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3.18 AVERAGE
3.18 AVERAGE
I read this in a tiny Mexican fishing village, where a man said to me "Don't take this personally, but the U.S. Empire -- it's going to fall."
A good reminder to keep with me while reading this vapid and insufferable novel about vapid and insufferable literary people in Brooklyn. These characters seem to think their precious thoughts and words and sad, empty lives are universally admired, are the pinnacle of success, and continue carrying out their 'decadent' little rounds of brunches and essays and sexual exploits with the assumption that all eyes are on them, long after we've grown bored and turned our gazes elsewhere. The praise on the dust jacket sounds almost frantic, like people who recognize themselves in the book are desperate to convince their own selves that their lives are meaningful, are NOT boring, are the middle of something.
I do think it's valuable that the book shows the way the main character gaslights and emotionally wrecks the women he's with. There was even some satisfaction in seeing how a 'nice guy' douchebag (spoiler alert!) remains a douchebag. But for all the self-conscious 'liberalism' in this book I was surprised nobody could ever muster the phrase "White Feminism." Any given episode of Girls contains more interesting characters and deeper political analysis than these 242 pages.
This book reminds me: that world is spent; is over, irrelevant, done-for. The witty-well-educated-rich-white Literary Empire has tried it's best to conjure up a good story, and it's failed. The stories that move us will come from elsewhere -- and when they do come from New York, it will be from that "Consuela or Imelda or Pilar or whatever" who cleans this asshole's toilet.
A good reminder to keep with me while reading this vapid and insufferable novel about vapid and insufferable literary people in Brooklyn. These characters seem to think their precious thoughts and words and sad, empty lives are universally admired, are the pinnacle of success, and continue carrying out their 'decadent' little rounds of brunches and essays and sexual exploits with the assumption that all eyes are on them, long after we've grown bored and turned our gazes elsewhere. The praise on the dust jacket sounds almost frantic, like people who recognize themselves in the book are desperate to convince their own selves that their lives are meaningful, are NOT boring, are the middle of something.
I do think it's valuable that the book shows the way the main character gaslights and emotionally wrecks the women he's with. There was even some satisfaction in seeing how a 'nice guy' douchebag (spoiler alert!) remains a douchebag. But for all the self-conscious 'liberalism' in this book I was surprised nobody could ever muster the phrase "White Feminism." Any given episode of Girls contains more interesting characters and deeper political analysis than these 242 pages.
This book reminds me: that world is spent; is over, irrelevant, done-for. The witty-well-educated-rich-white Literary Empire has tried it's best to conjure up a good story, and it's failed. The stories that move us will come from elsewhere -- and when they do come from New York, it will be from that "Consuela or Imelda or Pilar or whatever" who cleans this asshole's toilet.
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love you Adelle Waldman. I love you so much. You nailed the pretentious, messed up Harvard intellectual who thinks he's hot sh-t. I loved to laugh at him, to despise him, to judge him. So much fun to judge a character, because it's just not cool to judge a live walking PIA.
Perfect Val Day read for my current state of mind ;) No, but really... frighteningly accurate.
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
Check out my review here!
http://booksandbarrels.blogspot.com/2015/06/book-review-love-affairs-of-nathaniel-p.html
http://booksandbarrels.blogspot.com/2015/06/book-review-love-affairs-of-nathaniel-p.html
More like a 3.5 but I usually round up.
The most surprising thing about reading this book was that I almost CRIED reading the last few pages. After spending most of the book wanting to punch Nate in the face.
Waldman is a very skilled writer. I'd read another book of hers in a heart beat. I can't wait to discuss this in my book group.
EDIT: This book provoked one of the best discussions we've had in book group! If you're part of a book group I highly recommend this novel. Nate provokes LOTS of feelings!
The most surprising thing about reading this book was that I almost CRIED reading the last few pages. After spending most of the book wanting to punch Nate in the face.
Waldman is a very skilled writer. I'd read another book of hers in a heart beat. I can't wait to discuss this in my book group.
EDIT: This book provoked one of the best discussions we've had in book group! If you're part of a book group I highly recommend this novel. Nate provokes LOTS of feelings!
fast-paced
I don’t know if understand bad reviews because the main character is awful. Maybe I’m wrong, but I think that’s the point. I think the entire book is an indictment of this type of guy.
While reading I was constantly reminded of a couple of prior relationships (and moments of feeling like Hannah and sending a long message after the fact…). It also reminded me of a lot of different people I’ve met and known, not just romantic relationships.
The writing was decent enough, not the most amazing but I think being so on the nose and thus very simple and direct was the goal.
It got repetitive at times which got boring and made it take a bit longer to finish.
While reading I was constantly reminded of a couple of prior relationships (and moments of feeling like Hannah and sending a long message after the fact…). It also reminded me of a lot of different people I’ve met and known, not just romantic relationships.
The writing was decent enough, not the most amazing but I think being so on the nose and thus very simple and direct was the goal.
It got repetitive at times which got boring and made it take a bit longer to finish.
This is not the type of novel I would normally read. That being said, I found the narrator an interesting character (with a slight resemblance to Holden Caulfield in my mind). Waldman's writing was intelligent enough to keep me both hooked and feeling like I was lightly treading water in understanding what was happening.
Overall, I would say this is an interesting insight into men. While not written in a stream-of-consciousness style, it had me feeling directly in the narrator's (male) mind. I was impressed with how well Waldman was able to capture the other gender's thoughts, although how realistic they are is impossible for me to determine. The examination of relationships and interactions between the opposite sexes makes the novel an entertaining read that I would recommend to anyone who is up for a challenge and is unafraid to deal with the questions of their own romantic choices (at least in my case) raised by reading it.
Overall, I would say this is an interesting insight into men. While not written in a stream-of-consciousness style, it had me feeling directly in the narrator's (male) mind. I was impressed with how well Waldman was able to capture the other gender's thoughts, although how realistic they are is impossible for me to determine. The examination of relationships and interactions between the opposite sexes makes the novel an entertaining read that I would recommend to anyone who is up for a challenge and is unafraid to deal with the questions of their own romantic choices (at least in my case) raised by reading it.