A. Hathaway

Two stars because I listened to the end

Revisado: 02-21-23

I previously listened to Mary Kubica’a books and found them enjoyable, but from the beginning, I didn’t like this one. The pacing was off - drawn out descriptions in revealing moments that had me thinking, “get to the point already.” Hollow and implausible storytelling - it seems like the author is trying too hard to do something different in the genre. I didn’t buy the motivations or emotions of the characters in many instances. They were too flat or inconsistent. I’m not sure if it was the source material or the actors, but there were a lot of overreactions as well. I was curious enough to listen to the end, but found it predictable.

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Awww

Revisado: 10-22-22

Predictable but so sweet. If you’re looking for a heart-warming read on par with A Man Called Ove, this one is great.

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Not what I expected

Revisado: 10-08-22

Wow! This has completely changed the way I think about dog breeds. All of the evidence that the cultural prejudice against specific “breeds” is often due to their association with marginalized groups of people is compelling. I was already of a mind that dogs are dogs, regardless of “breed,” but now any lingering prejudice I had about “pit bulls” or “bully breeds” has been shattered.

However, the narration was flat at times and because of it, I sometimes found my mind wandering. It also seemed like the book was about to end 3 times before it actually ended. But overall, glad I gave it a chance.

Soapbox commentary: As I listened, I realized that my dog frequently experiences the opposite prejudice a pit bull does. People assume that because she is small, cute and fluffy, she’s also friendly or that they can do whatever they want with her. Nope. And it frustrates me when I tell them she doesn’t like strangers or their attention but they persist in staring at her and trying to engage her even after she angry barks at them to stop.

So. Please: Imagine what it’s like to be a small dog living in a world of giant (to them) humans. Don’t insist on doing whatever to them just because they aren’t big “scary” looking dogs. They can still bite, even if won’t do as much damage. And sniffing a hand stuck in their face is not going to win over a dog shying away or otherwise signaling no.

Just like people’s looks don’t tell the whole story about about who they are, please stop assuming that a dog’s looks indicate temperament. Hang onto your wine, beer, etc. and don’t try to pet every dog. Not all dogs are social butterflies and it’s unfair to expect them to be.

Listen when a person says their dog isn’t friendly or doesn’t want the attention. Listen when a dog barks, growls or snarls. Those are often warnings to stop an approach. Rude behavior like this can really scare, stress or anger a dog. And the consequences could be bad for both rude human and dog.

One of the reasons my cautious dog remains uncertain of strangers is because too many of them don’t know when to leave her be and look away. And few recognize a small dog’s right to consent. Soapbox finished. If you read it, thank you for taking the time.

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Anticlimactic but interesting

Revisado: 05-19-22

After the buildup of counting down years until a major event, I found the ending anticlimactic, though the exchange at the end is thought-provoking, imagining a world in which the gendered power dynamic is turned upside down. There are enjoyable scenes in that vein throughout. But overall the ending was too abrupt, imitating the Handmaid’s Tale, but not holding up to it.

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Drawn out details, but great ending

Revisado: 09-19-21

The ending was a surprise to me, but getting to it was tedious at times, as Grace provided an excess of details, nasty and overconfident, often sounding like a sociopath. I almost stopped listening a few times, but was curious about how it would all end. Glad I stuck with it.

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Interesting exploration of gender, clunky construction

Revisado: 07-28-21

What most captivated me about this book was its exploration of gender identity, ultimately making me wonder about what it means to be a woman. I have read about the constraints of heteronormativity, but exploring it through these characters made it clearer to me. Unfortunately, the plot lost me at times, perhaps due to the flat narration. When my mind wanders, when I’m not fully engrossed, I tend to think the pacing is off. The digressions into the past weren’t always necessary, though they revealed more about the characters. And I’m not the sort of person that requires full closure all the time, but the ending is too abrupt.

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Get to the point

Revisado: 06-05-21

The first half is fun. But then the rising action drags, particularly once the killer is fully revealed. Their identity gets more and more obvious as it unfolds, and I began to lose patience with how long it took to get to the point. I found the constant repetition of screen names annoying and unnecessary too, another means of the book dragging out. And the ending is so over-explanatory. It’s another hour after the climax of the plot! Nothing left to the imagination. If you like your stories all neatly tied up, enjoy. I am not a big fan.

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Initially skeptical, but ended up immersed

Revisado: 05-03-21

This book’s structure mirrors Lionel Shriver’s “We Need To Talk About Kevin so closely that initially I just thought it was an imitator by someone who is a mother that would defend our cult of motherhood as a necessary rite of passage to womanhood. But Audrain does well within the structure (narrator is the mother of a psychopath writing her story to her former spouse) and makes it her own. I was so immersed in the narrator’s plight by the end, I could barely fall asleep. I also appreciated the critique of how our society views mothers and motherhood and could relate to the narrative of intergenerational developmental trauma. Performance was also excellent. I’m glad I didn’t skip out on this one.

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Slow start

Revisado: 04-28-21

I was not especially engaged with the first part, but the second and third certainly make the book more interesting.

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Dark and daring

Revisado: 12-03-20

This book was so dark it was cathartic, like a Greek tragedy. And yes, as reviews I read said, Kevin doesn’t seem realistic, so Damien-esque is he. But his character gives Shriver the freedom to explore taboo subjects like a mother disliking her child; and to examine some unpleasant perspectives on American culture and human nature. I disliked the flat narration at first, but eventually could imagine it was the voice of Tilda Swinton. And while I haven’t seen the film yet, I pictured her as the narrator from the outset. She really was expertly cast. Anyway, I got used to it eventually. The book was excessively detailed at points for an audiobook, but I never got too lost. I also figured out the ending early on, but that may have been by design.

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