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Beautiful World, Where Are You
Beautiful World, Where Are You: A Novel | Sally Rooney
202 posts | 191 read | 5 reading | 49 to read
A new novel by Sally Rooney, the bestselling author of Normal People and Conversations with Friends Alice, a novelist, meets Felix, who works in a warehouse, and asks him if hed like to travel to Rome with her. In Dublin, her best friend, Eileen, is getting over a break-up, and slips back into flirting with Simon, a man she has known since childhood. Alice, Felix, Eileen, and Simon are still youngbut life is catching up with them. They desire each other, they delude each other, they get together, they break apart. They have sex, they worry about sex, they worry about their friendships and the world they live in. Are they standing in the last lighted room before the darkness, bearing witness to something? Will they find a way to believe in a beautiful world?
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CaliforniaCay
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Pickpick

After the last book I read, I was in the mood for a real Sally Rooney book and this one hit the spot. I know she's not everyone's cup of tea, but since I really liked Normal People, I really liked this one. It was similar, but with more characters and a little bit more depth in the form of deep, introspective emails between the 2 girls, I liked this one more. They're not the most likeable characters but I find their interactions entertaining.

Sparklemn Looks like a fun puzzle! 3mo
CaliforniaCay @Sparklemn it really was! I just recently started audiopuzzling and it has made a HUGE difference in the amount of books I'm going through 😍 📚 2mo
46 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Emilymdxn
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Mehso-so

There was nothing really wrong with this novel but I just didn‘t quite get on with it. I used to love Sally Rooney but I think I‘ve soured quite a lot on ‘millennials in relationships not quite communicating‘ books - I might just have read too many of them. Some beautiful writing but in general I spent the whole book thinking ‘why am I here? When does this end?‘

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breadnroses
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(Repost) What a strikingly beautiful novel 🥲 I know this book & the author were highly praised in the mainstream & left-wing media last year, so I‘ve been looking forward to reading it— but I didn‘t anticipate devouring it so rapaciously! It‘s been a long time since I couldn‘t put a book down, and I finished this one in 3 days. Planning to blow through Normal People next!

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Taylor
Pickpick

Let‘s start this off right: this book is sexy; it‘s hott with two “t”s. 🥵

The erotic elements work really well; the uncertainty about how these relationships fit; the subtle, emotional pivots. Intellectually this novel is also stellar. The epistolary sections I found fascinating—essayistic tangents in novels will always do it for me.

There are choices I found odd in the final third, but it‘s fine. Mostly this book is explosive.

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Taylor

Of course I wish that I personally were better-looking, and of course I enjoy the validation of feeling that I do look good, but to confuse these basically auto-erotic or status-driven impulses with real aesthetic experience seems to me an extremely serious mistake for anyone who cares about culture.

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Taylor
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Stepping into my basic bitch era….

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zaza03
Mehso-so

The complex details of their lives resonate in my mind like chords, humming dissonance of emotions.

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Prairiegirl_reading
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Panpan

Pretentious twaddle.

Cuilin Love your review. Lol 12mo
Prairiegirl_reading @Cuilin thank you! 😂 12mo
37 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Katie2104
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Panpan

In all honesty, I didn‘t really ‘get‘ this book. I loved Normal People and thought I would give this go but it just didn‘t draw me in like Normal People did. The last few chapters were probably the best as that‘s when it sort of started to make sense. I didn‘t find the characters likeable and I just kept asking myself ‘so what?‘ The emails I found broke up the storyline and quite honestly I didn‘t really understand them. Quite disappointed.

