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Frozen Butterflies
The night is her closest companion. But some truths can only be found in the harsh light of day…
Susan is tormented by her hidden history. Driven by dark thoughts and sleepless nights, she forges a bond with a blogger who has troubles of his own. But when they discover a compelling, mysterious journal, sharing the excerpts with the world unleashes a dangerous attraction…
Following the writer’s complex trail of clues, Susan and her accomplice unearth secrets about the enigmatic author and themselves. But when her own demons resurface, her relentless quest could push her to the edge of sanity.
Will Susan’s revelations unlock a brighter future or simply magnify the darkness of the past?
Frozen Butterflies is a surreal work of literary fiction. If you like provocative prose, troubled characters, and heart-wrenching twists, then you’ll love Simona Grossi’s suspenseful novel.
Susan is tormented by her hidden history. Driven by dark thoughts and sleepless nights, she forges a bond with a blogger who has troubles of his own. But when they discover a compelling, mysterious journal, sharing the excerpts with the world unleashes a dangerous attraction…
Following the writer’s complex trail of clues, Susan and her accomplice unearth secrets about the enigmatic author and themselves. But when her own demons resurface, her relentless quest could push her to the edge of sanity.
Will Susan’s revelations unlock a brighter future or simply magnify the darkness of the past?
Frozen Butterflies is a surreal work of literary fiction. If you like provocative prose, troubled characters, and heart-wrenching twists, then you’ll love Simona Grossi’s suspenseful novel.
235 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 8, 2018
646 people are currently reading
1416 people want to read
About the author
Simona Grossi
4 books45 followersSimona Grossi was born and raised in a small town in Italy, surrounded by books and music. After several years spent practicing and teaching law, she started writing and resumed her music career.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
August 25, 2018
So, I read about 8/9% of this book, and got stuck with a patronizing male character and some very Mills and Boon type writing -
"Are you by yourself?"
"Yes," I say, while it looks like he's examining me, his eyes piercing mine. I feel uncomfortable, almost naked in front of him, and I look elsewhere to catch my breath. But yes, I like what I see.
He drives her back to his place.
From time to time he would turn toward me and penetrate me with his eyes. It seemed as if he were trying to go deeper and deeper ... and no they're not in bed, yet.
There's nothing wrong with this writing, if that's what you like and if that's what the cover and the blurb on the outside has lead you to believe you will get. But I did actually choose this book with some care, having been drawn to the story outline which is as follows:
Susan is a lecturer in Psychology at a university in L.A. She has difficulty in sleeping and appears to be approaching some type of crisis in her life. She decides to visit a night bar, and there meets a stranger, Nick, to whom she is immediately attracted. They chat about their work, and Nick invites her to dinner the following evening, however, as they are driving to the restaurant Nick is diverted by a call and explains that he must return home, to complete an urgent assignment. He is a blogger. Susan offers to help him with this and so they return to his place. At Nick's loft, Susan scans his bookshelves, and is drawn to a book that turns out to be a diary. Nick explains he found it on a bus and kept it, hoping to return it to the owner. Susan reads some of it and suggests they publish an excerpt on the blog. Nick offers the idea of co-writing, with the aim of trying to find the writer. And, the relationship between them develops.
That it what I liked, the fact that two people are drawn to each other over a decision to work together on something, and thereby gradually find out more about the other. So, I was disappointed with - 'running his hand through my wet hair, ...He was in control, and I liked it.' etc. Within the first 5 pages!
I actually wrote back to the publisher, Smith Publicity to say, sorry, No - I can't review this book; I can't read any further etc. And they quite diplomatically wrote back and said - it's ok, you're not obligated to write anything.
So, I steeled myself to take another look and then quite suddenly I found myself - hooked. Yes, drawn in, caught. This is where it happened, Susan is reading the journal, which is about Andrew and the loss he suffers when his girlfriend leaves him:
"...I'd have been so happy if we had talked about you, what you believed, what your fears were. We never did. And that was because you thought I could not understand, or rather because I never showed you any interest? I hope that's not the reason, because I was, I am interested in you. I just don't know how to show that to you. I should have tried harder, I know. And now I can only talk to your friends and try to understand you better. It is too late.?"
After that - I was prepared to forgive this writer just about anything.
And I confess I was in tears several times. There is incredible passion here and a real dynamic into how men and women connect, or are unable to connect with each other.
If the writer had pursued only the story lines between Susan and Nick, and Andrew and his girlfriend, Emily. I think it would have been very good, but the story is complicated by explorations and digressions into the past. As Susan develops her interest in finding Andrew she returns to New York and renews her relationships with her father and grandmother, with whom she has deliberately not made contact for more than 12 or 15 years. At the same time, she also finds out more about Andrew's past, and meets up with his father, Henry Pratt, who also lives in New York and there are some extraordinary interconnections, which are developed between these two.
Another and equally strong plot line is Susan's on-going relationship with Matt, whom she has also met as a result of her investigations into Andrew's life.
As I progressed through this book, I was pulled up several times, by the sophistication of her writing, and I kept asking myself, how could the same person write so divinely about people, and their need to understand themselves and each other, and the awful blurby stuff at the beginning? Eventually I decided that the passionate love/lust relationship that Susan develops with the deplorable Nick is quite convincingly connected to her own personal development. Susan has never been allowed, or allowed herself the chance to explore the impact that her mother's death has had on her. Having suppressed the knowledge of her mother's suicide her whole life, she gradually allows herself to see how this denial is present in other ways, her insomnia, anger, self-rejection, - "I don't go out that often," I confessed, not sure why. "Why's that? (says Nick) Are you a broken heart or something?" "No, definitely not. I'm just, I've been . . . on pause, I guess."
So, Nick is the catalyst, which initiates her self-discovery.
(But more importantly, her attraction to Nick is an expression of the need to cause herself pain; she knows Nick will do this. And she needs this pain, as the release or the trigger which will allow her to experience the pain involved with the loss of her mother. This is quite complicated psychology but it is explored in a convincing manner through the various plots of this novel. There are several symbolic connections - to do with self-hurt. She cuts her leg [accidently] with a razor before her first date with Nick, and then cuts her hand very deeply when she thinks she can no longer write; she also inflicts self-hurt when she steps in front of a car to protect the dog belonging to her father's small son.)
Throughout the inter-mingling of these various lives and stories, Susan also starts to write her own novel, which we discover is in fact the book we are reading, Frozen Butterflies. Her affair with Nick, the blossoming of her creative talents, the actual writing process is the content of this book. Eventually her writing brings about a catharsis which enables Susan to expel both the issues with her mother and the need to rely on Nick for his critical and creative support. At the end of the novel she is able to stand alone.
And I think this is why the beginning is as it is - to show her dependent state.
