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Stir-Fry
Seventeen and sure of nothing, Maria has left her parents' small-town grocery for university life in Dublin. An ad in the Student Union - "2 ♀ seek flatmate. No bigots." - leads Maria to a home with warm Ruth and wickedly funny Jael, students who are older and more fascinating than she'd expected.
A poignant, funny, and sharply insightful coming-of-age story, Stir-Fry is a lesbian novel that explores the conundrum of desire arising in the midst of friendship and probes feminist ideas of sisterhood and non-possessiveness.
A poignant, funny, and sharply insightful coming-of-age story, Stir-Fry is a lesbian novel that explores the conundrum of desire arising in the midst of friendship and probes feminist ideas of sisterhood and non-possessiveness.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
31 people are currently reading
3992 people want to read
About the author
Emma Donoghue
77 books13.2k followersGrew up in Ireland, 20s in England doing a PhD in eighteenth-century literature, since then in Canada. Best known for my novel, film and play ROOM, also other contemporary and historical novels and short stories, non-fiction, theatre and middle-grade novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 206 reviews
February 19, 2020
Stir-Fry is Emma Donoghue's first novel, from before she became Slammerkin Emma Donoghue and certainly well before she became Emma Donoghue of Room fame. It was reviewed in Sassy magazine upon its hardback release in 1994, after which my sister and I read and liked it, but didn't love it. The paperback edition was released in 1996 by Alyson, the premier U.S. LGBT publisher of the time, which went under after it switched to all ebooks extremely prematurely. Stir-Fry has been out of print ever since, and I've wondered many times why the now-acclaimed Emma Donoghue hasn't allowed another publisher to bring it out. Now that I've reread it, I understand.
Stir-Fry is definitely dated, but not dated enough. Older books like, say, Fear of Flying or Tales of the City may not feel particularly relevant to our current moment, but they shed some light on the time when they were truly influential. When it comes to the mixture of "tolerance," ignorance, and downright homophobia the college students of Stir-Fry face, well... it's not quite the same as our current moment, but it's not far enough in our rear-view mirror to be truly educational, either. It all just feels a little... maybe "stale" is the word I'm looking for.
Equally stale is the book's structure. It's all talk, talk, talk, like Reality Bites or Before Sunrise if they happened to take place in a Dublin apartment. That doesn't sound too bad, but the endless dialogue probably seemed more clever back in the day, and 2020 Julie needed a little more action, a lot sooner than it eventually arrived.
Which is not to say this book is a waste of time. It's pleasant, its characters are likable enough, and I respect the considerable significance it had back in the 1990s, both for its subject matter and as the first stepping stone in the storied career that it turned out Emma Donoghue had ahead of her.
Stir-Fry is definitely dated, but not dated enough. Older books like, say, Fear of Flying or Tales of the City may not feel particularly relevant to our current moment, but they shed some light on the time when they were truly influential. When it comes to the mixture of "tolerance," ignorance, and downright homophobia the college students of Stir-Fry face, well... it's not quite the same as our current moment, but it's not far enough in our rear-view mirror to be truly educational, either. It all just feels a little... maybe "stale" is the word I'm looking for.
Equally stale is the book's structure. It's all talk, talk, talk, like Reality Bites or Before Sunrise if they happened to take place in a Dublin apartment. That doesn't sound too bad, but the endless dialogue probably seemed more clever back in the day, and 2020 Julie needed a little more action, a lot sooner than it eventually arrived.
Which is not to say this book is a waste of time. It's pleasant, its characters are likable enough, and I respect the considerable significance it had back in the 1990s, both for its subject matter and as the first stepping stone in the storied career that it turned out Emma Donoghue had ahead of her.
March 4, 2009
i am such a sucker for a good lesbian story, and i think this is one of the best. i remember finishing it over some depressing stint at home and walking around for the rest of the day with a doofy grin on my face. it did however, make me really nervous 3/4ths of the way through because i realized that the way she had set things up, the ending was going to be really important to the story. it wasn't just going to end the story, it was going to completely make or break the story. and fortunately, i think she has an eye for endings.
