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hannet's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Also I lost one of two bookmarks with which I marked pages I liked. Tragic. Why is there a dog on the cover?
miisaasofia's review against another edition
I knot that this is satirical and all… but still way too millenial for me…
themagicalworldofnian's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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
3.0
Adults by Emma Jane Unsworth - review
3⭐️
What can I say… this is hilarious and soo satirical, so you really need to be able to see through that.
Emma really depicts the problem with social media nowadays soo well in such a humorous, satirical and realistic way. In the contemporary day and age we are soo addicted to our phones and social media. For most it is the first thing we check and the last thing we see before going to bed. I am also definitely guilty 🫣.
It also shows how fake social media can be and how anxious and fake it makes us. We all want the perfect picture and the perfect captions. We want others to like us, especially those we look up to.
Adults by Emma Jane Unsworth is about Jenny McLaine, an adult. Supposedly. She is thirty five years old owns her own house, writes for foof a very cool magazine and has hilarious friends. On the outside she should have the perfect life. However, she is addicted to social media, and obsessed with this one girl Suzy Brambles whom she follows. Furthermore, since her super sexy and famous photographer boyfriend Art broke up with her she hasn’t been able to afford her mortgage anymore. Her bestie Kelly is trying to break up with her. And she is soo anxious about everything and trying to keep her life together. And than her mom shows up at her doorstep to save the day.
I loved the changes in format. I kind of felt like I was reading Jenny’s diary or literally in her head at times. The little drafted emails and text messages in between were such a joy to read. And loved to also be able to read some background information, about her relationship with Art, tho I found this a bit confusion at times. You just kind of fell into the flashbacks and it wasn’t announced.
The only real flaw I think is that the book tries to be very funny all the time and sometimes it is just a bit over the top in my opinion.
This book reminded me a lot of Everything I know about love by Dolly Alderton, but just a fictional version with more satire.
So I definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to have a laugh and a reality check.
3⭐️
What can I say… this is hilarious and soo satirical, so you really need to be able to see through that.
Emma really depicts the problem with social media nowadays soo well in such a humorous, satirical and realistic way. In the contemporary day and age we are soo addicted to our phones and social media. For most it is the first thing we check and the last thing we see before going to bed. I am also definitely guilty 🫣.
It also shows how fake social media can be and how anxious and fake it makes us. We all want the perfect picture and the perfect captions. We want others to like us, especially those we look up to.
Adults by Emma Jane Unsworth is about Jenny McLaine, an adult. Supposedly. She is thirty five years old owns her own house, writes for foof a very cool magazine and has hilarious friends. On the outside she should have the perfect life. However, she is addicted to social media, and obsessed with this one girl Suzy Brambles whom she follows. Furthermore, since her super sexy and famous photographer boyfriend Art broke up with her she hasn’t been able to afford her mortgage anymore. Her bestie Kelly is trying to break up with her. And she is soo anxious about everything and trying to keep her life together. And than her mom shows up at her doorstep to save the day.
I loved the changes in format. I kind of felt like I was reading Jenny’s diary or literally in her head at times. The little drafted emails and text messages in between were such a joy to read. And loved to also be able to read some background information, about her relationship with Art, tho I found this a bit confusion at times. You just kind of fell into the flashbacks and it wasn’t announced.
The only real flaw I think is that the book tries to be very funny all the time and sometimes it is just a bit over the top in my opinion.
This book reminded me a lot of Everything I know about love by Dolly Alderton, but just a fictional version with more satire.
So I definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to have a laugh and a reality check.
luhendry's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
emille_93's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kerrence30's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-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
4.0
A first person narrative of a self-centred woman, well written and the main characters are fleshed out to a strong degree. This genre is quickly becoming something I’m reading more often I’ve noticed; A flawed main character who is fairly self aware and has a strong running commentary on those around them and yet massively unaware of their major narcissistic traits.
There is a strong theme of technology and social media and the degree in which it has implanted itself into modern life, which is truly fascinating and humbling at times. It makes the reader reflect on their own screen time and need for postive reinforcement and approval from strangers, due to a distinct lack of something in their childhood. Thankfully, the main character is quite an extreme.
The other characters are very real and challenging in their own ways, dislikable in a way, but rounded.
If it weren’t for the fact the self-involved woman has turned into a trope of its own, I’d have enjoyed it more, it needed levity, not more sarcasm, but that isn’t the character. Reminds me of Jen from Extraordinary, or Hannah from Girls; frustrating and annoying but strangely endearing.
There is a strong theme of technology and social media and the degree in which it has implanted itself into modern life, which is truly fascinating and humbling at times. It makes the reader reflect on their own screen time and need for postive reinforcement and approval from strangers, due to a distinct lack of something in their childhood. Thankfully, the main character is quite an extreme.
The other characters are very real and challenging in their own ways, dislikable in a way, but rounded.
If it weren’t for the fact the self-involved woman has turned into a trope of its own, I’d have enjoyed it more, it needed levity, not more sarcasm, but that isn’t the character. Reminds me of Jen from Extraordinary, or Hannah from Girls; frustrating and annoying but strangely endearing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Infertility, and Pregnancy
Minor: Vomit and Stalking
through_my_eyes81's review against another edition
4.0
Jenny is social media obsessed and needs to learn how to like herself again. Took me a bit of perseverance to continue with this one.
rebekahrahrah's review against another edition
3.0
Good but terrifying in the accuracy of the struggles of being in the early adult years of ones life
abbie_'s review
funny
medium-paced
2.25
If you’re looking for something quick and easy which centres a chaotic mother-daughter relationship, with a hefty dose of millennial humour, then consider Emma Jane Unsworth’s Grown Ups.
Jenny is a writer who lives most of her life online, obsessively curating Instagram captions and rationing out her likes so that she doesn’t come across the wrong way. She’s infatuated with lifestyle influencers, and of course unsatisfied with her own life in comparison. Everything goes even more to hell when she’s let go from her job and her mam rocks up to live with her.
Unsworth includes things like texts and emails within the story, which I do always enjoy. Unfortunately I found Jenny a little too off-putting and selfish and the humour just too cringey at times. I preferred it when the book ventured into more serious places, though it didn’t happen too often.
Just a bit superficial, and lord knows how Jenny has any friends left.