I just want to include some of the philosophical reflections that Henry Pratt offers to Susan to help her: "We write to learn, so we often don't know much about the topic we write about, and most likely won't know enough when we complete our work either. So, it's the search we fix in writing, not the truth."
Poor old Henry has Alzheimer's but he returns an essay to Susan which she reads at some later point: "... it's not the past per se that affects our present, our life, he argued. It's our perception of it, the way we alter what we live and sense." And thus Henry gives Susan the key to help her find a way out of the past.
One final thing, as I live in Cyprus, I would just like to say that "thaleia" means to blossom, a Greek word, which is the name of the theatre where Susan and Nick, and also Andrew go to watch old movies. "Thalia/thaleia, is also the name of one of the nine muses and the name of one of the three Graces.
Thank you Simona Grossi - I loved your book, and thank you Bella Asher at Smith Publicity, for sending me the story - twice, no less.
"Are you by yourself?"
"Yes," I say, while it looks like he's examining me, his eyes piercing mine. I feel uncomfortable, almost naked in front of him, and I look elsewhere to catch my breath. But yes, I like what I see.
He drives her back to his place.
From time to time he would turn toward me and penetrate me with his eyes. It seemed as if he were trying to go deeper and deeper ... and no they're not in bed, yet.
There's nothing wrong with this writing, if that's what you like and if that's what the cover and the blurb on the outside has lead you to believe you will get. But I did actually choose this book with some care, having been drawn to the story outline which is as follows:
Susan is a lecturer in Psychology at a university in L.A. She has difficulty in sleeping and appears to be approaching some type of crisis in her life. She decides to visit a night bar, and there meets a stranger, Nick, to whom she is immediately attracted. They chat about their work, and Nick invites her to dinner the following evening, however, as they are driving to the restaurant Nick is diverted by a call and explains that he must return home, to complete an urgent assignment. He is a blogger. Susan offers to help him with this and so they return to his place. At Nick's loft, Susan scans his bookshelves, and is drawn to a book that turns out to be a diary. Nick explains he found it on a bus and kept it, hoping to return it to the owner. Susan reads some of it and suggests they publish an excerpt on the blog. Nick offers the idea of co-writing, with the aim of trying to find the writer. And, the relationship between them develops.
That it what I liked, the fact that two people are drawn to each other over a decision to work together on something, and thereby gradually find out more about the other. So, I was disappointed with - 'running his hand through my wet hair, ...He was in control, and I liked it.' etc. Within the first 5 pages!
I actually wrote back to the publisher, Smith Publicity to say, sorry, No - I can't review this book; I can't read any further etc. And they quite diplomatically wrote back and said - it's ok, you're not obligated to write anything.
So, I steeled myself to take another look and then quite suddenly I found myself - hooked. Yes, drawn in, caught. This is where it happened, Susan is reading the journal, which is about Andrew and the loss he suffers when his girlfriend leaves him:
"...I'd have been so happy if we had talked about you, what you believed, what your fears were. We never did. And that was because you thought I could not understand, or rather because I never showed you any interest? I hope that's not the reason, because I was, I am interested in you. I just don't know how to show that to you. I should have tried harder, I know. And now I can only talk to your friends and try to understand you better. It is too late.?"
After that - I was prepared to forgive this writer just about anything.
And I confess I was in tears several times. There is incredible passion here and a real dynamic into how men and women connect, or are unable to connect with each other.
If the writer had pursued only the story lines between Susan and Nick, and Andrew and his girlfriend, Emily. I think it would have been very good, but the story is complicated by explorations and digressions into the past. As Susan develops her interest in finding Andrew she returns to New York and renews her relationships with her father and grandmother, with whom she has deliberately not made contact for more than 12 or 15 years. At the same time, she also finds out more about Andrew's past, and meets up with his father, Henry Pratt, who also lives in New York and there are some extraordinary interconnections, which are developed between these two.
Another and equally strong plot line is Susan's on-going relationship with Matt, whom she has also met as a result of her investigations into Andrew's life.
As I progressed through this book, I was pulled up several times, by the sophistication of her writing, and I kept asking myself, how could the same person write so divinely about people, and their need to understand themselves and each other, and the awful blurby stuff at the beginning? Eventually I decided that the passionate love/lust relationship that Susan develops with the deplorable Nick is quite convincingly connected to her own personal development. Susan has never been allowed, or allowed herself the chance to explore the impact that her mother's death has had on her. Having suppressed the knowledge of her mother's suicide her whole life, she gradually allows herself to see how this denial is present in other ways, her insomnia, anger, self-rejection, - "I don't go out that often," I confessed, not sure why. "Why's that? (says Nick) Are you a broken heart or something?" "No, definitely not. I'm just, I've been . . . on pause, I guess."
So, Nick is the catalyst, which initiates her self-discovery.
(But more importantly, her attraction to Nick is an expression of the need to cause herself pain; she knows Nick will do this. And she needs this pain, as the release or the trigger which will allow her to experience the pain involved with the loss of her mother. This is quite complicated psychology but it is explored in a convincing manner through the various plots of this novel. There are several symbolic connections - to do with self-hurt. She cuts her leg [accidently] with a razor before her first date with Nick, and then cuts her hand very deeply when she thinks she can no longer write; she also inflicts self-hurt when she steps in front of a car to protect the dog belonging to her father's small son.)
Throughout the inter-mingling of these various lives and stories, Susan also starts to write her own novel, which we discover is in fact the book we are reading, Frozen Butterflies. Her affair with Nick, the blossoming of her creative talents, the actual writing process is the content of this book. Eventually her writing brings about a catharsis which enables Susan to expel both the issues with her mother and the need to rely on Nick for his critical and creative support. At the end of the novel she is able to stand alone.
And I think this is why the beginning is as it is - to show her dependent state.
I just want to include some of the philosophical reflections that Henry Pratt offers to Susan to help her: "We write to learn, so we often don't know much about the topic we write about, and most likely won't know enough when we complete our work either. So, it's the search we fix in writing, not the truth."
Poor old Henry has Alzheimer's but he returns an essay to Susan which she reads at some later point: "... it's not the past per se that affects our present, our life, he argued. It's our perception of it, the way we alter what we live and sense." And thus Henry gives Susan the key to help her find a way out of the past.
One final thing, as I live in Cyprus, I would just like to say that "thaleia" means to blossom, a Greek word, which is the name of the theatre where Susan and Nick, and also Andrew go to watch old movies. "Thalia/thaleia, is also the name of one of the nine muses and the name of one of the three Graces.
Thank you Simona Grossi - I loved your book, and thank you Bella Asher at Smith Publicity, for sending me the story - twice, no less.