February 5, 2014
Two stars might be a little harsh; maybe three would be more fair. But the fact is, I didn't like reading Stir-fry. It's not for the characters or the plot or the theme, which I'll get into in a moment, but just the writing style. Stir-fry exists in the same world as beginner's fanfic where the characters sullenly fling peas across the table, dodge kicks between dialogue, and sail into anime pratfalls in response to every lame verbal "barb".
In short, the style blows. And more than anything, that wore away my goodwill.
Now, that's just the style, let's talk content. The characters are fine-- not deep, not complex, but consistent and effective at their purposes. They're not always likeable (not often likeable, actually), but they're never so unlikeable or unrelateable that it interferes with Donoghue's intentions.
Similarly, the plot isn't bad. It's basic, maybe unremarkable, but not poorly done. Consistent, a little predictable, but never any kind of real slog. The book isn't very dense so--outside of the style--there's not any point that feels like it's dragging.
The thematic content I found mostly non-existent. That's not a knock against it, though. In this kind of experience-based, coming-of-age/coming-into-one's-sexuality (maybe that's redundant) story you don't necessarily need a bunch of thick subtext to have a good time. Donoghue's building of a conservative young woman in a time of much more stringent homophobia (and sexism) into a liberal adult with some measure of agency is done fairly well. Perhaps in the 90s--or maybe in Ireland, as a Canadian I'm inequipped to judge this story's relevance with regard to Irish/European culture--this had more punch. But I'd venture that modern audiences will have a hard time identifying with the challenges of the protagonist with regard to her blossoming acceptance/understanding of homosexuality.
So maybe two stars was a little harsh. I didn't hate reading this, but I did speed through the last third. I could not read one more amateurish line of exposition. I don't want to sandbag Donoghue as it was her first book and she has a lot of critical acclaim to her name now, so, for my own part, I would consider picking up one of her later novels to judge how far she's come. What's more, as a straight guy, maybe the themes or subject matter of the book just don't hit me as hard as they might a woman, a gay woman, or whomever.
At the end of the day, though, there's no excuse for the style. Maybe the substance rises higher above it than I give it credit for, but that style is still way down in the mud.
In short, the style blows. And more than anything, that wore away my goodwill.
Now, that's just the style, let's talk content. The characters are fine-- not deep, not complex, but consistent and effective at their purposes. They're not always likeable (not often likeable, actually), but they're never so unlikeable or unrelateable that it interferes with Donoghue's intentions.
Similarly, the plot isn't bad. It's basic, maybe unremarkable, but not poorly done. Consistent, a little predictable, but never any kind of real slog. The book isn't very dense so--outside of the style--there's not any point that feels like it's dragging.
The thematic content I found mostly non-existent. That's not a knock against it, though. In this kind of experience-based, coming-of-age/coming-into-one's-sexuality (maybe that's redundant) story you don't necessarily need a bunch of thick subtext to have a good time. Donoghue's building of a conservative young woman in a time of much more stringent homophobia (and sexism) into a liberal adult with some measure of agency is done fairly well. Perhaps in the 90s--or maybe in Ireland, as a Canadian I'm inequipped to judge this story's relevance with regard to Irish/European culture--this had more punch. But I'd venture that modern audiences will have a hard time identifying with the challenges of the protagonist with regard to her blossoming acceptance/understanding of homosexuality.
So maybe two stars was a little harsh. I didn't hate reading this, but I did speed through the last third. I could not read one more amateurish line of exposition. I don't want to sandbag Donoghue as it was her first book and she has a lot of critical acclaim to her name now, so, for my own part, I would consider picking up one of her later novels to judge how far she's come. What's more, as a straight guy, maybe the themes or subject matter of the book just don't hit me as hard as they might a woman, a gay woman, or whomever.
At the end of the day, though, there's no excuse for the style. Maybe the substance rises higher above it than I give it credit for, but that style is still way down in the mud.
