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kkrier1's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt
Moderate: Mental illness
machadofam8's review against another edition
I really don't know why I read this whole book.
nixieknox's review against another edition
3.0
I don’t get the hate for this book. I thought it was a pretty good palate cleanser after all the heavier stuff I’ve been reading. Sort of like Sex in the City but meatier. Sure I loathed most of the characters for much of it but that’s okay.
I was kind of surprised at Caleb’s reaction to Rich’s request. Or maybe not as his reaction but why go into it asking zero questions and then be surprised? But okay.
I especially liked the resolution for everyone.
I was kind of surprised at Caleb’s reaction to Rich’s request. Or maybe not as his reaction but why go into it asking zero questions and then be surprised? But okay.
I especially liked the resolution for everyone.
marbooks88's review against another edition
3.0
The tenants of a wealthy apartment building in New York City try to navigate love and marriage. Couples at each stage - first dating, just married, long married, look to the others to try and figure out what makes a relationship last and if their relationship is worth working on.
Thanks to the publishers and the NetGalley for providing an ARC for my honest review.
Thanks to the publishers and the NetGalley for providing an ARC for my honest review.
ginnygrace's review against another edition
3.0
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher for which I am extremely appreciative. That said, this was my first ARC and I’m unsure how “complete” it is supposed to be. There were several typos, including “speack”, “five month later”, and “resilence” that really stuck out at me.
Regarding the story itself, it was fine. The characters were interesting and likable at times. Their reactions to situations occasionally baffled me and I’m not sure how intentional that was, considering the story primarily focused on the unhappy lives of a group of rather wealthy individuals.
The amount of negativity displayed by almost all the characters sometimes felt tedious, but I did constantly want to keep reading to see what they did next.
Parts of the book felt uplifting, other times it was depressing, and occasionally it was funny. In all, it wasn’t a life-changing story, but it was a mostly fun read that I will pass on to others to enjoy.
Regarding the story itself, it was fine. The characters were interesting and likable at times. Their reactions to situations occasionally baffled me and I’m not sure how intentional that was, considering the story primarily focused on the unhappy lives of a group of rather wealthy individuals.
The amount of negativity displayed by almost all the characters sometimes felt tedious, but I did constantly want to keep reading to see what they did next.
Parts of the book felt uplifting, other times it was depressing, and occasionally it was funny. In all, it wasn’t a life-changing story, but it was a mostly fun read that I will pass on to others to enjoy.
carmenere's review against another edition
3.0
Overall, a solid debut novel by Vatner but rather a slog to read. Overall, this seems to be a novel about various forms of partnerships/relationships if you will. Relationships include marriage, betrothals and just getting off the ground twosomes. Then there are the familial relationships, work relationships etc etc.
It is a very good basis for a story - it's just rather long winded and the characters didn't draw me in, some were rather predictable.
Writing about many owners in an apartment building is a tough task so I would read Vatner's next novel in the hopes he pares down his story to one or two less directions and more character development.
Thank you NetGalley, author and publisher an advanced copy of this book.
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It is a very good basis for a story - it's just rather long winded and the characters didn't draw me in, some were rather predictable.
Writing about many owners in an apartment building is a tough task so I would read Vatner's next novel in the hopes he pares down his story to one or two less directions and more character development.
Thank you NetGalley, author and publisher an advanced copy of this book.
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kelsey24's review against another edition
4.0
I won this book as a free giveaway. The book is about a group of wealthy but secretly miserable people living in a luxury apartment complex in New York City, and a few of the staff that hold secrets of their own. The book is entertaining enough and a fairly light read. The only thing I didn't like was that the characters were all utterly miserable for almost 300 pages, and then everything was suddenly solved in the epilogue. Endings are hard and it can be difficult to wrap up a long story, but it was a bit disappointing to have characters suddenly change in the last few pages.
sarahelem's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kandan's review against another edition
4.0
Carnegie Hill is a character-driven novel set in the Upper East Side neighborhood. The narration frequently shifts between four couples: Pepper and Rick, Birdie and George, Francis and Carol, and Sergei and Caleb, all of whom are connected to an expensive apartment building called the Chelmsford Arms. The book is more like a series of vignettes about each couple’s trials and tribulations, their relationships and lives at varying stages, and their unique problems. Vatner is a talented writer for his ability to communicate the subtleties of boredom, doubt, and unhappiness in marriage. He has an easy way with language that made this book a treat to read.
The vacillation between the different storylines is difficult to pull off, especially as all of the characters intersect throughout the novel. I didn’t feel like I knew the characters as well as I wanted to - I sensed that I was supposed to appreciate them for all of their wild messiness and their flaws, but I did not feel sympathetic towards them much of the time.
For those who enjoy delving into that inaccessible world of the Upper East Side, this will be a delight to read. Vatner weaves a nuanced tale about people who seem to have everything, but are not as happy as one would think.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The vacillation between the different storylines is difficult to pull off, especially as all of the characters intersect throughout the novel. I didn’t feel like I knew the characters as well as I wanted to - I sensed that I was supposed to appreciate them for all of their wild messiness and their flaws, but I did not feel sympathetic towards them much of the time.
For those who enjoy delving into that inaccessible world of the Upper East Side, this will be a delight to read. Vatner weaves a nuanced tale about people who seem to have everything, but are not as happy as one would think.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
zaineylaney's review against another edition
4.0
This was an interesting story about relationships; What keeps them together, what breaks them apart, and why it's important to fight for them as well as recognize the toxicity. The glimpse inside these 4 different romantic relationships is quite eye opening and for most of the book, you received a little bit of each point of view, until the end when it all comes together in the aftermath of each separate decision.
I did receive an advance copy of this book for review. My only critique was because of the way it was formatted, sometimes it was hard to see when the point of view changed from one situation to another. I don't know if this is corrected or changed in the final draft but it did make it a little hard to transition from one part of the story to the next seamlessly.
Overall, this is a good read and really does make you think about how things affect people differently and how a perspective can change due to emotions and values.
I did receive an advance copy of this book for review. My only critique was because of the way it was formatted, sometimes it was hard to see when the point of view changed from one situation to another. I don't know if this is corrected or changed in the final draft but it did make it a little hard to transition from one part of the story to the next seamlessly.
Overall, this is a good read and really does make you think about how things affect people differently and how a perspective can change due to emotions and values.