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mias65's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
lclauss's review against another edition
4.0
I don't really like any of the characters and don't think what they're doing is all that interesting, but I still want to read their stories and be around them, sorta like my real life currently.
thelibraryofanna's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
haileyldavidson's review against another edition
1.0
1.5
This was just disappointing in so many different ways, I don't even know where to begin.
First of all, the blurb on the back of this book describes it in a way that seems like “contemporary fiction exploring the blurry lines of queer female friendship, love, and sexual exploration.” It was by far one of the straightest representations of bisexual women I have ever read.
I hated the writing style. The dialogue was horribly stiff and unrealistic for a bunch of twenty-somethings in art school. Half of the time they sounded like middle schoolers who just popped like a handful of Xanax, and the other half they sounded like wise elderly folks sharing their all encompassing thoughts on the human condition- on the brink of death. I just thought it was a mess and all over the place and often I didn't even recognize which character we were following.
But the characters! The characters were so stupid. There are unlikeable character in books where it adds to the story, but this was so character driven that I don't understand how there was not a single character that could hold my interest. They were annoying to read about. This book had a timeline spanning 10 years and not once did someone experience character development. This is especially disappointing because I think the titular characters had the most potential to be interesting- but the writing, dialogue, descriptions, and characterization was beyond dull.
This was just disappointing in so many different ways, I don't even know where to begin.
First of all, the blurb on the back of this book describes it in a way that seems like “contemporary fiction exploring the blurry lines of queer female friendship, love, and sexual exploration.” It was by far one of the straightest representations of bisexual women I have ever read.
I hated the writing style. The dialogue was horribly stiff and unrealistic for a bunch of twenty-somethings in art school. Half of the time they sounded like middle schoolers who just popped like a handful of Xanax, and the other half they sounded like wise elderly folks sharing their all encompassing thoughts on the human condition- on the brink of death. I just thought it was a mess and all over the place and often I didn't even recognize which character we were following.
But the characters! The characters were so stupid. There are unlikeable character in books where it adds to the story, but this was so character driven that I don't understand how there was not a single character that could hold my interest. They were annoying to read about. This book had a timeline spanning 10 years and not once did someone experience character development. This is especially disappointing because I think the titular characters had the most potential to be interesting- but the writing, dialogue, descriptions, and characterization was beyond dull.
readreadreadbby's review against another edition
1.0
i kind of hated this book, the writing was beautiful. but i didn't like it because of the story. it made me realize that i didn't want my life to ever be like this-ever.
novelnymphet's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
sad
fast-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
5.0
rubyonpaper's review against another edition
medium-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
2.25
mymindspeaksbooks's review against another edition
3.0
I wasn't quite sure what to think of this book when I started reading it, and to be honest I don't know quite what to think of it now. It's one of those books that has a plot but also doesn't have a plot - this made it realistic in terms of the unpredictabilities of life but also frustrating in that I wanted it to go somewhere, in some definitive direction, but it didn't.
Also, I couldn't stand the character of Paulina. She's one of those people that most of us could quite easily picture - the kind of person who lives off attention, self-indulges too much, makes their life difficult for themselves and seems like they don't really care about anyone or anything, even themselves. And at times I kind of felt sorry for Paulina, because beneath that thick skin all these habits must have risen from insecurities, but it isn't a good enough excuse for the actions she takes. I felt myself wondering if she would ever redeem herself but knowing she probably never would.
Despite all of this, something made me want to continue and read on, and I can't really pinpoint what it was. The writing was interesting - it switched between character perspectives a lot (in third person) which at times seemed a little odd to me, but there was a lot that was intriguing about it. The dialogue and the connections between the characters seemed very real and plausible. I think more than anything I just wanted to know what would become of them as people, in the same way that one might be interested to see what their facebook friend from maths class at school is now pursuing as a career, five years later - a kind of curiosity that doesn't have much depth to it.
For this reason, I can't say the ending of the book made me particularly sad. I don't even know if it was meant to make the reader sad. But it was interesting that it all led up to this moment that wasn't really a moment.
Overall, Paulina and Fran was an intriguing book. Its strengths definitely lie in the characterisation and how it reflects the weaving nature of life during and after college/university. For me, what let it down was the lack of real connection on my part - I didn't care particularly much for the characters, despite their realness, and this made the story fall a little flat.
You can view my other book reviews on my personal blog: https://mymindspeaksaloud.wordpress.com/category/book-reviews/
Also, I couldn't stand the character of Paulina. She's one of those people that most of us could quite easily picture - the kind of person who lives off attention, self-indulges too much, makes their life difficult for themselves and seems like they don't really care about anyone or anything, even themselves. And at times I kind of felt sorry for Paulina, because beneath that thick skin all these habits must have risen from insecurities, but it isn't a good enough excuse for the actions she takes. I felt myself wondering if she would ever redeem herself but knowing she probably never would.
Despite all of this, something made me want to continue and read on, and I can't really pinpoint what it was. The writing was interesting - it switched between character perspectives a lot (in third person) which at times seemed a little odd to me, but there was a lot that was intriguing about it. The dialogue and the connections between the characters seemed very real and plausible. I think more than anything I just wanted to know what would become of them as people, in the same way that one might be interested to see what their facebook friend from maths class at school is now pursuing as a career, five years later - a kind of curiosity that doesn't have much depth to it.
For this reason, I can't say the ending of the book made me particularly sad. I don't even know if it was meant to make the reader sad. But it was interesting that it all led up to this moment that wasn't really a moment.
Overall, Paulina and Fran was an intriguing book. Its strengths definitely lie in the characterisation and how it reflects the weaving nature of life during and after college/university. For me, what let it down was the lack of real connection on my part - I didn't care particularly much for the characters, despite their realness, and this made the story fall a little flat.
You can view my other book reviews on my personal blog: https://mymindspeaksaloud.wordpress.com/category/book-reviews/
elissacsweet's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book because I often hated the main characters, yet I wanted everything good in the world to happen to them. They were real, and really flawed, yet I saw parts of much of myself in them. Rachel writes with biting, vivid prose and shines a light on the ugly and beautiful in each of her characters, especially Paulina. After reading her depictions of art school and life afterward, I feel as if I too have been part of that world, and I closed the book with a slight hangover.