August 11, 2007
I love this one!! Someone once called it a "comfort book", which I thought was a good description. Real, likeable characters. I sympathize with Maria's awkwardness but am impressed by how self-assured she is. The ending is a nice surprise, but feels right. Sometimes I re-read just the last two pages 'cuz they make me smile :)
June 14, 2016
i liked the writing, but didn't like how for a long while it sounds like the pov person is a straight gawping at her lesbian flatmates. it's not that in the end, but it still got on my nerves a bit. also would have given a higher rating if it wasn't for some biphobia and "asexual, like a plant" (an actual quote).
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February 25, 2024The most aggressively British book I’ve read in years.
February 28, 2019
Read it when it first came out & loved it. Now it feels dated - it is - set in 1989 - and slower than I remember. Actually, whereas before she filled me with optimism, it now it fills me with sadness.
October 16, 2024
3.8
QUEEEEE
props to me por no atender nada en clase al parecer porque me ha sorprendido tantísimo el final. Jael no te odio tanto como te odiaba hace 40 páginas pero bro why the fuck are you like that.
QUEEEEE
props to me por no atender nada en clase al parecer porque me ha sorprendido tantísimo el final. Jael no te odio tanto como te odiaba hace 40 páginas pero bro why the fuck are you like that.
April 16, 2018
3.5* A gently-written coming-of-age story, with a bit more depth than appears at first glance, and a bit of a reminder just how short a time ago that Dublin (along with so many other places) was such a hostile place for anyone of "unconventional" sexual preferences. It doesn't demonstrate the skill that Donoghue acquired by her later books, but I still enjoyed it.
April 2, 2018
Geez, this is tough. I'm a seasoned fan of Emma Donoghue, fic and non fic, and thought I'd love everything she's written. Alas, I can find little to admire and even less to like in this.
The ingredients for Stir Fry sound promising enough: naive girl goes to uni, has lesbian flatmates, has her whole life turned around. Unfortunately the blurb is the most exciting thing about it. Maria (pretentiously pronounced to rhyme with "pariah,"which oh so wittily becomes her nickname) is an extremely irritating protagonist, fancying random guys on her course because it's "expected," hanging out with a girl she has nothing but contempt for and blind to the fact she fancies Ruth. Somehow the enormous hint that she creeps inside her flatmates' wardrobe and masturbates amongst Ruth's clothes passes her by. (Sorry to be crude; I was equally incredulous when reading said scene).
Ruth's nice, if somewhat stereotypical - she's a bit of an earth mother and selflessly cooks and looks after the ménage. Jael, her motormouthed girlfriend, is a very different kettle of fish; I get the impression that Donoghue intended her to be some kind of bisexual rake, a loveable rogue, but instead she behaves like a brutish boyfriend, slobbing around and running Ruth down at every opportunity. She's so confident in her desirability she plays a play for Maria, never once considering Maria might actually like the flatmate who isn't an egocentric tool. Perhaps it's good that she aggravated me so much - it's a sign I was engaging with the characters, which wouldn't have happened if they had been flat or dull.
Some of these issues can be forgiven by remembering its era - it was published in 1994 and set in a notoriously homophobic country - but my chief issue with the book is a lack of direction. The first year of uni might be a confusing mess of a time, when you're trying to work out who you want to be, but I read for a satisfying journey and sense of narrative, and the novel has neither. No sooner had Maria realised she loved Ruth than it finished - almost as though Donoghue had chickened out on a happy ending.
The ingredients for Stir Fry sound promising enough: naive girl goes to uni, has lesbian flatmates, has her whole life turned around. Unfortunately the blurb is the most exciting thing about it. Maria (pretentiously pronounced to rhyme with "pariah,"which oh so wittily becomes her nickname) is an extremely irritating protagonist, fancying random guys on her course because it's "expected," hanging out with a girl she has nothing but contempt for and blind to the fact she fancies Ruth. Somehow the enormous hint that she creeps inside her flatmates' wardrobe and masturbates amongst Ruth's clothes passes her by. (Sorry to be crude; I was equally incredulous when reading said scene).