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Anna40
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Bailedbailed

Halfway through, I bail.The dialogues are captivating,the writing concise.There‘s depth and tension in the interaction between characters which kept me interested, the writing is superb. It‘s innovative - I love the idea of the email exchange but that‘s also one of my main issues with the novel: it‘s distracting, the email content condescending and pretentious, preachy even.But what made me bail:I didn‘t like and care about any of the characters.

rachaich I did the same... 13mo
Anna40 @rachaich I don‘t think Rooney is a writer I want to explore more. Perhaps when she‘s older her writing will have more depth (edited) 13mo
25 likes2 comments
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mcctrish
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Pickpick

The characters in this are much more likeable than Normal People but SR is still queen of the non-romance style love story. It‘s awkward and off putting and cringey at times but oh so relatable. She is a phenomenal writer

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mcctrish
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I‘m just moving room to room with different books/magazines

43 likes1 stack add
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Shaaaannnn
Mehso-so

The best part of this book were the last 6 chapters, when they are all finally under one roof. I don‘t think I liked this book per se, but something about it was interesting that I can‘t quite put my finger on… I think I need to ruminate a bit more… I will say, however, that I absolutely hated the emails. What a load of philosophical word vomit.

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erickahhh
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Pickpick

Another great read from Sally Rooney. I loved Normal People and was captured by the similar style of this book. If you are a lover of this author, then you likely enjoy her character development and deep-dive into the complexities of romantic relationships. This book had all of the aspects you love with Rooney's writing while presenting a new story of love, loss, and friendship.

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kissmehardy
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Pickpick

I wanted to sit Alice and Eileen down about once every ten pages and yell IT'S NOT THAT DEEP!!! at them until it sunk in, but I still enjoyed this novel. I'm glad they got soft endings. #contemporaryfiction #literaryfiction

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JenDR

I rather enjoyed Rooney‘s other novels but not this one. I like the email exchange and wish instead of the novel it was a book of essays based on the ideas in the emails. Trying hard to not DNF this but ..... For those who liked it. I‘m 50% done. Does it get better?

ChaoticMissAdventures I loved it! But I would say it doesn't change, it is a constant read. So if you are hating it maybe come back to it at a later date when you are in a different mood (since you liked her others) 2y
2 likes1 comment
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cityofsam
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Pickpick

This book sounded much more appealing to me than Normal People, so I figured I‘d give it a shot and I‘m very glad I did. This book made me think, a lot. About so many topics that people in their 20s and 30s wonder about. My favorite part of the book was the emails exchanged between Alice and Eileen where they pose these questions to one another and just try to figure out the world around them. And obviously there‘s romance as well 🥰

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FelinesAndFelonies
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Pickpick

I have read many reviews where people say this isn't Sally Rooney's best novel. I have only read Normal People other than this one but I found I enjoyed this book quite a lot. I thought the writing was intelligent & wished I had friends to unravel the world in letters with. I related to the insecurity that the characters felt & the disenchantment they experienced with modern society. The character development was outstanding as to be expected.⭐⭐⭐⭐

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angelamiller88
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Mehso-so

This was a fairly enjoyable read about 4 characters, 2 of which are friends. I saw the end coming a mile away sadly and it all ended very abruptly. There were some good parts though, but disappointed that they weren't explored in more depth or let to develop to change the course of the story.

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AnneCecilie
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#AlphabetGame #LetterB

There‘s just something about Rooney‘s writing that I love and I actually had to read the end of this again right after I first finished it. I loved the ending so much.

48 likes1 comment
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janeycanuck
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Panpan

Beautiful quotation marks, where are you

JamieArc 😂😂 2y
janeycanuck @JamieArc WOULD IT KILL HER TO MARK DIALOGUE?! I just can‘t with her anymore… 2y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Oh no!! This drives me crazy!! 2y
Ruthiella 😂😂😂 2y
24 likes4 comments
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JillR
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Pickpick

Oh I loved this. The awkward, uncertain love stories, the complicated parents, the love and friendship between Alice and Eileen. The distant third person writing style. I wasn‘t quite so sure about the existential angst of Alice and Eileen‘s back and forth email exchanges, but they fitted perfectly into the whole. The person who dislikes TV adaptations is now eagerly waiting to see if the BBC are going to treat us to this one.

