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fbroom's review against another edition
5.0
I enjoyed this one a lot. Laura is from a rich New York City family. Her family lives in the Upper East Side. Her dad helps her purchase an apartment. She has a job where her family is part of the board or something like that. They can’t fire her. She sets her own hours and has an 8 week paid vacation every summer. She is privileged. It’s tough to understand Laura. Does she want to change really? Why doesn’t she change anything? Why is she imposing all these boundaries? Why can’t she try harder? It feels like every day just goes by and she is still exactly the same. Day after day and year after year.
She has a one night stand that was actually sad because it was a con artist who she thought was her brother’s friend. She becomes pregnant and decides to keep the child. She raises her daughter Emma to be different, more spirited. She even tries to enroll her in this “alternative school” rather than the traditional one but she gets rejected. Laura “tries” to be different. She tries dating but fails there as well. It actually goes really bad and there was a brief mention of a teacher who sexually harassed her when she was younger.
She tries to care about things like global warming. But again, something about all of this doesn’t seem right. She comes from so much privilege. She has a wedding planner job where the library/venue actually loses money every summer because Laura is just off during that time. It’s like the classic rich person who has ideas about helping or helps but as long as it doesn’t affect them personally. If they’re gaining advantage then it’s totally fine. I’ll care and fight for global warming but I’ll also happily take a private jet to places etc.
The books is split in into chapters for each year and examines Laura’s life, her relationship with Emma, and her relationships with other characters in the book like Laura’s mom Bibs!, Laura’s best friend Margaret, her dad, her brother Nicholas and more. It starts in 1981 when Emma is born and ends in the mid nineties. The book touches briefly on things like the AIDS epidemic, postpartum depression and other timely topics. It’s all subtle though and sometimes heartbreaking even though Laura always seemed just indifferent to everything.
She has a one night stand that was actually sad because it was a con artist who she thought was her brother’s friend. She becomes pregnant and decides to keep the child. She raises her daughter Emma to be different, more spirited. She even tries to enroll her in this “alternative school” rather than the traditional one but she gets rejected. Laura “tries” to be different. She tries dating but fails there as well. It actually goes really bad and there was a brief mention of a teacher who sexually harassed her when she was younger.
She tries to care about things like global warming. But again, something about all of this doesn’t seem right. She comes from so much privilege. She has a wedding planner job where the library/venue actually loses money every summer because Laura is just off during that time. It’s like the classic rich person who has ideas about helping or helps but as long as it doesn’t affect them personally. If they’re gaining advantage then it’s totally fine. I’ll care and fight for global warming but I’ll also happily take a private jet to places etc.
The books is split in into chapters for each year and examines Laura’s life, her relationship with Emma, and her relationships with other characters in the book like Laura’s mom Bibs!, Laura’s best friend Margaret, her dad, her brother Nicholas and more. It starts in 1981 when Emma is born and ends in the mid nineties. The book touches briefly on things like the AIDS epidemic, postpartum depression and other timely topics. It’s all subtle though and sometimes heartbreaking even though Laura always seemed just indifferent to everything.
katykelly's review against another edition
4.0
Noir classic, with genre archetypes and a great feel for the period
It's not a genre I read a lot of, but I saw this on the 'crime' display at the library and knew the title from the film. Time to try it!
A beautiful young woman has been shot in her apartment. The detective assigned to the case digs deeply to find out what happened. Why was she killed? Who would have murdered someone who seemed to be a rather lovely person?
Though I don't often read noir/crime classics, it did feel very much like it ticked the boxes you'd expect - mysterious woman, hard-boiled detective, mysterious murder to be solved, clues that lead to more questions.
Laura, the woman at the heart of it all, is a character without speaking - her past scenes, her friends talking about her. Waldo, the friend and mentor is almost the main character though - a writer with ego who seems to take over the story at times. He reminded me of Noel Coward, who he name-checked in fact.
I really enjoyed the story, with a great twist, though the final solution was incredibly long-drawn-out and melodramatic. It's pretty short, entertaining, in the Sam Spade vein though the detective isn't on a par with him.
Just after I read this, Laura appeared on TV, so I'm now looking forward to seeing the adaptation.