Ruth's nice, if somewhat stereotypical - she's a bit of an earth mother and selflessly cooks and looks after the ménage. Jael, her motormouthed girlfriend, is a very different kettle of fish; I get the impression that Donoghue intended her to be some kind of bisexual rake, a loveable rogue, but instead she behaves like a brutish boyfriend, slobbing around and running Ruth down at every opportunity. She's so confident in her desirability she plays a play for Maria, never once considering Maria might actually like the flatmate who isn't an egocentric tool. Perhaps it's good that she aggravated me so much - it's a sign I was engaging with the characters, which wouldn't have happened if they had been flat or dull.
Some of these issues can be forgiven by remembering its era - it was published in 1994 and set in a notoriously homophobic country - but my chief issue with the book is a lack of direction. The first year of uni might be a confusing mess of a time, when you're trying to work out who you want to be, but I read for a satisfying journey and sense of narrative, and the novel has neither. No sooner had Maria realised she loved Ruth than it finished - almost as though Donoghue had chickened out on a happy ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 15, 2017
I've been wanting to read this since I first discovered Emma Donoghue. My response to it is as a writer. There's nothing like reading an author's entire body of work (almost, in this case).
It's not bad for a first novel, but it's far from the quality we've come to expect from Donoghue, which makes it so useful. It’s kind of a mess, feels disjointed, and is full of short, choppy scenes. Gestures don’t mean anything, they are just pauses. Why does Maria yawn so much (other yawn unexpectedly too)? But it's cool to see how she’s grown as a writer.
It's hard to believe this is the same writer as Room. Yet that’s how it should be. There are any number of lesfic writers who are doing no better than their first novel 10 or more later. And some did their best work in their first novel.
It can be discouraging to read someone like Emma Donoghue and think, I can never do this. Well, she couldn't always either! Sure, there's talent, but there's also hard work and a willingness to learn!
It's not bad for a first novel, but it's far from the quality we've come to expect from Donoghue, which makes it so useful. It’s kind of a mess, feels disjointed, and is full of short, choppy scenes. Gestures don’t mean anything, they are just pauses. Why does Maria yawn so much (other yawn unexpectedly too)? But it's cool to see how she’s grown as a writer.
It's hard to believe this is the same writer as Room. Yet that’s how it should be. There are any number of lesfic writers who are doing no better than their first novel 10 or more later. And some did their best work in their first novel.
It can be discouraging to read someone like Emma Donoghue and think, I can never do this. Well, she couldn't always either! Sure, there's talent, but there's also hard work and a willingness to learn!
January 25, 2014
I like this coming to yourself story. I wish I had found Emma Donoghue's books when I was struggling with the same things back at college in Dublin. But over 10 years later I enjoyed being transported back to the that time through the character of this book.
While this isn't the best book you'll read by the author, it is her first and you can catch glimpses of the better writer she has become in some of the pages here.
It's a simple story of youth finding itself and a quick and enjoyable read.
After all of Donoghue's books I feel like Maria when she says "The flat's strangeness had rubbed off on her. She was branded." Donoghue always leaves me feeling a little something after turning the last page of one of her books.
While this isn't the best book you'll read by the author, it is her first and you can catch glimpses of the better writer she has become in some of the pages here.
It's a simple story of youth finding itself and a quick and enjoyable read.
After all of Donoghue's books I feel like Maria when she says "The flat's strangeness had rubbed off on her. She was branded." Donoghue always leaves me feeling a little something after turning the last page of one of her books.
May 22, 2016
A slow start, but a fantastic, heart-warming finish. The book was published in 2005, but the view on LGB matters - including Maria's own feelings on this - was archaic & really shocked & depressed me. It felt more like it was set in the mid-80s, not ten years later. Maybe because it's set in Ireland?
