Loved it. Slow and sprawling in parts, and characters we don‘t know much, but such is life. Lovely writing. Made me ache over how much inequality persists from the legacy of mythology around our wombs.

This is an odd read - slow to build, not entirely convincing in many ways, and led by a mostly unlikable narrator - and yet I found myself rapt. If you love a book that makes you put it down every now and again, diving down the online bunny holes for info on what really happened, try this.

Beautiful writing from Yaa Gyasi- I may have loved this even more than Homegoing. The push-and-tug of spirituality and science (not opposites anyway one might say) is so beautifully expressed, as are the vicious ebbs and flows of addiction and profound depression. Not a joyful read, by any means, but one that will stick with me for quite awhile.

Oh how unsettling and haunting. Surreal yet all-too-real. So frustrating and uncomfortable to read, so hard to recommend (like, why do this to yourself??), but still.. imagery that will stick in mind for a long, long time. Strange to love a book but also be so relieved it‘s over.

I want to capture every page.

Meh. Kinda incongruous for me - bordering on annoying & flippant, reality-tv like writing thru much it, mixed with deep topics that demand some gravitas. At least for this mom at the start of another bizarre homeschooling year.

Closing the last page in the quiet of dawn, soaking up its beauty. A sweeping story of one man‘s life. The last 300 pages fly too quickly. A gorgeous book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️What a spectacular book. Favorite of the year. I was hoping for something good from this author of The Mothers, but this aching, beautiful story of identity, belonging, and family far surpassed expectations. Heartbroken that it‘s over.

Fun, relatively light-hearted read during heavy (world-weary) days. Didn‘t love the structure (altho email excerpts, podcast dialogue scripts, etc., broke up sections for a modern feel and easy-read quality) but the narrative and storyline were lovely in parts and overall hooked me. A good summer read, for sure.

Beautiful, complex story of a family over the course of 50 or so years. I called my sister several times to read passages aloud to her. The essence of one gorgeous line: Home is not so much a place, but the feeling of my sister there.

Mid-May, and this takes #1 so far this year. A rich, raw, beautifully written story. The writing and imagery gets better and better through to the last page.

A well-written romance that is fun to read, tugging on heartstrings in all the right places.

After staring me down from my shelf for months, this book has attached itself to my heart.

Wonderful read. Lovely writing, compelling story, brilliant chapter titles (yes, chapter titles!!) I can‘t wait to see what this writer does next. Surprise (aching) love story also a bonus. I don‘t think that‘s a spoiler...

Oh my heart, this book. THIS BOOK. Yes it‘s too long - but it‘s still worth every word and then some. This book shattered me. It‘s flat-out brilliant.

For what it‘s worth, I generally make a point of never leaving bad reviews. But where is the “I hated this book so much I literally threw it in the trash when I finished it, and I only finished it because some sick part of me needed to know if it was really, truly this bad” button to click? Yeesh.

A very special book. Not a perfect one, but read it anyway.

Love this book!! What a wonderful read - history, nature, bad-ass women, books... What could be better?

As others have commented, the first half is a bit slow, and it took me awhile to buy into the style (which felt gimmicky at first).. But in the end, a beauty. Heart wrenching scenes of addiction (worth a note of caution re: triggers, maybe.) Fabulous dive into the era and the music scene of the day. Worth BOTM book of the year? Not for me. But definitely a good read.

I found this story so moving. Six friends finding their way. Desperately sad and hopeful at the same time, this is the kind of book that seems to breathe love, which is just the best kind. Reminded me a little of The Immortalists, which I also loved, but maybe even liked this one more. Rich, round characters and great dialogue.

Totally get that folks found this one tedious. It‘s painfully pedantic at times & the protagonist frankly drove me nuts. But there‘s a whole feminist scientist theme going on that was fab, plus I‘ve gotta “pick” it just for the Jersey locale!

Just closed the last page but wishing there were a few more. An enjoyable read- laugh-out-loud lines plus characters who get more complex as the story unfolds. At first I wasn‘t sure McCauley could write women, and I‘m still not a total fan of the generalized mother-whore tendencies, but the protagonist is interesting and the plot makes for a good summer book. Language that‘s a bit too quippy at the start makes way for insights later.

Loved this book! A twisty turny tangled delight.

Haven‘t seen many kids‘ books reviews ‘round these parts, but this book still makes me both weep and laugh out loud- now reading to the kiddos. Gotta love a Gooseberry.

Can‘t hold a candle to Bel Canto (not much can) but a darn good read.

I would quote the entirety of these pages if I could. Extraordinary. My hands-down favorite book of the last few years.

In the lifetime top 10.

This book is wild. While it took a good half of it to actually get what was going on, by the time it struck me - I hit the rhythm; got walloped by the characters - I was shaken. I went back to the beginning and reread a huge chunk, then read slower and slower to the end. Incredible.

My favorite book last year. I‘m waiting until I forget enough so I can read it again. The writing is so rich with detail of the period, and the protagonist is so, so endearing. Illicit trade, scuba diving, feminism, love... What‘s not to love?! (OK maybe just a tad long...but still worth every word)

Trigger warnings. From alcoholism to guns to abuse to mental illness, this book is deep and dark. Still, the love that runs through it makes it well worth the trip.

My god, what a devastating and yet gorgeous book. First of all, Tommy Orange: you‘re brilliant. Second, this should be required reading.

Don‘t let the length scare you! After 50 or so pages to get into the characters, I found this to be such a smooth and compelling read. A beautiful fictionalized take on real people. Complex morality, with (seldom told) story emphasis on the LGBTQ experience during the WWII era. Totally recommend.

Picked this book up after walking by the cover many times in a train station, thinking the cover seemed too silly. Ended up buying it and reading cover to cover in one night! What a beautiful book with marvelous characters. The second half was extraordinary. Then, my favorite kind of ending- the kind you read more and more slowly so that last page won‘t yet come.