It's not a genre I read a lot of, but I saw this on the 'crime' display at the library and knew the title from the film. Time to try it!
A beautiful young woman has been shot in her apartment. The detective assigned to the case digs deeply to find out what happened. Why was she killed? Who would have murdered someone who seemed to be a rather lovely person?
Though I don't often read noir/crime classics, it did feel very much like it ticked the boxes you'd expect - mysterious woman, hard-boiled detective, mysterious murder to be solved, clues that lead to more questions.
Laura, the woman at the heart of it all, is a character without speaking - her past scenes, her friends talking about her. Waldo, the friend and mentor is almost the main character though - a writer with ego who seems to take over the story at times. He reminded me of Noel Coward, who he name-checked in fact.
I really enjoyed the story, with a great twist, though the final solution was incredibly long-drawn-out and melodramatic. It's pretty short, entertaining, in the Sam Spade vein though the detective isn't on a par with him.
Just after I read this, Laura appeared on TV, so I'm now looking forward to seeing the adaptation.
pam2375's review against another edition
4.0
This was a funny and enjoyable story about a single mother and her daughter. It had a lot of tender moments and was well written.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC.
kristiinaness's review against another edition
3.0
I loved until the last 2 pages. The end was confusing and sad.
mbkarapcik's review against another edition
3.0
Not sure how I felt about this book. The writing is very good and reminds me of Curtis Sittenfeld in its exposition and phrasing. Even the way the characters engage with each other and handle situations that arise in their lives. However, I will agree with other readers who say that there is not much plot or anything that greatly alters them. It really is an examination of the relationship between Laura and Emma and vignettes about the progression of their lives together and apart. The characters tend to be annoyingly privileged, and I don't know if I liked them or not. I didn't despise them but couldn't completely relate to them, either. I found Laura very naive from the incident of her becoming pregnant with Emma to the years past that time regarding pretty much anything that she delves into. Emma seems remotely petulant, and I am not sure some of the changes she makes in her life really seem like her. They're almost too mature for her age - - at least 5 years older than she actually is. The ending is odd and seems unfinished. All this being said, I really liked the writing and this writer's potential. I definitely will check out her next novel because I think she has something here that will manifest itself in a future novel.
sophiebooh's review against another edition
3.0
C’est un beau livre sur les liens forts des relations familiales. Laura est attachante et pleine de contradictions, et à une relation dynamique avec sa fille Emma. On aime les personnages, mais j’ai trouvé ça un peu lent!
novelvisits's review against another edition
4.0
{My Thoughts}
What Worked For Me
Laura – Despite its title Laura & Emma is really Laura’s story and of that I’m very glad. Her quirky personality reminded me very much of Eleanor in Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, and like Eleanor, she could be a hoot. Laura was not your typical wealthy New Yorker. She cared little for the luxuries that money could buy and tended to wear the same “uniform” outfit most days. Laura certainly cared little what others thought (including her family), and tended to be a loner. She had no desire for a marriage, a partner, or even for sex. Laura marched to her own drummer, but willingly suffered long boring summer vacations because she knew they were good for her daughter, Emma. Even the way Emma was conceived spoke to just how weird Laura could be, but her love for Emma drove this story.
I Want To Be Rich! – Laura lived her own life and made her own decisions, but her parents’ money was never far away. Thanks to trusts and parental help, Laura’s life was made pretty easy. Sure, she had to buy a large penthouse apartment on the edge of a not so great part of the city, but it was hers. When Laura couldn’t quite find the right nanny for Emma, her work hours (at a family firm) were quickly adjusted, but conveniently, her pay remained the same. Summers off? No problem. Tuition to private schools? Enter her father. Money was part of who Laura was and I liked that Greathead didn’t shy away from it. She gave Laura plenty of advantages, which were just a part of who she was.
Mothers & Daughters – Laura finds herself in the center of two great mother-daughter relationships. Her own east side mother, Bibs, was a kick, often frustrating Laura. Yet, Laura loved her deeply. Bibs was none too happy when Laura turned up pregnant, but in her own way was a great support and a loving grandmother. Emma, for Laura, was what many daughters are: payback. She was a pistol with strong opinions from a young age and she wasn’t afraid to share them. She brought meaning and messiness to Laura’s tidy life.