Things really picked up for me in the last third of the book. At one happy moment, I thought Maria, Ruth & Jael were gonna form a happy, extended lesbian threesome. I'd definitely be keen to read an alternative version of this that made this happen! As it was, I was pretty satisfied with the ending after all.
Things really picked up for me in the last third of the book. At one happy moment, I thought Maria, Ruth & Jael were gonna form a happy, extended lesbian threesome. I'd definitely be keen to read an alternative version of this that made this happen! As it was, I was pretty satisfied with the ending after all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 14, 2012
I normally avoid anything that could be described as a 'coming of age' story, but this was charming, if not always comfortable to read. The main characters were not always likeable, but were interesting and flawed. I loved the focus on female friendships, relationships, and sexuality.
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October 1, 2008When I was a baby lesbian, I really really wanted to make a movie of this book.
June 16, 2016
It's that time of year for a reread while tucked into the couch with a pot of tea. Bliss.
***
Such a perfect book to read on a cosy autumn day! Love this book to bits, going on literally.
***
Such a perfect book to read on a cosy autumn day! Love this book to bits, going on literally.
November 22, 2023
Het origineel! Is echt veel beter!!! 4.5 i love her
October 3, 2024
alexa play "we fell in love in october" de girl in red
March 17, 2025
(3.5) After enjoying Slammerkin so much last year, I decided to catch up on more of Donoghue’s way-back catalogue. She tends to alternate between contemporary and historical settings. I have a slight preference for the former, but she can excel at both; it really depends on the book. I reckon this was edgy for its time. Maria (whose name rhymes with “pariah”) arrives in Dublin for university at age 17, green in every way after a religious upbringing in the countryside. In response to a flat-share advert stipulating “NO BIGOTS,” she ends up living with Ruth and Jael (pronounced “Yale”), two mature students. Ruth is the mother hen, doing all the cooking and fretting over the others’ wellbeing; Jael is a wild, henna-haired 30-year-old prone to drinking whisky by the mug-full. Maria attends lectures, takes a job cleaning office buildings, and finds a friend circle through her backstage student theatre volunteering. She’s mildly interested in American exchange student Galway and then leather-clad Damien (until she realizes he has a boyfriend), but nothing ever goes further than a kiss.
It’s obvious to readers that Ruth and Jael are a couple, but Maria doesn’t work it out until a third of the way into the book. At first she’s mortified, but soon the realization is just one more aspect of her coming of age. Maria’s friend Yvonne can’t understand why she doesn’t leave – “how can you put up with being a gooseberry?” – but Maria insists, “They really don’t make me feel left out … I think they need me to absorb some of the static. They say they’d be fighting like cats if I wasn’t around to distract them.” Scenes alternate between the flat and the campus, which Donoghue depicts as a place where radicalism and repression jostle for position. Ruth drags Maria to a Tuesday evening Women’s Group meeting that ends abruptly: “A porter put his greying head in the door to comment that they’d have to be out in five minutes, girls, this room was booked for the archaeologists’ cheese ’n’ wine.” Later, Ruth’s is the Against voice in a debate on “That homosexuality is a blot on Irish society.”
Mostly, this short novel is a dance between the three central characters. The Irish-accented banter between them is a joy. Jael’s devil-may-care attitude contrasts with Ruth and Maria’s anxiety about how they are perceived by others. Ruth and Jael are figures in the Hebrew Bible and their devotion/boldness dichotomy is applicable to the characters here, too. The stereotypical markers of lesbian identity haven’t really changed, but had Donoghue written this now I think she would at least have made Maria a year older and avoided negativity about Damien and Jael’s bisexuality. At heart this is a sweet romance and an engaging picture of early 1990s feminism, but it doesn’t completely steer clear of predictability and I would have happily taken another 50–70 pages if it meant she could have fleshed out the characters and their interactions a little more. [Guess what was for my lunch this afternoon? Stir fry!]
