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taylorjones118's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-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
3.0
acrickettofillthesilence's review against another edition
1.0
The more I think about this book, the angrier I get. Its halfhearted attempt at describing post-Me Too feminism is bizarre. There are no real female characters in the book. Just love interests for the Big Important Men. Yet peppered throughout the book are microinteractions that the narrator notes but just...lets happen? What is the point? Why even include them? Ugh.
erinsabourin's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this one, it had a different writing style than I’m used to. It was a well written book and engaging.
But I got a little bored with all the art curation talk. I get it, it was a main focus of the story, but it was a little boring and mundane.
The twist at the end wasn’t really twisty for me? I wanted a little more. But overall this was a good short read that kept me interested.
But I got a little bored with all the art curation talk. I get it, it was a main focus of the story, but it was a little boring and mundane.
The twist at the end wasn’t really twisty for me? I wanted a little more. But overall this was a good short read that kept me interested.
bibi003's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars. While this novel was a somewhat-interesting character study, it fell a bit flat for me. It was like a story removed from itself. The main character relates his story to the narrator in an airport bar, and we are now receiving the story at a later date, the narrator having written and retold it, after mentioning several time that he suspects the protagonist wants him to write it down, but he's not going to. I understand why Wilson used this device, but it felt sort of forced and unnatural. And the character of the narrator was so passive about everything. I found him to be really flat and one-dimensional.
The story itself was engaging enough, but the main character was so self-absorbed and unlikable it was difficult to drum up any empathy for him. And then the ending - while it surprised me(but also didn't surprise me because it's obvious this man is off-kilter), the whole thing felt very abrupt and anti-climactic. Like some shock value tossed in at the end to make reading this book worth your time. I'm not 100% sure it was worth my time, but the audiobook was only 5 hrs long and I listened to most of it at 1.5x speed. So we're calling it a quick rung on the ladder to reaching my 2023 reading goal and not much more.
The story itself was engaging enough, but the main character was so self-absorbed and unlikable it was difficult to drum up any empathy for him. And then the ending - while it surprised me(but also didn't surprise me because it's obvious this man is off-kilter), the whole thing felt very abrupt and anti-climactic. Like some shock value tossed in at the end to make reading this book worth your time. I'm not 100% sure it was worth my time, but the audiobook was only 5 hrs long and I listened to most of it at 1.5x speed. So we're calling it a quick rung on the ladder to reaching my 2023 reading goal and not much more.
justinevandale's review against another edition
challenging
medium-paced
4.0
** spoiler alert ** Mouth to Mouth was the Calgareads Bookclub choice for May, and I’ll just stay I didn’t mind it one bit. Usually this isn’t my typical read but I cruised through it. We start off with our main character meeting an old high school acquaintance (who I personally feel he was a bit obsessed with lol, or maybe idolized him because he was cool) in an airport and they start chatting. Our second main character comes in and dominates the conversation making our initial character just listen to he’s story from 20 years ago and it was a wild ride. Then we get to the ending and pretty much learn that our second main character could have been lying this whole time or told his version of the truth what he wanted us to believe and we are left on a “what do you think actually happened?” Kind of ending. It makes you think that’s for sure. I think some of the bookclub had different ideas of what that ending meant but most did enjoy it.
I might pick up other books by this author if I have time. I’d recommend this read to others if they enjoy an unreliable narrator.
I might pick up other books by this author if I have time. I’d recommend this read to others if they enjoy an unreliable narrator.
justinkhchen's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars
Handsomely assembled, Mouth to Mouth is an elegant slow-burn mystery/character study in the style of The Talented Mr. Ripley. At less than 200 pages, it remains consistently captivating without feeling rushed or oversimplified (makes one wonder why certain novels need 400+ pages to tell a story); its confessional-like framework (a chance encounter between two casual acquaintances at an airport) also adds an air of intimacy and uncertainty, with the final sentence leaving readers re-evaluate what they've learned prior.
Mouth to Mouth is nothing revolutionary or shockingly unique, but I fully enjoy its subject matters (particularly regarding the art market) and the quiet sophistication.
Handsomely assembled, Mouth to Mouth is an elegant slow-burn mystery/character study in the style of The Talented Mr. Ripley. At less than 200 pages, it remains consistently captivating without feeling rushed or oversimplified (makes one wonder why certain novels need 400+ pages to tell a story); its confessional-like framework (a chance encounter between two casual acquaintances at an airport) also adds an air of intimacy and uncertainty, with the final sentence leaving readers re-evaluate what they've learned prior.
Mouth to Mouth is nothing revolutionary or shockingly unique, but I fully enjoy its subject matters (particularly regarding the art market) and the quiet sophistication.
anakelly21's review against another edition
3.0
a nice short read with quick chapters. the author decided to write this novel after he himself saved someone from walking in front of a train in the late 90s, and it does explore the nuance behind debt and what people owe each other. three stars because the prose wasn’t particularly eye-catching and the ending was a tad lacking. but i appreciate the caricature of LA art culture lmao
callahanb's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
stephltorres's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0