January 26, 2019
I thought this was pretty terrible. The writing was clunky and awkward. The timeline is screwy and the events unbelievable. (For example, Susan can take a leave of absence from her job as a professor of psychology and find and maintain not one, but two, apartments in New York City at a moment's notice? Ok, sure.) She jumps from one dysfunctional relationship to the next and it's not clear why anyone would be in a relationship with any of these characters. A lot of this book was unclear. The most compelling part about it is the found journal, and that storyline is abandoned for the mostly nonsensical personal journey of Susan. The time jumps really annoyed me. I think there was a twist at the end? That's how confusing this book is. I'm not sure if there was a twist. Crazy, right? If it was a twist, I don't understand the point of it. Something about Susan's mental instability? It also doesn't work within the narrative. You know how at the end of The Sixth Sense you can go back and see that it works? Well, you can't with this. Which is why I think maybe there might not be a twist and the ending just doesn't make sense.
Whatever. I don't really care. I only finished it because I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review on Amazon. I was much nicer with that one, but still honest. It's two days later and it's sinking in how much I really disliked this book.
Whatever. I don't really care. I only finished it because I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review on Amazon. I was much nicer with that one, but still honest. It's two days later and it's sinking in how much I really disliked this book.
August 10, 2018
I have read the first novel of this author, Looking for Clara, some time ago and loved it. I was expecting a similar style in Grossi's second book, but I was surprised to find something completely different. Frozen Butterflies captures you from the first page and it brings you into an intriguing storyline with incredibly well-designed characters. Susan, Andrew and the many other people in this book feel like real people, with real dynamics between them and real problems. Some of the characters are simply iconic, similarly to what the character of Mario was in Looking for Clara. For example, and without spoiling anything, I still think that Andrew's father was a great character, very interesting and deep.
I look forward to reading the third book from Simona Grossi. Hopefully it will be released soon.
I look forward to reading the third book from Simona Grossi. Hopefully it will be released soon.
August 4, 2018
Thi story is for sure not your usual read as it's something that can be considered aimless or boring read but when you sink into the story you will be held captive of the unusual style writing of this author.
Susan is a complicated character and the narrator here. he sometimes seemed like a person cut from the other story, but that allowed to put that "something" there. Every character develops the story in a different way and made me feel so different emotions.
The way the story was written for sure will not be for everyone, but added something fresh to my reading calendar.
Susan is a complicated character and the narrator here. he sometimes seemed like a person cut from the other story, but that allowed to put that "something" there. Every character develops the story in a different way and made me feel so different emotions.
The way the story was written for sure will not be for everyone, but added something fresh to my reading calendar.
March 7, 2018
When I started reading this novel it was to take a mental break from working; 15 minutes max, I told myself. But I couldn't stop reading. On the one hand certain scenes in this book felt familiar, as if I'd seen them play out in different films I've seen. On the other hand, I welcomed the unexpected turns that the story took. Whether it was the surprise of finding a character unknowingly ending up at an after hours club for hook ups, or the fact that the protagonist, Susan, finds herself propelled from LA to NYC, the author knows just how to keep her reader's interest. Characters are introduced left and right, always with a purpose and moving the story along. Yet certain characters hold your attention. Keep your eyes out and hearts open for Mr. Pratt (the elder one) and his story that's layered within this story.
In the meantime, Susan and Nick's conversations give pause; they may confront you with questions and spark self-reflection, like when Nick says: "I don't know if I want kids. My life is so messy. I don't think I have the stability to be a father and, quite frankly, I don't want to be a shitty one like mine." And this particular father isn't even one of the two fathers that shaped the other characters in this novel (for better or for worse).
Ultimately, if you're seeking a page-turner, Frozen Butterflies certainly qualifies. But don't expect clear-cut answers or a resolution neatly tied with a bow. At one point in the novel, Susan reads and reviews her thesis, after recalling what Mr. Pratt told her one day: "He said that we write to search." Full of practical advice such as "how important the sound of writing" is, this novel is a gift to aspiring writers, as well as to everyday thinkers, and doers, and anyone who has tried to hone a craft while simultaneously exploring their identity. Grossi's sophomore novel stuns.
In the meantime, Susan and Nick's conversations give pause; they may confront you with questions and spark self-reflection, like when Nick says: "I don't know if I want kids. My life is so messy. I don't think I have the stability to be a father and, quite frankly, I don't want to be a shitty one like mine." And this particular father isn't even one of the two fathers that shaped the other characters in this novel (for better or for worse).
Ultimately, if you're seeking a page-turner, Frozen Butterflies certainly qualifies. But don't expect clear-cut answers or a resolution neatly tied with a bow. At one point in the novel, Susan reads and reviews her thesis, after recalling what Mr. Pratt told her one day: "He said that we write to search." Full of practical advice such as "how important the sound of writing" is, this novel is a gift to aspiring writers, as well as to everyday thinkers, and doers, and anyone who has tried to hone a craft while simultaneously exploring their identity. Grossi's sophomore novel stuns.
March 12, 2018
I quite liked this book. From the description, I thought it would be more of a thriller/mystery, but it's not. It's more of an artist finding herself both figuratively and literally. I thought the story was a bit slow at times with a seemingly aimless protagonist, but the writer's style had me hooked. There's something soothing and calming yet haunting (but in a good way) about her style. I'll revisit this book again and I'll seek out her first one.
March 6, 2018
This is a brilliant second novel by Simona Grossi. You follow Susan as she navigates her tumultuous love life, her shrouded past, and the fascinating story of a writer who lost the love of his life. As soon as I picked this book up, I quite literally did not put it down until I was finished. The way Grossi slowly reveals the mystery of Susan's past and Andrew's love life is enrapturing. Andrew's story of love and loss is deeply poetic and anyone who reads it will find it touching on so many levels. Everyone has faced love, loss, and confusion; Grossi's "Frozen Butterflies" reminds us that we aren't alone.
August 23, 2018
Thank you to Smith Publicity for the free copy!
Wow....what a beautifully written book! I couldn't stop reading it because I was so drawn into it. It was interesting to watch the main character Susan evolve from a reclusive insomniac to a conflicted writer and mother. As she's writing her first book of fiction, she develops new relationships and learns about love, friendships, loss and most of all herself.
Wow....what a beautifully written book! I couldn't stop reading it because I was so drawn into it. It was interesting to watch the main character Susan evolve from a reclusive insomniac to a conflicted writer and mother. As she's writing her first book of fiction, she develops new relationships and learns about love, friendships, loss and most of all herself.
September 28, 2018
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I have never read any books by Simona Grossi. This is will be the first one. This book was not what I was expecting. I did read the synopsis before reading this book, but I was very surprised by how much of this book was full of New Adult themes throughout the book. The book starts off quite slow but picks up a little bit later.
Title: Frozen Butterflies
Author: Simona Grossi
Paperback Pages: 306 Pages
Publishing Company: Pipes & Clouds
Genre: Contemporary
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Synopsis:
Susan Blanc, the protagonist and narrative voice, teaches psychology at a university in Los Angeles.
She lives alone and suffers from insomnia.