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
It’s obvious to readers that Ruth and Jael are a couple, but Maria doesn’t work it out until a third of the way into the book. At first she’s mortified, but soon the realization is just one more aspect of her coming of age. Maria’s friend Yvonne can’t understand why she doesn’t leave – “how can you put up with being a gooseberry?” – but Maria insists, “They really don’t make me feel left out … I think they need me to absorb some of the static. They say they’d be fighting like cats if I wasn’t around to distract them.” Scenes alternate between the flat and the campus, which Donoghue depicts as a place where radicalism and repression jostle for position. Ruth drags Maria to a Tuesday evening Women’s Group meeting that ends abruptly: “A porter put his greying head in the door to comment that they’d have to be out in five minutes, girls, this room was booked for the archaeologists’ cheese ’n’ wine.” Later, Ruth’s is the Against voice in a debate on “That homosexuality is a blot on Irish society.”
Mostly, this short novel is a dance between the three central characters. The Irish-accented banter between them is a joy. Jael’s devil-may-care attitude contrasts with Ruth and Maria’s anxiety about how they are perceived by others. Ruth and Jael are figures in the Hebrew Bible and their devotion/boldness dichotomy is applicable to the characters here, too. The stereotypical markers of lesbian identity haven’t really changed, but had Donoghue written this now I think she would at least have made Maria a year older and avoided negativity about Damien and Jael’s bisexuality. At heart this is a sweet romance and an engaging picture of early 1990s feminism, but it doesn’t completely steer clear of predictability and I would have happily taken another 50–70 pages if it meant she could have fleshed out the characters and their interactions a little more. [Guess what was for my lunch this afternoon? Stir fry!]
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
June 16, 2020
Lief boek. Stijl soms een tikkeltje onbeholpen, maar een debuut waardoor ik zeker nog eens iets van Donoghue ga lezen. (Ik kende haar vooral van 'Room' en dat trok me helemaal niet.) Ook fijn om af en toe even in een tijd te verkeren waarin mobiele telefoons en internet etc. nog niet bestaan.
March 23, 2025
Nostalgisch voor Ierland, geweldig vlot! Vreselijk woord, maar vlot, grappig! Superleuke dialogen. Met heel veel plezier gelezen
June 9, 2019
Disappointing
May 28, 2024
Upon reflection, 3 is generous
WLW / feminism / coming of age. loved the characters and the lack of plot, instead just character developments and relations. really love books set in cities I’ve lived in, have more of a nostalgic feel for me, comforting read. I also enjoy the escapism of books set in diff time period to now, even if only a couple decades
WLW / feminism / coming of age. loved the characters and the lack of plot, instead just character developments and relations. really love books set in cities I’ve lived in, have more of a nostalgic feel for me, comforting read. I also enjoy the escapism of books set in diff time period to now, even if only a couple decades
June 19, 2014
It's such a happy book, filled almost entirely with witty conversations and interesting, unique characters. The relationships between the characters ring true, and lots of the quotes (expounded below) hit rather close to my heart. And there were a lot of feminist/women's issues raised, which makes me think and rethink. Mostly with a laughter though. The author can laugh at herself sometimes, and it is very refreshing. Reminds me that sometimes people just don't know what they want until the very last moment. And reading a book on the Mac iBook is definitely a good experience that I will repeat. Gonna find other Donoghue books since I love the way she thinks. Hood, probably?
Interesting quotes that stuck out to me:
"It's just that I've had enough of pretending to be equally nice."
"So long as you're awake, does it matter how you were woken?"
"I hate authority figures who keep calling you by your first name and pronouncing it wrong."
"How honest we are until we reach the age of reason."
"What she should be doing was anything except watching the rain, the least original form of melancholy."
"Of course every friendship had a certain element of what you had to call attraction."
"I don't like many people, and certainly not half the human race. Let's say I'm open-minded."
"Even if she were happily married in five years' time, she thought, she still wouldn't feel a hundred percent normal."
"No, not to tell her. Just to find her."
Interesting quotes that stuck out to me:
"It's just that I've had enough of pretending to be equally nice."
"So long as you're awake, does it matter how you were woken?"