sprainedbrain Great review. ❤️ 2y
JillR Thank you @squirrelbrain 😊 2y
51 likes2 comments
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Therewillbebooks
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Episode 98 is up and out! We select a new seasonal read and I review the audiobook version of the new Sally Rooney. Is it meant to be as funny as I found it? How much does that matter? Tune in to find out!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7DWVyVmEnsaSWwAdXrXmIs

37 likes1 stack add
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GatheringBooks
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#JulyJam Day 8: Not exactly #BlueberryDay - more like GROM strawberry sorbet kind of day. This Italian sorbet is vegetarian - with fresh pureed strawberries and fresh water from the Piedmontese alps - so absolutely guiltless pleasure. What is your favourite GROM flavor? Unfortunately we don‘t have the limonata sorbet here in the UAE. (More advance posts in preparation for upcoming travel). 💕💕💕

lumbricuslibri I love Grom! Pistacchio is probably my favorite. 🍨 2y
GatheringBooks @lumbricuslibri oooh! We don‘t have pistachio here in the UAE. 😭 Hopefully, soon. 💕 2y
39 likes2 comments
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Hannah_11
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Pickpick

I‘ve had covid this week. So it was the perfect excuse to read as much as I can. This one passed the time nicely #book #sallyrooney

LiteraryinLawrence Hope you‘re back to 100% soon! 2y
4 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Bookishgal71
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Panpan

I‘m so sorry. I could not find anything redeeming about the characters in this story. These are four people, three of whom are lackluster, existing in lackluster romances with each other. It‘s obvious that they settled and I just wanted to scream at them to get on with their lives. #goodreadschoiceawardsbookclub

sprainedbrain I have to know… which character did you think was not lackluster? 2y
Bookishgal71 @sprainedbrain Alice was the character I found most likable, in that she‘s the one I was least irritated by, followed closely by Simon. Have you read it? Did you like it? 2y
sprainedbrain Yes, I listened to the audiobook and I suspect that‘s why I liked it so much more than many of the reviews I‘ve seen. I also love the way Sally Rooney writes, though this is my least favorite of her books. I also liked Alice the best… she could do much better in her choice of partners. 😬 2y
Bookishgal71 Agreed! Next book of hers, I‘ll listen instead of paper read. Just kind of felt like I was spying on an ordinary conversation. 2y
31 likes4 comments
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ItsAnotherJen
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Not sure I like how this is written. I'm having a hard time connecting with the characters. I feel like you are looking at them through a window. Just getting cold observations.
Maybe the book gets better by the end.

Eta: It did not get better. I did get used to the style of writing. It's just not my jam. This book is depressing.
(Also I must add-I do not like Felix. 😬)⭐⭐

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Yahui07
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Mehso-so

I like the writing style more than the story itself. I like the cover as well!

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Hlvanpaemel
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“Just don‘t get stressed!”

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youneverarrived
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Pickpick

I didn‘t really like the characters in this, they felt a bit juvenile for their age, although at the same time they were realistic. Loved the ending - that turned it from a so-so into a pick. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

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MrsMalaprop
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Mehso-so

I was a fan of Normal People. I love quality fiction that is unique and subversive. So I was keen to read Beautiful World.

However this one didn‘t quite work for me. The four main characters weren‘t developed enough for me to know and invest in them. They felt somewhat whiney and annoying. Maybe I‘m just too old to ‘get‘ them?

The writing was good. There was just something missing here for me 🤷‍♀️🤔.

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Cathyloves2read
Panpan

Ugh.I hate leaving a bad review.I really didnt enjoy this book After reading it,I ask myself “what was the point?”.I feel like I‘ve just read about a bunch of people living very ordinary, uneventful lives.I know I wouldnt have finished this book if I didnt own a hard copy.The chapters were extremely long, and there wasn‘t much dialogue,so it was long paragraph after long paragraph.Im not sure what genre this book is, but it‘s definitely not for me

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BarbaraBB
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It was a close call for today‘s match. With 11 to 10 votes our winner is Beautiful World, Where Are You. Again we differ from the judges‘ choice in the real #ToB22! In this case it isn‘t that surprising I think, as they almost never favour the more mainstream novels. What do you think of the judges‘ comments?

