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skeltonse's review
4.25
This one is strange - I still can’t decide if it’s succeeded or failed and I think that’s probably the point. It has pacing issues, kind of a trite message, and characterizations aren’t always consistent. It’s a bit untidy: vulnerable and schematic be daring in its conclusion…which is itself a very well crafted demonstration of its premise.
amandabw425's review
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
sandeestarlite's review
3.0
I really like the premise of the book and like the strong female character and the interest she has in her career. There are some *really* good lines in here that kept me going even as the dialogue & plot got weaker.
shannon0116's review
3.0
Perfectly fine beach book. Not for book snobs, but fine for us addicts that will read anything. I enjoyed it.
justcatherine's review
4.0
Overall, I would rate the book as predictable chick-lit. The characters are maybe different than standard fare- she's an American lit professor at a New York university, not-yet-tenured, and clashing increasingly with a colleague in the department- but meeting The Guy is inevitable.
What I liked most about this book was the feminist-intellectual perspective on something as commonplace as love. She's her own person, she doesn't need a man, she has important career considerations to think about. But when the right man comes along? Priorities shift, her perspective changes, and she's forced to reexamine her conclusions about relationships and the attainability of happiness.
What I liked most about this book was the feminist-intellectual perspective on something as commonplace as love. She's her own person, she doesn't need a man, she has important career considerations to think about. But when the right man comes along? Priorities shift, her perspective changes, and she's forced to reexamine her conclusions about relationships and the attainability of happiness.
kestrop's review
5.0
About six pages in, I realized I needed to keep a pen handy while reading this book. By the time I was through, I had more favorite lines circled than some of the books I read for undergrad. Fueled by her career, satiated on books, and supported by trusted friends, Tracy Farber had turned her back on the prospect of love. Haunted by the topic of happiness and Tolstoy's assertion that 'Happy families are all alike every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way,' Tracy embarks on a personal and professional journey to discover if this is, indeed, the case: in literature and in life. An insightful and entertaining journey into the world of love, academia and, of course, happiness, Tolstoy Lied is recommended for skeptics of love, academics and academics at heart, and anyone who appreciates the sort of thoughtful narrative that gives necessity to a book-side pen.
samirakatherine's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. At the same time, I worried about its message, because it seemed very much like a worst case picture of my world.
lisadee's review against another edition
4.0
If you enjoy a book about books for which a quote like this is the least bit appealing then this book might be for you.
"I love the escape. Academics aren't supposed to say that, but it's true. I love to dive into somebody else's vision, nightmare, utopia, whatever. I love how books put a dent in our egos..."
True, this books is chic lit which will put some people off from the start, but if given a chance it captivates with countless ideas that keep making me stop reading to think philosophically deep thoughts. Sounds corny, but ask yourself how life is like a crowd of people doing the wave.
The story in its simplest explanation is the persuit of happiness. Happiness being what everyone wants, but which typically isn't a recurring theme in literature. In the real world bad things happen, but don't define who they are. The main character is a independent woman who believes that happily ever after doesn't necessarily need to end in "I do".
I was a little unimpressed with the way the author threw around all the big words. I know even college English professors don't talk that way, and it ended up making the story seem pretentious.In the end it was an enjoyable read.
"I love the escape. Academics aren't supposed to say that, but it's true. I love to dive into somebody else's vision, nightmare, utopia, whatever. I love how books put a dent in our egos..."
True, this books is chic lit which will put some people off from the start, but if given a chance it captivates with countless ideas that keep making me stop reading to think philosophically deep thoughts. Sounds corny, but ask yourself how life is like a crowd of people doing the wave.
The story in its simplest explanation is the persuit of happiness. Happiness being what everyone wants, but which typically isn't a recurring theme in literature. In the real world bad things happen, but don't define who they are. The main character is a independent woman who believes that happily ever after doesn't necessarily need to end in "I do".
I was a little unimpressed with the way the author threw around all the big words. I know even college English professors don't talk that way, and it ended up making the story seem pretentious.In the end it was an enjoyable read.
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