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A review by marshmalohgrrl
Tea by Stacey D'Erasmo
2.0
When I started this book, I was deeply reminded of some of the games I used to play with childhood friends, a game played with the son of family friends and games I still wish, in a way, I could play. The book seemed to progress from the mind of the child to the adolescent to the young adult and the language flowed along with it, which was both comforting and unsettling at the same time. There were times I was pulled from the book when the timeline and chronology seemed off (which, with research, in fact, were not) and at times the story seemed centered in modern times instead of the 70s and 80s when the book was set.
All in all I found Isabel to be a rather vapid character with no real direction or aim in her life. Her goals to be an actress seemed superficial at best and a pipeline dream. She was plain and simple and pretty easy to understand and, in the end, sympathetic. How many of us have gone through most of our lives with no ideas, no plans, only a vague idea of what would be nice? I know most of my life was filled that way, flitting around from one thing to another until I finally landed somewhere that seemed right. Is it still? Will it be permanently? Who knows?
In the end, the book left me with a feeling of sadness without closure. It seemed like I picked up on Isabel's sense of wanting and it has carried through with me. It has, however, given me the urge to write my own book with the lines that have been haunting me since I first started reading.
I would definitely recommend the book. It's a quick read and the plot is just enough to keep you following along to the end. The writer does a great job of letting us into Isabel's headspace and the subtle cultural references keep things in perspective.
Also, if anyone reads or has read, I would be interested in discussing the book with you. I still feel, even though I've read it, that I'm missing something important.
All in all I found Isabel to be a rather vapid character with no real direction or aim in her life. Her goals to be an actress seemed superficial at best and a pipeline dream. She was plain and simple and pretty easy to understand and, in the end, sympathetic. How many of us have gone through most of our lives with no ideas, no plans, only a vague idea of what would be nice? I know most of my life was filled that way, flitting around from one thing to another until I finally landed somewhere that seemed right. Is it still? Will it be permanently? Who knows?
In the end, the book left me with a feeling of sadness without closure. It seemed like I picked up on Isabel's sense of wanting and it has carried through with me. It has, however, given me the urge to write my own book with the lines that have been haunting me since I first started reading.
I would definitely recommend the book. It's a quick read and the plot is just enough to keep you following along to the end. The writer does a great job of letting us into Isabel's headspace and the subtle cultural references keep things in perspective.
Also, if anyone reads or has read, I would be interested in discussing the book with you. I still feel, even though I've read it, that I'm missing something important.