Chelsea wants the Rooney to be this year‘s winner so for her it‘s a good thing that the book is one step closer in getting there!

BarbaraBB I am now a bit sorry I didn‘t vote for In Concrete. Iiked neither of these books very much but after reading Cari Luna‘s thoughts I do agree with her that I should have gone with the more daring book. (edited) 2y
Addison_Reads Interesting results today. Personally, neither of these were favorites, but I did enjoy In Concrete more than the Rooney. I don't think either are strong enough to win it all though when compared to other books on the list. 2y
Addison_Reads @BarbaraBB that's the reason I voted for In Concrete because it pushed boundaries in literature, whereas the Rooney just felt like her other books and didn't bring anything exciting or new to the table. 2y
See All 27 Comments
ImperfectCJ I wasn't a fan of either of these, but I am happy that In Concrete won in the actual ToB. The book that pushes boundaries and doesn't quite hit me personally should get the vote over a book that doesn't quite succeed at doing something conventional. I suppose this is a good argument for Copeland Cane, too (although I think The Sentence does succeed at what it attempts). (edited) 2y
Cinfhen Because I didn‘t read In Concrete I voted for the Rooney but in truth, I dislike Rooney and I‘m happy to see its journey end in the real tournament. #BeingPetty 😜 2y
Addison_Reads @Cinfhen I loved your response. 😂 I'm glad it's out of the real one and hope it doesn't come back from the dead either. 2y
Cinfhen Thanks @Addison_Reads how are you feeling today?? BTW: I TOTALLY forgot about the pesky zombie 🧟 🧟‍♀️ 🧟‍♂️ 2y
BkClubCare Applause 👏 (by which I mean, I love this stuff - and I am cheering that one TOB goes for In Concrete, and this one, not.) (edited) 2y
merelybookish @Cinfhen I also voted for Rooney because I hadn't read the other. I do like Rooney and liked that book. Still, I don't think it should have been included in the first place. Rooney won the rooster once. Feels unnecessary for her to be included again. 2y
Ruthiella I don‘t remember which way I voted now! 😂 But honestly, I didn‘t care for either. In Concrete was clever, but not enough story for me. And Rooney writes basically what I consider “romance” in the sense that the plot hinges on a “will they won‘t they” and I don‘t typically care for that in novels. 2y
Suet624 Like @merelybookish and @Cinfhen I didn‘t read In Concrete. I‘m currently 0-2 with the judges. I‘m okay with Rooney leaving though. I liked the book but it didn‘t match the caliber of some of the other books in the TOB. 2y
BkClubCare @Ruthiella - I don‘t remember how I voted here in Litsy (and that‘s fine) but this is my first year to enter a bracket anywhere else.🏆 2y
BarbaraBB @Addison_Reads @ImperfectCJ @Cinfhen @BkClubCare @merelybookish @Ruthiella @Suet624 Bases on all comments I don‘t think Beautiful World will come very far in our tournament either 😃 (edited) 2y
sarahbarnes I unabashedly love Rooney novels and was disappointed that it didn‘t make it today. But I agree with others here that In Concrete is a much more daring and creative book, and I‘m also glad it‘s not out of the running. The joys of the ToB. 2y
squirrelbrain I voted for In Concrete as I found it very clever, although I agree with @ruthiella that there wasn‘t much storyline. Pleased that it‘s moving on in the real #tob. 2y
Well-ReadNeck It just happens that I didn‘t read either of these but voted for Concrete because I feel like the judge about Rooney. But, the judgment did not make me want to go back and pick up Concrete, either mostly because I think the puns would drive me 🥜 2y
Hooked_on_books I could have made my vote for today with a coin toss since, like many others here, I didn‘t love either of these books. I like the idea here and from Luna of choosing the more daring book, though I voted for BW. I‘m shocked but kinda glad it‘s been booted out of the official TOB. 2y
Readerann I haven‘t read either book, but I have In Concrete on my Kindle and WILL read it so that‘s the one that got my vote. The comments about it here intrigue me - not so much with the Rooney. 2y
BkClubCare @Hooked_on_books - and I‘ll be shocked if it doesn‘t Zombie 🧟‍♀️ 2y
Hooked_on_books @BkClubCare Yeah, me too. Unfortunately. 😜 2y
thebluestocking Like @sarahbarnes I‘m a Rooney fan. I liked Beautiful World, and I did not enjoy the experience of reading In Concrete at all. That said, I could see the decision coming a mile away once the judge said she wasn‘t a Rooney fan. I was surprised that the score was so close here on Litsy though! (edited) 2y
kwmg40 I didn't care all that much for Normal People so I didn't bother reading Beautiful World. I have mixed feelings about Concrete but appreciated the judge's comments about it. 2y
Mindyrecycles I‘m not anti-Rooney and frankly I think the Rooney “hate” goes a little over the top sometimes. However I am anti-Beautiful World. 😂 Not her best effort or even a good one. 2y
Addison_Reads @Mindyrecycles I loved Normal People by Rooney, but I agree that Beautiful World wasn't her best effort. 2y
BarbaraBB @Mindyrecycles I agree about the Rooney hate. Like @Addison_Reads I was not a fan of this book but I LOVED 2y
cariashley Agree with so many of the comments here - didn‘t love either book but was so impressed by the process of In Concrete. I ambivalently voted for BW because it had a bit more meat on the bones plot wise, but I‘m happy to see In Concrete progress in the official. 2y
68 likes27 comments
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Sophronisba
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Day 2 of the Morning News Tournament of Books! Today it is Beautiful World, Where Are You vs. In Concrete.