One night, at a nightclub, she meets Nick, a blogger who seemed to be "consumed by something, someone, or himself."
When they meet again the next day, Nick takes her to his apartment, and while browsing through Nick's books looking for ideas for a story to post on Nick's blog, Susan finds a "consumed notebook with a light blue cover." Nick explains that it's a journal someone lost on a bus and that the writing and the drawings it contains made him want to keep it and try to return it to its owner.
The author is a graphic novelist, his name is Andrew, but that's all he knows about him. After leafing through its pages, Susan convinces Nick to post excerpts of the journal on Nick's blog. She believes the journal will resonate with the readers, and that the readers might help them find the unknown artist.
As they read and write, search and explore, Nick and Susan's stories melt with the artist's story, in a cocktail of passion, sex, lies, and self-discovery.
My Thoughts:
Rating: 2.5/5 Stars
Characters:
One of the main problems I had with this book, was I was unable to connect with the characters, especially our protagonist, Susan.
Susan:
Susan is our protagonist. She seems a little lost in her life in the beginning of the novel. But as the story progresses, she starts to find out more about herself as well as her family. She then once again loses herself both mentally and physically towards the end of the book. I think one of major issues I had with this novel is that I was never able to really connect with this character. She sometimes had dialogue that was very deep and thought provoking but also, she had dialogue that is very reminiscent of younger YA novels.
Nick:
I really did not like this character. There was too much of a bad boy troupe. Susan and Nick’s relationship was not appealing to me in the slightest. I think it could be considered abusive at times. I understand that the author used Nick’s character to introduce Andrew later, but I felt like Nick’s character was unnecessary. I think the narrative would have been a better without Nick’s character all together.
Matt:
This character was lacking substance. He appears multiple times in the book but every time he left without leaving much of an impression. He was just there to create guilt in Susan. I think there could have been more character development so that we, as the reader, might feel more for this character.
Andrew:
This was one of the few characters I enjoyed reading. He was full of mystery but also the little pieces we learn about him makes him relatable. We see throughout the novel that he also grows in character. I think there could have been more about him, but overall, he was a very interesting character to read about.
Plot:
The plot can be divided in to three parts. The 1st 1/3rd was very slow. I felt like I was troughing through the book. I was waiting for the story to pick up but it was just moving too slow for me. I felt like this 1/3rd could have been completely edited out or at least shortened. Because it was so slow, it really effected my enjoyment of this book. I think I would have given it a higher rating if the 1st 1/3rd was shorter.
The 2nd 1/3rd of the book definitely picks up the pace. We start to see more of the protagonist and how she thinks about what is happening around her. The search for Journal’s author begins as the protagonist learns more about herself too. I felt like this is when the novel should have started. I understand the we needed the beginning of the novel as a way to set up the story but I felt like only started to enjoy the book after the 1st 1/3rd.
The last 1/3rd of the book was quite different from the rest of novel. For one thing, there was a bit of a time jump and a few things happened which I thought was very out of character for the protagonist. We also start to see the protagonist lose control of herself both mentally and physically. Susan also learns more about her family in this part of the book.
There was a lot of sexual tension in this book. It starts in the beginning of the book. I didn’t like it very much. I felt like it as forced and not believable. This book sometimes read like a YA novel, with all the descriptions of “piercing eyes”. I just wanted something more from this part of the story.
“Yes,” I say, while it looks like he’s examining me, his eyes piercing mine. I feel uncomfortable, almost naked in front of him, I look elsewhere to catch my breath. But yes, I like what I see.
The journal entries were the most interesting part of this book. I really enjoyed reading the entries and how it slowly painted a picture of Andrew’s life. The slow reveal of his life made me like the character more than the protagonist.
There was a few topics I wish was talked about a little more. I felt like it was just mentioned because it was just another part of the story. There is an element of LGBTQ+ in this book. But it was not explained clearly, it felt like it was inserted in the book as an afterthought. There was some elements of mental illness. It was written in a way that was a little hard to understand. I felt like there could have been more of it. It took on a more magical realism theme than mental illness.
Writing Style:
The writing style didn’t impress me. It was full of short sentences and long forced silences. I felt like the author was trying to create a parallel between the actual text and the how the character was feeling at that moment. It didn’t really work for me. I think the mood could have been created in a different way, maybe by using more descriptive language instead of short sentences.
As the story progresses, the writing style changes and includes more descriptions. It also includes more of want the character is feeling. I felt like the flow of the story got better as the writing style changed.
PHOTO
Final Decision:
Rating: 2.5/5 Stars
This novel starts off very slow, and that really took away from my enjoyment of this book. But after about the first 1/3rd the story increases in pace, but I think it couldn’t save itself enough. I feel like this book was average, but I also think the characters needed to be a little bit more fleshed out. I found most of the characters to be flat and unrelatable. I think anyone who like likes contemporary with a little bit of psychology would enjoy this book.
Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post.
* Thank you, Smith Publicity and Pipes & Clouds Publishing, for providing me with a physical copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
* Spoiler-free Review
https://suganyamo.wordpress.com/
For more book reviews and lifestyle
I have never read any books by Simona Grossi. This is will be the first one. This book was not what I was expecting. I did read the synopsis before reading this book, but I was very surprised by how much of this book was full of New Adult themes throughout the book. The book starts off quite slow but picks up a little bit later.
Title: Frozen Butterflies
Author: Simona Grossi
Paperback Pages: 306 Pages
Publishing Company: Pipes & Clouds
Genre: Contemporary
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Synopsis:
Susan Blanc, the protagonist and narrative voice, teaches psychology at a university in Los Angeles.
She lives alone and suffers from insomnia.
One night, at a nightclub, she meets Nick, a blogger who seemed to be "consumed by something, someone, or himself."
When they meet again the next day, Nick takes her to his apartment, and while browsing through Nick's books looking for ideas for a story to post on Nick's blog, Susan finds a "consumed notebook with a light blue cover." Nick explains that it's a journal someone lost on a bus and that the writing and the drawings it contains made him want to keep it and try to return it to its owner.
The author is a graphic novelist, his name is Andrew, but that's all he knows about him. After leafing through its pages, Susan convinces Nick to post excerpts of the journal on Nick's blog. She believes the journal will resonate with the readers, and that the readers might help them find the unknown artist.
As they read and write, search and explore, Nick and Susan's stories melt with the artist's story, in a cocktail of passion, sex, lies, and self-discovery.
My Thoughts:
Rating: 2.5/5 Stars
Characters:
One of the main problems I had with this book, was I was unable to connect with the characters, especially our protagonist, Susan.
Susan:
Susan is our protagonist. She seems a little lost in her life in the beginning of the novel. But as the story progresses, she starts to find out more about herself as well as her family. She then once again loses herself both mentally and physically towards the end of the book. I think one of major issues I had with this novel is that I was never able to really connect with this character. She sometimes had dialogue that was very deep and thought provoking but also, she had dialogue that is very reminiscent of younger YA novels.
