Alden broke into his big wheeze. I slumped forward. The seat belt held me up. Oh, God, the dad jokes and everything."
"But no one stayed in San Francisco. It was a place you were meant to leave and miss for the rest of your life."
"We give you the doubt benefit. Always doubt benefit. Not easy to be the boss." It took a moment to untangle the idiom, and then I liked it too much to correct her."
"No one knew what to say. We were going to have our own little memorial for Sherman - the only reason, I told myself, I'd come today. But, finally, I couldn't take the silence. "Okay, then," I said, "where should we start?"
noroomforghosts's review against another edition
Just kinda boring, didn't really jive with Daphne as a character.