Beautiful World, Where Are You surprised me with its thoughtfulness about female friendship & led me to reflect that I, too, wouldn't know who I was without my best friends.

In Concrete forced me to read an entire chapter about spitting.

I'm rooting for Beautiful World, Where Are You.

Ruthiella 😂😂😂 2y
Sophronisba 😭 😭 😭 2y
BarbaraBB Fortunately it made it to the next round in our parallel ToB! 2y
13 likes3 comments
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actualdisneyprincess
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I don‘t know if I‘m going to be able to get very far with this book; I already abhor the way it‘s written - no quotation marks, really? Also, the writing in general sounds…off, to me - and I just…don‘t know. Any input on whether or not I should keep going? 😬 #beautifulworldwhereareyou #sallyrooney

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ImperfectCJ
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Panpan

I found this novel surprisingly annoying. The characters are self-absorbed and engage in weaponized armchair psychology in their short-lived disagreements. The lockdown is tacked on at the end in order, I think, to make the book seem timely. The whole thing feels melodramatic and adolescent, soft-core intimate encounters interspersed with tantrums. #ToB2022

rachaich I bailed on it after loving her others. I felt too old for this one... 2y
ImperfectCJ @rachaich I haven't read anything else by this author, but I definitely relate to the "I'm too old for this" feeling around this book. 2y
BkClubCare Great review 2y
53 likes3 comments
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batsy
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Mehso-so

A book that let me down, because I started it thinking it will go one way, and midway through I thought maybe it would go another way, and because I think Rooney is talented and smart, the ending feels like a capitulation. Explained myself better in my GR review, I hope: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4536317963

A so-so instead of a pan because for large parts of the book I was invested.