“The little space between her nose and upper lip dimpled in anticipatory excitement; she fixed her eyes on Laura’s and followed them like liquid magnets. Laura’s love felt like a bird in her chest, beating its wings against her rib cage.”
What Didn’t
An Abrupt Ending – Late in Laura & Emma there was a shift to a more mature relationship between the two characters. While this was not unexpected, it somehow felt forced, almost random. This part of the book just didn’t work as well as the rest largely because it felt so abrupt. The story was rolling along nicely and then it was over.
{The Final Assessment}
I consider Laura & Emma a very successful debut effort by Kate Greathead. Both her writing and character development were strong, plus her book had a lot of humor that kept it light. I’d have liked to see a little more resolution to the story’s ending, but I was happy to be reading and completely engaged throughout. I especially liked the way Greathead told Laura’s story in chapters moving through the years from 1980-1995. That’s a fun era and a quirky, moneyed heroine in NYC made it even more fun. Grade: B
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
What Worked For Me
Laura – Despite its title Laura & Emma is really Laura’s story and of that I’m very glad. Her quirky personality reminded me very much of Eleanor in Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, and like Eleanor, she could be a hoot. Laura was not your typical wealthy New Yorker. She cared little for the luxuries that money could buy and tended to wear the same “uniform” outfit most days. Laura certainly cared little what others thought (including her family), and tended to be a loner. She had no desire for a marriage, a partner, or even for sex. Laura marched to her own drummer, but willingly suffered long boring summer vacations because she knew they were good for her daughter, Emma. Even the way Emma was conceived spoke to just how weird Laura could be, but her love for Emma drove this story.
I Want To Be Rich! – Laura lived her own life and made her own decisions, but her parents’ money was never far away. Thanks to trusts and parental help, Laura’s life was made pretty easy. Sure, she had to buy a large penthouse apartment on the edge of a not so great part of the city, but it was hers. When Laura couldn’t quite find the right nanny for Emma, her work hours (at a family firm) were quickly adjusted, but conveniently, her pay remained the same. Summers off? No problem. Tuition to private schools? Enter her father. Money was part of who Laura was and I liked that Greathead didn’t shy away from it. She gave Laura plenty of advantages, which were just a part of who she was.
Mothers & Daughters – Laura finds herself in the center of two great mother-daughter relationships. Her own east side mother, Bibs, was a kick, often frustrating Laura. Yet, Laura loved her deeply. Bibs was none too happy when Laura turned up pregnant, but in her own way was a great support and a loving grandmother. Emma, for Laura, was what many daughters are: payback. She was a pistol with strong opinions from a young age and she wasn’t afraid to share them. She brought meaning and messiness to Laura’s tidy life.
“The little space between her nose and upper lip dimpled in anticipatory excitement; she fixed her eyes on Laura’s and followed them like liquid magnets. Laura’s love felt like a bird in her chest, beating its wings against her rib cage.”
What Didn’t
An Abrupt Ending – Late in Laura & Emma there was a shift to a more mature relationship between the two characters. While this was not unexpected, it somehow felt forced, almost random. This part of the book just didn’t work as well as the rest largely because it felt so abrupt. The story was rolling along nicely and then it was over.
{The Final Assessment}
I consider Laura & Emma a very successful debut effort by Kate Greathead. Both her writing and character development were strong, plus her book had a lot of humor that kept it light. I’d have liked to see a little more resolution to the story’s ending, but I was happy to be reading and completely engaged throughout. I especially liked the way Greathead told Laura’s story in chapters moving through the years from 1980-1995. That’s a fun era and a quirky, moneyed heroine in NYC made it even more fun. Grade: B
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
longstorieshort's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
fialia's review against another edition
3.0
Los personajes me han gustado mucho y su relación entre ellos.
Lo unico es que esperaba ver un poco mas de la relación entre Laura y Emma cuando esta comienza a hacerse mas mayor.
Y creo que justo esa parte es mi favorita.
Lo unico es que esperaba ver un poco mas de la relación entre Laura y Emma cuando esta comienza a hacerse mas mayor.
Y creo que justo esa parte es mi favorita.
cami19's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0