Nick:
I really did not like this character. There was too much of a bad boy troupe. Susan and Nick’s relationship was not appealing to me in the slightest. I think it could be considered abusive at times. I understand that the author used Nick’s character to introduce Andrew later, but I felt like Nick’s character was unnecessary. I think the narrative would have been a better without Nick’s character all together.
Matt:
This character was lacking substance. He appears multiple times in the book but every time he left without leaving much of an impression. He was just there to create guilt in Susan. I think there could have been more character development so that we, as the reader, might feel more for this character.
Andrew:
This was one of the few characters I enjoyed reading. He was full of mystery but also the little pieces we learn about him makes him relatable. We see throughout the novel that he also grows in character. I think there could have been more about him, but overall, he was a very interesting character to read about.
Plot:
The plot can be divided in to three parts. The 1st 1/3rd was very slow. I felt like I was troughing through the book. I was waiting for the story to pick up but it was just moving too slow for me. I felt like this 1/3rd could have been completely edited out or at least shortened. Because it was so slow, it really effected my enjoyment of this book. I think I would have given it a higher rating if the 1st 1/3rd was shorter.
The 2nd 1/3rd of the book definitely picks up the pace. We start to see more of the protagonist and how she thinks about what is happening around her. The search for Journal’s author begins as the protagonist learns more about herself too. I felt like this is when the novel should have started. I understand the we needed the beginning of the novel as a way to set up the story but I felt like only started to enjoy the book after the 1st 1/3rd.
The last 1/3rd of the book was quite different from the rest of novel. For one thing, there was a bit of a time jump and a few things happened which I thought was very out of character for the protagonist. We also start to see the protagonist lose control of herself both mentally and physically. Susan also learns more about her family in this part of the book.
There was a lot of sexual tension in this book. It starts in the beginning of the book. I didn’t like it very much. I felt like it as forced and not believable. This book sometimes read like a YA novel, with all the descriptions of “piercing eyes”. I just wanted something more from this part of the story.
“Yes,” I say, while it looks like he’s examining me, his eyes piercing mine. I feel uncomfortable, almost naked in front of him, I look elsewhere to catch my breath. But yes, I like what I see.
The journal entries were the most interesting part of this book. I really enjoyed reading the entries and how it slowly painted a picture of Andrew’s life. The slow reveal of his life made me like the character more than the protagonist.
There was a few topics I wish was talked about a little more. I felt like it was just mentioned because it was just another part of the story. There is an element of LGBTQ+ in this book. But it was not explained clearly, it felt like it was inserted in the book as an afterthought. There was some elements of mental illness. It was written in a way that was a little hard to understand. I felt like there could have been more of it. It took on a more magical realism theme than mental illness.
Writing Style:
The writing style didn’t impress me. It was full of short sentences and long forced silences. I felt like the author was trying to create a parallel between the actual text and the how the character was feeling at that moment. It didn’t really work for me. I think the mood could have been created in a different way, maybe by using more descriptive language instead of short sentences.
As the story progresses, the writing style changes and includes more descriptions. It also includes more of want the character is feeling. I felt like the flow of the story got better as the writing style changed.
PHOTO
Final Decision:
Rating: 2.5/5 Stars
This novel starts off very slow, and that really took away from my enjoyment of this book. But after about the first 1/3rd the story increases in pace, but I think it couldn’t save itself enough. I feel like this book was average, but I also think the characters needed to be a little bit more fleshed out. I found most of the characters to be flat and unrelatable. I think anyone who like likes contemporary with a little bit of psychology would enjoy this book.
Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post.
* Thank you, Smith Publicity and Pipes & Clouds Publishing, for providing me with a physical copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
* Spoiler-free Review
September 21, 2018
"Incomplete stories are frozen butterflies."
Eloquent and meaningful, this is a story of passion, obsession, truths, lies, writing, life and self-discovery.
Susan Blanc is a psychology professor in Los Angeles. She suffers insomnia. She listlessly teaches her classes. She feels bored and lost in her life. She's searching for shadows, silences and spaces which she can call hers. Hers alone.
One night she meets Nick Levitt, a blogger who recently found a journal that someone had left on the bus.
Nick invites Susan to read the journal. She is fascinated by the writing and its author. She's agrees to help Nick write about the journal and posts excerpts on his blog, hoping to find the author.
The journal really resonates with readers.
But no one is obsessed more than Susan. They discover the writer is a graphic artist named Andrew and follow him to New York.
There, Susan's story begins to mesh with Andrew's.
She starts to write a book and as she finds out about Andrew, she finds herself. Shockingly.
Mesmerizing from start to sublime finish.
This was an ARC Giveaway in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!
Eloquent and meaningful, this is a story of passion, obsession, truths, lies, writing, life and self-discovery.
Susan Blanc is a psychology professor in Los Angeles. She suffers insomnia. She listlessly teaches her classes. She feels bored and lost in her life. She's searching for shadows, silences and spaces which she can call hers. Hers alone.
One night she meets Nick Levitt, a blogger who recently found a journal that someone had left on the bus.
Nick invites Susan to read the journal. She is fascinated by the writing and its author. She's agrees to help Nick write about the journal and posts excerpts on his blog, hoping to find the author.
The journal really resonates with readers.
But no one is obsessed more than Susan. They discover the writer is a graphic artist named Andrew and follow him to New York.
There, Susan's story begins to mesh with Andrew's.
She starts to write a book and as she finds out about Andrew, she finds herself. Shockingly.
Mesmerizing from start to sublime finish.
This was an ARC Giveaway in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!
October 12, 2018
Frozen butterflies by Simona Grossi.
Susan, loner, insomniac, teaches psychology in Los Angeles. One night she meets Nick, a blogger, who has recently found a journal on the bus. The author, a graphic novelist, has filled the journal with drawings and stories about his lost love. But there is something that seems wrong. While trying to unravel the story in the journal and looking for its author, Susan starts writing her own story, slowly realizing that what she sees and experiences might not exactly be real.
This was a very enjoyable read. I just couldn't put it down. Loved Susan's character. 4*.
Susan, loner, insomniac, teaches psychology in Los Angeles. One night she meets Nick, a blogger, who has recently found a journal on the bus. The author, a graphic novelist, has filled the journal with drawings and stories about his lost love. But there is something that seems wrong. While trying to unravel the story in the journal and looking for its author, Susan starts writing her own story, slowly realizing that what she sees and experiences might not exactly be real.
This was a very enjoyable read. I just couldn't put it down. Loved Susan's character. 4*.
