Reviews with content warning for Infidelity - Green Dot

Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

Green Dot by Madeleine Gray

21 reviews

mmccombs's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

4.0

I loved the distinct, irreverent voice of this book, it was casual and introspective and silly and vulnerable, kind of like reading a diary. I love reading books that feel like watching train wrecks, I could see the ending coming from a mile away but still felt satisfied when we got there. I do think this could have been shorter, it was pretty repetitive (we get it! Things are messy!). I also couldn’t help but feel so distracted by the Covid content, I know the pandemic experience in Australia was different than it was in the U.S., but doing an affair during a pandemic

whilst your partner is pregnant and therefore more vulnerable!!

just feels extra disrespectful, and the overall tone about it was so blasé on the verge of feeling gross to me.
On the whole I really enjoyed this in a #relatable way, a great depiction of late-stage capitalist malaise and the extent to which we will go just to feel something at all.

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mybestfriendisabook's review

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dark funny tense medium-paced

4.25

wowie what a ride. it started lagging in the middle bc of the understood back and forth and repetition but the timeline and events is very representative of the relationship. it legit started to feel dark and tense towards the end, i started feeling nervous and couldn’t put it down.

infidelity, obsession, holding on for the hope of it all, coming of age. felt like a satirical take on hooking up with a married man. felt frustrated for Hera multiple times like girllll

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annaavian's review

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sad 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

A predictable affair with a predictable ending.
I don't have a problem with morally grey or flat out unlikable characters and their shitty behaviors as long as there is at least some meaningful point at the end. I failed to find one here.

What sounded like an intriguing narrative quickly revealed itself to be quite frustrating, centered around an unlikable protagonist whose actions lack purpose and depth. The novel begins with promising prose, infused with snarky slang and hot-headed attitude. However, this charm wears thin as the narrative progresses, becoming tiresome rather than engaging. Time passes ambiguously, emotions develop without explanation or depth, and the plot just stumbles along without clear direction.

What starts as a potentially compelling exploration of complex relationships descends into a hollow depiction of selfishness and indifference. The absence of any interior life or introspection from the protagonist results in a sense of detachment and I was soon questioning the purpose of the story as a whole. In the end "Green Dot" failed to deliver a meaningful point behind its characters' actions for me, leaving a sense of unfulfilled potential.

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bookishnanna's review against another edition

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emotional funny medium-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

5.0

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tfarfan's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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bibliomich's review

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emotional funny medium-paced

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

5.0

The very first thought I had after finishing Green Dot was: "That book really messed me up."

And yes, Green Dot really messed me up, but in that very specific way in which I am okay being "messed up" by a book...

In this book, we follow Hera, a twenty-something woman who is just trying to get through life without succumbing to the existential dread of being in your early 20s, when she enters into a relationship with an older, married coworker. This isn't a spoiler. This fact, that Hera's story is about her illicit relationship, is established from the get-go. She is telling her story from the future, post-relationship. And this is important. This is what *makes* the story, because she has the perspective of knowing exactly where her story is heading. She frequently pauses to speak to the reader, to say, "Yes, I know that this was wrong. I know that this was stupid. But bear with me as I try to explain..."

I could not stand Hera's choices. They infuriated me. But...I LOVED Hera. I loved her fiercely, like a little sister I wanted to save from herself. I loved her like I would love a younger me. Because even though I can't imagine a younger me making her specific choices, I know that younger me absolutely made stupid choices in the name of love. I could relate to her heartache, to her longing for stability, to her loving someone who was not the right person for her.

I absolutely recommend this book. Not because it is a story about cheating, but because it is a story about young adulthood, a story about family and friendships and work angst and love and heartbreak and growing up. And it's beautiful.

Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced reader copy.

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