"I hate authority figures who keep calling you by your first name and pronouncing it wrong."
"How honest we are until we reach the age of reason."
"What she should be doing was anything except watching the rain, the least original form of melancholy."
"Of course every friendship had a certain element of what you had to call attraction."
"I don't like many people, and certainly not half the human race. Let's say I'm open-minded."
"Even if she were happily married in five years' time, she thought, she still wouldn't feel a hundred percent normal."
"No, not to tell her. Just to find her."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2012
Donoghue's first novel is a sensitive coming-of-age story of a young girl who has moved to the big city to start college.
The characters are believable, even when they are not particularly likable. Maria, the MC, is attempting to learn who she really is, and how she fits into college life and the world, after having spent her entire life in a small village. She explores the confusing world of relationships through her new flatmates and new college friends, including a couple of young men that she crushes on.
I admit, I'm not really proficient at reviewing this type of novel, as I rarely read in this genre, yet I found myself eager to pick this up to read every night to find out what else would happen in her journey.
The characters are believable, even when they are not particularly likable. Maria, the MC, is attempting to learn who she really is, and how she fits into college life and the world, after having spent her entire life in a small village. She explores the confusing world of relationships through her new flatmates and new college friends, including a couple of young men that she crushes on.
I admit, I'm not really proficient at reviewing this type of novel, as I rarely read in this genre, yet I found myself eager to pick this up to read every night to find out what else would happen in her journey.
May 3, 2015
Stir-Fry was a delightful romp, and I believe my first foray into queer chick lit (except for maybe Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit, which is significantly less fluffy).
Though I greatly enjoyed my reading experience, I wasn't left feeling fulfilled. The whole thing felt very much like a first novel: the characters and conversations were fun, if not super memorable or interesting, scene changes were semi-awkwardly managed, the plot was rather predictable, and there was some stereotyping of the queer experience/relationships in general.
This is sounding too negative. I really did like it! I love Irish jokes! Plus this was VERY different from Room from what I can remember of that. Huzzah for variety! I will definitely be reading more of Donoghue's novels.
Though I greatly enjoyed my reading experience, I wasn't left feeling fulfilled. The whole thing felt very much like a first novel: the characters and conversations were fun, if not super memorable or interesting, scene changes were semi-awkwardly managed, the plot was rather predictable, and there was some stereotyping of the queer experience/relationships in general.
This is sounding too negative. I really did like it! I love Irish jokes! Plus this was VERY different from Room from what I can remember of that. Huzzah for variety! I will definitely be reading more of Donoghue's novels.
September 25, 2010
I just read this book over the last few days and I need to read it again I think. I am not sure how I feel about all three characters. I did not have an affinity for any of them. I liked the style, the rhythm of the writing. I just felt the characters were stereotypes I did not truly form an attachment for. I may have also spent too much time thinking about where this story was heading and hoping it wouldn't be cliche. I wanted to love it as it was sent to me from someone I care about, so for that reason I will read it again, and let you know if anything changes...
January 21, 2013
Good not great, this is a debut novel from Emma Donoghue, the author who has gotten much better with time as judging by the more recent excellent Room. Stir Fry takes place in Dublin in mid 90s and is mostly interesting from the anthropological perspective and views on homosexuality at that time and place. This doesn't mean the book isn't well written...it is, and the three female leads are quite complex and authentic, but the story just didn't capture my attention as much as I would have liked.
August 12, 2007
Stir Fry is a novel about a first-year college student in Dublin who is the unknowing third side to a lesbian love triangle. This is Donaghue's first novel, and so the writing is a bit off and sometimes I felt like she was writing the story as though she were transcribing a movie; however, I give it four stars because it does an excellent job of portraying the real struggles and thoughts that go through a person's mind when they begin to realize maybe they like girls and not boys. A quick read.
July 3, 2012
I loved Room and Slammerkin so I gave another of Donoghue's novels a try. The characters in Stir-Fry were boring and the plot was slow so I abandoned it about halfway through. It simply did not hold my attention!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 206 reviews