September 9, 2018
It’s difficult (maybe impossible) to pin Frozen Butterflies into any particular category or genre. It has elements a romance, a psychological thriller, a mystery, a confessional, etc. But it is truly none of those things. The writing is powerful. The clipped sentences and the brute force of the descriptions evoke early Hemingway, particularly his Michigan short stories. Here we have the story of a young, professional woman who seems to be unraveling. The story begins with her insomnia, descends into a sexual relationship with a man she meets in an after-hours night club, and from there into their journey to find the anonymous author of an abandoned graphic novel. As they engage in their search, their past lives creep up on them, pull them apart, push them back together, and then send her into a spiral toward darkness. Along the way we see tenderness, brutality, love, betrayal and sense of foreboding doom. The ended is a powerful knockout punch.
February 16, 2020
Intense
Most of the time I felt she was writing my life story. It was scary but mind opening. I think reading this book was helpful to me because I have been at a dark place for several years and am now ready to burst out into the sunshine again and live.
Most of the time I felt she was writing my life story. It was scary but mind opening. I think reading this book was helpful to me because I have been at a dark place for several years and am now ready to burst out into the sunshine again and live.
August 13, 2018
I was given this book from https://www.smithpublicity.com/ for an honest review.
When I first started this novel I was like “Blah, I hate broken up sentences.” I hate books with too many periods when you can make one whole complete sentence. But it ended up being a fast paced, couldn’t put down read.
Susan, who is an insomniac, gets all “ Women in the Window” spying on her neighbor curious as to where she goes every single night at the same time. This ends up with Susan meeting Nick. Nicks a writer and is looking for his next piece. Susan discovers Nick found an artful journal on the bus and tells him this would be an amazing story; write snippets so they could find the owner. With just that Susan is in Nicks life.
This book is a psychological drama that touches base on mental health issues. It’s very dark and approaches life in aspects of art, obsessions, insecurities and the darker nuances of life.
Once you sink into this story, you’re captivated and just can’t stop reading. You want to know the lives of these two characters and all the things that intertwined them.
When I first started this novel I was like “Blah, I hate broken up sentences.” I hate books with too many periods when you can make one whole complete sentence. But it ended up being a fast paced, couldn’t put down read.
Susan, who is an insomniac, gets all “ Women in the Window” spying on her neighbor curious as to where she goes every single night at the same time. This ends up with Susan meeting Nick. Nicks a writer and is looking for his next piece. Susan discovers Nick found an artful journal on the bus and tells him this would be an amazing story; write snippets so they could find the owner. With just that Susan is in Nicks life.
This book is a psychological drama that touches base on mental health issues. It’s very dark and approaches life in aspects of art, obsessions, insecurities and the darker nuances of life.
Once you sink into this story, you’re captivated and just can’t stop reading. You want to know the lives of these two characters and all the things that intertwined them.
February 6, 2020
I loved this book. Very thought provoking piece. It was hard to put it down. I would definitely recommend this book.
November 12, 2019
After reading the first book by this author, “Looking for Clara”, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Frozen Butterflies. I must say, while you can sense that you are reading the work of the same author, these two books are very different. Frozen Butterflies is as real as it gets. It’s dark and deep at times and it shakes your soul. Your soul experiences “Butterflies”. We all have been in places in our lives at times where it gets dark. Sometimes we can’t even confess to ourselves what we feel. The book doesn’t hold back. It’s real. It’s unfiltered. It has not been edited to fit the bill for a quick sell. It is raw and if you are not ready to face such candor, then you might not be the right audience for it. The end makes you go back to the beginning and review all the events leading to it. It has a twist and that makes it even more intriguing. If you are interested in a real story with real human struggles, highs, and many lows, then this is the book for you. I absolutely recommend Frozen Butterflies. Your butterflies will be frozen no more...
September 23, 2018
Wow! ......Wow!............Wow!..........I couldn't write this review right away because I had to absorb and think what I had read. This is the type of book you can actually discuss with someone.
When I first started this book I honesty thought this was going to be a dark and depressing book. I was proven wrong. Why? Because of the way this author, Simone GrossI has with words which can hooked you where you just can't release.
The way it ended was brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! This book is not for light reading. This may not be for everyone. I recommend this to anyone who want to have an intellectual discussion of this book. I'm amazed how Simone Grossi was able to write this novel. Mind blowing!!
I received this incredible ARC from Net Galley and Smithy Publishing in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!
When I first started this book I honesty thought this was going to be a dark and depressing book. I was proven wrong. Why? Because of the way this author, Simone GrossI has with words which can hooked you where you just can't release.
The way it ended was brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! This book is not for light reading. This may not be for everyone. I recommend this to anyone who want to have an intellectual discussion of this book. I'm amazed how Simone Grossi was able to write this novel. Mind blowing!!
I received this incredible ARC from Net Galley and Smithy Publishing in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!
July 27, 2023
If I could only warm my hands and
make them fly again! - S.B
Frozen Butterflies. Fro zen But terf lies
Even though there was no specific reason, I read most of this book with "rain and native American flutes" music playing in the background. So, how was this book? It was, for sure strange, but also interesting. Often, the storyline feels broken. The characters are complicated. It was indeed an unusual ride. Many a time, some of the contents feel pointless, unnecessary or over-the-top. But then, strangely, you are pulled back into the book with more inquisitiveness!
Shadows take you closer to yourself. You can see things more clearly. There's no noise. No artificial light. Just the contours. The essence. You see what you can touch.
This book is about what you should have said, and instead you said something else... and as a consequence, went deeper and deeper into it. Now, this does not mean you may not have liked the consequence or it would hurt you. All you need to realize is that, there are/were other choices for you to make.
"Was it OK to constantly feel as if you didn't have time to waste? As if you could die any moment? Was it OK to constantly feel like you were trying to achieve something, and once you did, start searching for something else? Should I feel rested at some point? Would I?"
It is about how your mind "thinks". These thoughts mentioned above have crossed my mind innumerable times and they still do!
Life is not colored. Life is black and white and gray.
Is loving someone a search for ourselves? If so, I wouldn`t fight against myself to find me.
The tears you don't see are the ones that hurt the most, aren't they?
I could have been a better person for you.
I pulled a blanket over him to protect his dreams from his mind.
Things come to you if you don't give up on them. Eventually they do. Sometimes it's just bad timing.
Simona Grossi`s Frozen Butterflies is the story of Susan Blanc, a Psychology professor. Susan is based in Los Angeles and happens to shift to New York, while doing a research on a graphic novelist. But, eventually, during the research she ends up discovering herself.
Incomplete stories are frozen butterflies..
September 8, 2018
Frozen Butterflies by Italian author Simona Grossi is a mixture of part psychological thriller, part romance, part confusion. The story centers around a young psychology teacher named Susan who herself may suffer from some type of mental health issues. Her bouts nightly with insomnia portray this from the very beginning. Due to her insomnia, Susan starts going out at night and meets a rather strange man named Nick. Nick is an internet writer and is clearly interested in Susan for more than her story ideas. Nick and Susan decide to start writing blog posts containing journal excerpts from a found diary and eventually they get to meet Andrew, the author of the journal.