BiblioLitten I remember reading Normal People, enjoying it and then I had to return the book. I picked it up later to discover that I didn‘t like it at all. 🤦🏻‍♀️ Anne of Green Gables might have distracted me 😅 2y
batsy @BiblioLitten I liked Normal People; found it quite moving but I do understand what you mean—if I'd put it aside for another book I might not have felt the same about it later. This one though was disappointing in how it ended. 2y
119 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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themonaisa
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Bailedbailed

Don‘t know why I couldn‘t get into it. I tried really hard for my love of Sally Rooney, especially with Normal People. Her other two books suck you in; the characters hit you right in the gut with aloofness in bizarre situations that ends up being so relatable. I didn‘t get the same depth here. A lot of rambling too (which was also the case in CWF) that got confusing because of how it‘s written. Wish I could‘ve loved it, but not for me.

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Brimful
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Pickpick

Controversial opinion I know but for me the best of Rooney‘s novels to date. It was pitch perfect on negotiating sexual relationships when the norm of heterosexual marriage has lost power and on engaging with meta politics when individual young people feel so powerless. Beautifully written eminently quotable and important.

Cathythoughts Nice review! I enjoyed her first 2, looking forward to getting to this one soon 😄 2y
13 likes1 comment
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MelKelsey
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Mehso-so

Book 16

A book about four 30-somethings-friendship, life, mental health, and relationships. The characters aren't incredibly interesting or likable. The book was fine but could have been better.

⭐⭐⭐

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ICantImReading
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

There is something about the precision and frankness of Rooney‘s writing that draws me in. At times affected, but often remarkably insightful, it‘s such a quotable book. Admittedly, it‘s not really about anything, but it‘s also about the only thing that really matters - finding the beauty and simplicity in the way we love each other in this (at times) depressing world.

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Mindyrecycles
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Panpan

I honestly wanted to like Beautiful World, but for me it was pretty bad. #ItHadToBeYou #JanuaryStats @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks #tob22

BarbaraBB So many ToB books! Which did you like best of these? 2y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 👍🏻📚👏🏻 2y
Eggs Well done 👍🏼 2y
Mindyrecycles @BarbaraBB Yes ToB is my life til I get them all in. 😂 The Tucci was for book club. All‘s Well and Book of Form were the January standouts for me. 2y
60 likes4 comments
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alisiakae
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Mehso-so

I really enjoyed Rooney‘s first 2 books, but It took me forever to work my way through this one. I‘m not sure why, but I found myself just not caring nearly as much, which didn‘t exactly Lori ate me to finish the book! But finish i finally did. Third person omniscient is not my favorite POV, and parts felt like it was straight out of a script instead of a novel. Yet, there was enough I liked to hang in there till the end. #tob2022 #tobshortlist

squirrelbrain This was my least favourite of Rooney‘s books too. 2y
See All 10 Comments
BarbaraBB Mine too. 2y
Cortg I haven‘t read her yet but I have a book of hers on my nightstand 2y
alisiakae @Cortg If I remember, a lot of her books have parties in them, so you might be able to use it for the same #pop22 prompt as I did for this one! Normal People is my favorite one 2y
alisiakae @squirrelbrain @BarbaraBB I guess I‘m not alone! One of the things that really irked me is the zero consequences for some of Felix‘s behavior. I felt he had some major emotional abuse flags going off. 2y
Cortg Ah, good to know! 2y
thebluestocking I didn‘t love this one as much as her others either. And it has been enough months since I‘ve read it that I can only remember vague details. 2y
Ruthiella Yes, it did seem oddly scripted, didn‘t it? I also felt little interest in the characters or their outcome. 2y
96 likes10 comments
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alisiakae
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Two non-spoilerish thoughts so far:

1. I want to put on my HIV educator hat and give all of these characters a safe sex talk.

2. All this talk of travelling to Rome, London, Paris, etc is frustrating, as we‘ve tried multiple times since 2019 to plan both a European and Middle East trip and Covid keeps interfering. #jealous

#tob #tobshortlist

BookNAround COVID has managed to tank at least two trips for me too. ☹️ 2y
Susanita Yep. COVID has messed up the same trip for me twice (original and rescheduled). 2y
81 likes2 comments
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aronlled
Pickpick

10 stars