You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.18 AVERAGE
3.18 AVERAGE
Oh boy did the ending of this book make me want to throw this book out the window and forget I even read it. This could be the fact that I know this 'Nathaniel' character and have interacted with the likes of them in my daily life.
Nathaniel is late 20's early 30's living in NYC in what sounds like the early 2000's. He is a writing that seems to think everything he emits from his being is brilliant. He has opinions and finds that only topics he has opinions on are the only ones worth talking about. Nathaniel also doesn't like a challenge and seems to be taken aback when someone has a different point of view. In this book it reviews all of Nathaniel's former lovers and reasons that it didn't work out. In the now of the book he is dating Hannah, a girl he met at a party and later via email had a spirited debate with. The relationship starts off slow but he often notes that Hannah isn't the girl all men lust after. She is instead the girl he can bring around his friends and she can hold her own. After awhile he becomes extremely unhappy because Hannah challenges him and heaven forbid she doesn't stroke his ego all the time.
***Spoiler: I could have lived with him and Hannah parting ways, but then end. No instead while at the end of his relationship with Hannah he runs into a girl he knows Greer who is apparently petite and hot and also wrote a book about her sex-capades. So I mean obviously Nathaniel should start dating this girl because think of all the guys who will be jealous when he walks into the party with her. I mean who cares that her thoughts only skim the surface and his friends often disregard her when they have conversations because she can't hold her own. I mean who needs that when you are dating this girl who is hot and occasionally throws a tantrum in the likes of a 5 year old. You go Nathaniel P. obviously cracking the code for a lasting relationship.
Nathaniel is late 20's early 30's living in NYC in what sounds like the early 2000's. He is a writing that seems to think everything he emits from his being is brilliant. He has opinions and finds that only topics he has opinions on are the only ones worth talking about. Nathaniel also doesn't like a challenge and seems to be taken aback when someone has a different point of view. In this book it reviews all of Nathaniel's former lovers and reasons that it didn't work out. In the now of the book he is dating Hannah, a girl he met at a party and later via email had a spirited debate with. The relationship starts off slow but he often notes that Hannah isn't the girl all men lust after. She is instead the girl he can bring around his friends and she can hold her own. After awhile he becomes extremely unhappy because Hannah challenges him and heaven forbid she doesn't stroke his ego all the time.
***Spoiler: I could have lived with him and Hannah parting ways, but then end. No instead while at the end of his relationship with Hannah he runs into a girl he knows Greer who is apparently petite and hot and also wrote a book about her sex-capades. So I mean obviously Nathaniel should start dating this girl because think of all the guys who will be jealous when he walks into the party with her. I mean who cares that her thoughts only skim the surface and his friends often disregard her when they have conversations because she can't hold her own. I mean who needs that when you are dating this girl who is hot and occasionally throws a tantrum in the likes of a 5 year old. You go Nathaniel P. obviously cracking the code for a lasting relationship.
Adelle Waldman nails the Brooklyn bro-gressive perfectly. You know the type; he can spend hours expounding on the waves of feminism, but hasn't read a book written by a woman in years. Equal measures of feeling bad about his privilege and having no idea just how much he benefits from it. Plays devil's advocate on misogynistic and classist ideas "for fun." Recognizes the overarching social problem of the objectification of women, but only dates the conventionally beautiful.
At its best, "Nathaniel P." felt like a rollicking, fun hate-read, like secretly discovering a blog of an ex and having your worst suspicions about him come true. At its worst, it just felt like trodging through a few hundred pages of terrible dates with these guys; trying to pick out a movie at his apartment and discovering that none of his collection passes the Bechdel test as you listen to him mansplain the news from the other room.
So, definitely mixed feelings, but because Waldman was so effective. "Nathaniel P." is a realistic, vivid skewer, which somehow manages to never ventures into caricature. It came at a much-needed time; I've read that some women have begun using "Nathaniel P." as shorthand for this type of man, which I fully endorse.
At its best, "Nathaniel P." felt like a rollicking, fun hate-read, like secretly discovering a blog of an ex and having your worst suspicions about him come true. At its worst, it just felt like trodging through a few hundred pages of terrible dates with these guys; trying to pick out a movie at his apartment and discovering that none of his collection passes the Bechdel test as you listen to him mansplain the news from the other room.
So, definitely mixed feelings, but because Waldman was so effective. "Nathaniel P." is a realistic, vivid skewer, which somehow manages to never ventures into caricature. It came at a much-needed time; I've read that some women have begun using "Nathaniel P." as shorthand for this type of man, which I fully endorse.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Bad
Note to self: find the author and figure out if she really, actually is a woman...
I wish I could think like a man! As someone who is not characteristically good at relationships, I found several passages to be pretty insightful.
Setting: 9/10
Characters: 8/10 [Peter and Eugene were of the necessary but boring "pawn"-type characters; Juliet's character seemed useless]
Plot: 7/10: confusing and twisty-turny at times; but just as life is!
Ending: 5/10: mehhh... I'm sensing a cop out
I will be buying this book! It's sort of timeless in a way. The story and the characters could be anyone, anywhere, and my emotional response would likely be the same: FINALLY A BOOK ABOUT REAL LIFE! P.s. Finally a book about relationships that neither outright shames men nor points and laughs at women.
Write more, Adelle!
I wish I could think like a man! As someone who is not characteristically good at relationships, I found several passages to be pretty insightful.
Setting: 9/10
Characters: 8/10 [Peter and Eugene were of the necessary but boring "pawn"-type characters; Juliet's character seemed useless]
Plot: 7/10: confusing and twisty-turny at times; but just as life is!
Ending: 5/10: mehhh... I'm sensing a cop out
I will be buying this book! It's sort of timeless in a way. The story and the characters could be anyone, anywhere, and my emotional response would likely be the same: FINALLY A BOOK ABOUT REAL LIFE! P.s. Finally a book about relationships that neither outright shames men nor points and laughs at women.
Write more, Adelle!
Loved the book, Nate taught me many things about myself and that is all one can ask of a work of fiction.
Yeah, the lead character is a total ass. Still, sometimes it's interesting to get into a brain that acts on a totally different plane from your own. Felt particularly appropriate for my generation and geography, being based in nyc/Brooklyn.
I wanted to love this book. It has a few exquisite moments where Waldman just peers into the soul of humanity, but she couldn't sustain it. That's a high bar. The story was quite enjoyable. The insights were sometimes delightful. I wanted to meet the characters in the book. I'm not sure I could be friends with them, but I would like to meet them and listen to them talk and ponder relationships and life. I would like to try. This either says something about my need for friends or it says something about Waldman's ability to create flawed but generally likable characters.
very well written, but reading it felt like an exercise in masochism. characters were abhorrent. relationships were cringe. not the type of train wreck i derive pleasure from witnessing.