I struggled to really get into the story for several reasons. I personally don't like to read books with a sexual undertone in them and the suggested sexual content occurred within the first few pages. However, if you are looking for a book with this type of content, then this book is for you. I found the pace to be slow and the dialogue dry and halted. The author, Simona, teaches law as her day job and the type of writing lawyers do is different from that of a novelist. I recognized that the short stubby sentences are more than likely attributed to a lawyers style trying desperately to convert to a more readable storytelling style.
I did enjoy reading the diary entries of the character Andrew. The entries truly read like journal entries and I found myself able to picture the romance between Andrew and his lost love.
There is a HUGE twist at the end and if you love psychological thriller you will enjoy this book very much.
The authors born and raised in the South of Italy. After earning her law degree and working two years in her profession in Italy she traveled to the United States and received her masters and doctorate decrees from UC Berkley. Simona currently teaches Law in southern California where she resides with her husband. She has also authored a book titled Looking For Clara.
I struggled to really get into the story for several reasons. I personally don't like to read books with a sexual undertone in them and the suggested sexual content occurred within the first few pages. However, if you are looking for a book with this type of content, then this book is for you. I found the pace to be slow and the dialogue dry and halted. The author, Simona, teaches law as her day job and the type of writing lawyers do is different from that of a novelist. I recognized that the short stubby sentences are more than likely attributed to a lawyers style trying desperately to convert to a more readable storytelling style.
I did enjoy reading the diary entries of the character Andrew. The entries truly read like journal entries and I found myself able to picture the romance between Andrew and his lost love.
There is a HUGE twist at the end and if you love psychological thriller you will enjoy this book very much.
The authors born and raised in the South of Italy. After earning her law degree and working two years in her profession in Italy she traveled to the United States and received her masters and doctorate decrees from UC Berkley. Simona currently teaches Law in southern California where she resides with her husband. She has also authored a book titled Looking For Clara.
September 10, 2018
Firstly, I'd like to thank Smith Publicity for sending me a review copy of Frozen Butterflies. All opinions expressed are my own and not those of Smith Publicity, nor have they been influenced by them.
Frozen butterflies follows the life of Susan, a psychology teacher, as she is swept up in the lifestyle of Nick and the journal of Andrew. Susan's relationship with Nick is unhealthy and at times concerning; a relationship that I could not believe and found myself scoffing at. I found Nick unlikeable but understood his role within the book, particularly to bring Andrew into the life of Susan.
The writing was a little clunky, however, I still don't know if this is intentional as we follow the POV of Susan so could be because she is a little bit odd. I admired Susan's quality of forming relationships with the characters and her deep feeling of empathy. But I then found it stripped away when she had a son but would leave him for long periods of time, as well as her husband. (To be clear the son was left with the father).
This book had the potential to be an excellent story and I devoured the journal entries; they felt so raw and personal. Quite frankly they were beautiful and I would have happily read Andrew's story and his relationship with Emily as a book within itself. I did enjoy the hunt for Andrew and that sense of mystery and feel that this book would work better as a YA because I would often forget that Susan was an adult woman, as well as which I believe the relationship with Nick would have worked much better if they were both young adults. This is because of some cheesy lines, awkward stumbles between them and the way which Susan, notably a psychology teacher, infatuates herself with him and his emotionally abusive ways.
Frozen butterflies follows the life of Susan, a psychology teacher, as she is swept up in the lifestyle of Nick and the journal of Andrew. Susan's relationship with Nick is unhealthy and at times concerning; a relationship that I could not believe and found myself scoffing at. I found Nick unlikeable but understood his role within the book, particularly to bring Andrew into the life of Susan.
The writing was a little clunky, however, I still don't know if this is intentional as we follow the POV of Susan so could be because she is a little bit odd. I admired Susan's quality of forming relationships with the characters and her deep feeling of empathy. But I then found it stripped away when she had a son but would leave him for long periods of time, as well as her husband. (To be clear the son was left with the father).
This book had the potential to be an excellent story and I devoured the journal entries; they felt so raw and personal. Quite frankly they were beautiful and I would have happily read Andrew's story and his relationship with Emily as a book within itself. I did enjoy the hunt for Andrew and that sense of mystery and feel that this book would work better as a YA because I would often forget that Susan was an adult woman, as well as which I believe the relationship with Nick would have worked much better if they were both young adults. This is because of some cheesy lines, awkward stumbles between them and the way which Susan, notably a psychology teacher, infatuates herself with him and his emotionally abusive ways.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2020
This is a novel about the search for self. It is a novel about brokenness.
Susan is a psychology professor, struggling with insomnia and a persistent feeling of numbness. One night she changes her pattern and develops an obsessive attraction with a blogger. Together they begin a search for the author of a found diary, which leads Susan into a internal conflict. A foreboding and hauntingly sinister energy always consistently felt on the edge of realization. There are some beautiful provocative and insightful passages in this novel, but also much that needs further sorting out. Some of the plot is far-fetched. For instance, that a psychology professor could take an indefinite leave from her position and relocate to the opposite coast and maintain multiple residences while working on an undefined project unrelated to her work, without relying on her apparently wealthy relations. And moreover, that several characters make this east-west coast transition at the same time.
What began as psychologically compelling, unfortunately, ends up confused, as the disjointed relationships that never fully connect and abrupt plot twists that never quite add up transform Susan into an unreliable narrator. It becomes unclear what is reality and fiction in the world of the novel. The investment of the reader in the story then becomes in question. I was left asking myself what I had read and why, and yet I enjoyed the process of the search.
Susan is a psychology professor, struggling with insomnia and a persistent feeling of numbness. One night she changes her pattern and develops an obsessive attraction with a blogger. Together they begin a search for the author of a found diary, which leads Susan into a internal conflict. A foreboding and hauntingly sinister energy always consistently felt on the edge of realization. There are some beautiful provocative and insightful passages in this novel, but also much that needs further sorting out. Some of the plot is far-fetched. For instance, that a psychology professor could take an indefinite leave from her position and relocate to the opposite coast and maintain multiple residences while working on an undefined project unrelated to her work, without relying on her apparently wealthy relations. And moreover, that several characters make this east-west coast transition at the same time.
What began as psychologically compelling, unfortunately, ends up confused, as the disjointed relationships that never fully connect and abrupt plot twists that never quite add up transform Susan into an unreliable narrator. It becomes unclear what is reality and fiction in the world of the novel. The investment of the reader in the story then becomes in question. I was left asking myself what I had read and why, and yet I enjoyed the process of the search.
May 5, 2020
I have no idea on how to rate this book, so I will be leaving the rating blank.
