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A review by charvi_not_just_fiction
The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was absolutely beautiful.
I went in with zero expectations but I love how the author managed to weave together so many lives and stories. We have Julian, an old man with regrets. Monica with her failing cafe and unfulfilled life desires. Hazard, an addict trying to get better. Riley, absolute sunshine personified and many others are added to this eclectic cast as we go on. Each character has a differnet story and I love how they interact with each other to support and bring out the best in their friends.
There's so much life and love in this book. One of my favourite themes was old age and how one's life deteriorates as you age, socially, physically and emotionally. Another core theme was friendship and connections and how we are really nothing without our support system. Different characters and their arcs taught me so many lessons and I love how the author's simple language style was so heart-touching and beautiful at the same time.
And even though I didn't expect it from this contemporary/literary fiction, there were plot twists that caught me off-guard! All I'll say is nobody is really authentic until the very end and none of these characters are simply good or bad (except maybe Riley and I wish the author had done something about that rather than just making him say he's not always sunny and left it at that.)
The only reason I docked one star is that I hated how certain people ended up romantically set up with others, I was literally fuming and yelling and I'd have preferred them to either stay single, true to themselves or have an open ending leaving time for the romance to develop because it came out of nowhere. Kinda made me feel that the author just wanted to wrap everything up in a neat bow.
Other than that, this book was so perfect and even ended beautifully, in the best way possible (except for that romance).
All in all, I'd highly recommend it!
I went in with zero expectations but I love how the author managed to weave together so many lives and stories. We have Julian, an old man with regrets. Monica with her failing cafe and unfulfilled life desires. Hazard, an addict trying to get better. Riley, absolute sunshine personified and many others are added to this eclectic cast as we go on. Each character has a differnet story and I love how they interact with each other to support and bring out the best in their friends.
There's so much life and love in this book. One of my favourite themes was old age and how one's life deteriorates as you age, socially, physically and emotionally. Another core theme was friendship and connections and how we are really nothing without our support system. Different characters and their arcs taught me so many lessons and I love how the author's simple language style was so heart-touching and beautiful at the same time.
And even though I didn't expect it from this contemporary/literary fiction, there were plot twists that caught me off-guard! All I'll say is nobody is really authentic until the very end and none of these characters are simply good or bad (except maybe Riley and I wish the author had done something about that rather than just making him say he's not always sunny and left it at that.)
The only reason I docked one star is that I hated how certain people ended up romantically set up with others, I was literally fuming and yelling and I'd have preferred them to either stay single, true to themselves or have an open ending leaving time for the romance to develop because it came out of nowhere. Kinda made me feel that the author just wanted to wrap everything up in a neat bow.
Other than that, this book was so perfect and even ended beautifully, in the best way possible (except for that romance).
All in all, I'd highly recommend it!