Scan barcode
dcobos225's review
funny
reflective
tense
fast-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
4.0
danileighta's review
4.0
Smart writing! I tore through this book and enjoyed every minute. The writing style brought to mind Frederick Exley in A Fan's Notes, with it's intelligence and keen (if painful) observations of human behavior. Most people in the book are selfish and entitled, but somehow still likable. Overall, this felt like a lampooning of modern 30's-something culture and I had a lot of fun with it. Well worth the read.
kpatrice362's review
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
chillcox15's review
4.0
Who else wonders if a true-blue jock, and not one of those pesky lit-bro types, found their way into a writing workshop? Loudermilk is the one book brave enough to answer these questions!
dulcie54's review
1.0
I DNF'd at around 55 pages. A seemingly promising and amusing premise is slaughtered by its own precious and self-referential writing. Maybe if you have ever been in an MFA program you would find this screamingly funny. But the rest of us need normal context for us to "get" the parody.
victoria_madler's review
challenging
funny
reflective
slow-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
This is a book that I, determinedly, need to read again just to make sense of. I’d consider the first time around to be preliminary: a way to familiarize myself with the fictional plot and characters in order to extract any sort of profound implications/parallels about real issues during the second read. Before re-reading this, however—something I won’t do until a notable amount of time has passed—I do hope and find necessary that I read the Afterword as an introduction to the reimmersion.
Additionally, having read a short story collection by Lucy Ives entitled “Cosmogony,” (and it being my only prior exposure to her writing), I fully intend to delve more deeply into her collective works.
I’m a reader who, strangely enough, enjoys a book most when I feel incapable of comprehending its intricacies—in other words, I like a book most when it assaults me with the idea that it contains more complexity than I could possibly ever perceive. I felt quite dumb reading this book, which makes me excited to tackle the challenge of deriving at least some of its intended meaning on the second read.
Additionally, having read a short story collection by Lucy Ives entitled “Cosmogony,” (and it being my only prior exposure to her writing), I fully intend to delve more deeply into her collective works.
I’m a reader who, strangely enough, enjoys a book most when I feel incapable of comprehending its intricacies—in other words, I like a book most when it assaults me with the idea that it contains more complexity than I could possibly ever perceive. I felt quite dumb reading this book, which makes me excited to tackle the challenge of deriving at least some of its intended meaning on the second read.
coryaitchison's review
4.0
One sentence summary: A hot, dumb bro fools everyone at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop into thinking that he is a talented poet.
It’s a funny and surprisingly thoughtful take on art and artifice and how writing workshops construct artists as opposed to making them better.
There’s an afterward about the history of the libertine in literature and how she was using that trope but also turning it on its head.
It’s a funny and surprisingly thoughtful take on art and artifice and how writing workshops construct artists as opposed to making them better.
There’s an afterward about the history of the libertine in literature and how she was using that trope but also turning it on its head.
kaitlovescarbs's review
dark
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
1.0
beepbeepbooks's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Perfect book. One of the few books that I think could've gone on another 300 pages. The voices of each character are so distinct so clear so funny. A masterpiece