The author is/was a lawyer and I was a little bit trown off with her bio on Kindle: basically her career as a lady of the law... And for some reason, I think that is very clear on her writing style: "I did this. I did that. He said this, I said that". So many "I"'s... I honestly don't know if that was genius or lazy, because via the diaries, we see that the author can write differently, simply chose not to...
The characters are either assholes or too weird for me.
Some notes I took while reading this:
Just.No.
Ass.
Yes, sure. You were 8 and thinking like this.
I don't need to read your scream.
That's called being drunk.
Well. I just couldn't understand it I guess. I forced myself to finish it, because my breaking point was at 76% and for that, I might damn well finish it.
The author is/was a lawyer and I was a little bit trown off with her bio on Kindle: basically her career as a lady of the law... And for some reason, I think that is very clear on her writing style: "I did this. I did that. He said this, I said that". So many "I"'s... I honestly don't know if that was genius or lazy, because via the diaries, we see that the author can write differently, simply chose not to...
The characters are either assholes or too weird for me.
Some notes I took while reading this:
From time to time he would turn toward me and penetrate me with his eyes. It seemed as if he were trying to go deeper and deeper, as if he were testing his ability—or mine to resist.
Just.No.
“You? No. I don’t think so. How would you help?”
Ass.
“Life is not colored. Life is black and white and gray.” I was only eight,
Yes, sure. You were 8 and thinking like this.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”
I don't need to read your scream.
I loved it when the wine and the music melded. When that happened, they made me feel warmer and loosened the tension in my body.
That's called being drunk.
Well. I just couldn't understand it I guess. I forced myself to finish it, because my breaking point was at 76% and for that, I might damn well finish it.
March 25, 2019
"Incomplete stories are frozen butterflies."
Eloquent and meaningful, this is a story of passion, obsession, truths, lies, writing, life and self-discovery.
Susan Blanc is a psychology professor in Los Angeles. She suffers insomnia. She listlessly teaches her classes. She feels bored and lost in her life. She's searching for shadows, silences and spaces which she can call hers. Hers alone.
One night she meets Nick Levitt, a blogger who recently found a journal that someone had left on the bus.
Nick invites Susan to read the journal. She is fascinated by the writing and its author. She's agrees to help Nick write about the journal and posts excerpts on his blog, hoping to find the author.
The journal really resonates with readers.
But no one is obsessed more than Susan. They discover the writer is a graphic artist named Andrew and follow him to New York.
There, Susan's story begins to mesh with Andrew's.
She starts to write a book and as she finds out about Andrew, she finds herself. Shockingly.
Mesmerizing from start to sublime finish.
This was an ARC Giveaway in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!
Eloquent and meaningful, this is a story of passion, obsession, truths, lies, writing, life and self-discovery.
Susan Blanc is a psychology professor in Los Angeles. She suffers insomnia. She listlessly teaches her classes. She feels bored and lost in her life. She's searching for shadows, silences and spaces which she can call hers. Hers alone.
One night she meets Nick Levitt, a blogger who recently found a journal that someone had left on the bus.
Nick invites Susan to read the journal. She is fascinated by the writing and its author. She's agrees to help Nick write about the journal and posts excerpts on his blog, hoping to find the author.
The journal really resonates with readers.
But no one is obsessed more than Susan. They discover the writer is a graphic artist named Andrew and follow him to New York.
There, Susan's story begins to mesh with Andrew's.
She starts to write a book and as she finds out about Andrew, she finds herself. Shockingly.
Mesmerizing from start to sublime finish.
This was an ARC Giveaway in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!
May 28, 2020
This was not my "cup of tea." Thirty-five year old Susan is a psychology professor in Los Angeles, facing a midlife crisis. She becomes involved in the story of Andrew, a graphic artist whose lost love and disappearance gives her an opportunity to write. Unfortunately Susan is an unreliable narrator so you are have to decide what is true amongst the lies. And wouldn't it be nice if we all had the monetary means to quit our jobs, rent an apartment in Manhattan, and try to make sense of our life by writing a novel.
January 17, 2020
Frozen butterflies
For the first time in all the years I’ve been reading and the many different subjects I’ve read —- I could not finish this book. Got half way through and decided it was enough. Maybe I just didn’t understand but I saw no point to the story. It just went on and on and around and around seemingly only to be repetitious. I gave it one star because I’m sure it meant something to the author who wrote it. Sorry
For the first time in all the years I’ve been reading and the many different subjects I’ve read —- I could not finish this book. Got half way through and decided it was enough. Maybe I just didn’t understand but I saw no point to the story. It just went on and on and around and around seemingly only to be repetitious. I gave it one star because I’m sure it meant something to the author who wrote it. Sorry
January 25, 2020
Leaves you feeling broken
Just. No.
The main character is so broken and sad. I found myself getting tangled in her webs and honestly felt a little psychotic after reading some parts and had to step away. But every time I thought “ugh, this is tough to read” it would get a little bit more interesting or I felt like it was going somewhere. Then I would feel let down again. I wanted to like it, but it just made me sad and I don’t want to be sad.
Just. No.
The main character is so broken and sad. I found myself getting tangled in her webs and honestly felt a little psychotic after reading some parts and had to step away. But every time I thought “ugh, this is tough to read” it would get a little bit more interesting or I felt like it was going somewhere. Then I would feel let down again. I wanted to like it, but it just made me sad and I don’t want to be sad.
November 5, 2018
Susan and Nick meet at an after hours club and bond over a diary he'd found earlier. The two work together to post blogs and identify the diary's author. The story should be simple enough, but for some reason everything seemed bloated and over complicated and I found myself forcing myself to finish reading the book to see how it ended.
January 14, 2020
Enjoyable with a surprise twist at the very end!
Sometimes you come across a book you hadn’t planned on reading and are completely surprised by how great the story is and you wonder why the book didn’t get more press. This is one of those reads! Looking forward to seeing more from this author.
Sometimes you come across a book you hadn’t planned on reading and are completely surprised by how great the story is and you wonder why the book didn’t get more press. This is one of those reads! Looking forward to seeing more from this author.
January 15, 2020
I almost quit reading this book. It was about an egotistical woman who was lost and couldn't sleep. She meets this guy in a bar in the middle of the night and he tells her he founds a lost journal and it is very interesting. She is a writer and becomes involved with the journal and the search to find its author. Not a great read and sometimes totally boring.
I wouldn't recommend it.
I wouldn't recommend it.
January 22, 2020
Slow start however uplifting and beautiful source for anyone who's seeking to find themselves. Depression is real writing, drawing and music maybe a better source rather than cutting, alcohol and drugs.
Some Psychologists believe medication is key and others believe in self love, Simona Grossi takes us into generational verisons of depression and suicide.
Some Psychologists believe medication is key and others believe in self love, Simona Grossi takes us into generational verisons of depression and suicide.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews