Emily May’s review of The Bright Years > Likes and Comments
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These out my exact thoughts about this novel. I kept feeling like I missed something important with all the people saying they were in tears at the end of the book. I really couldn’t relate 😭
I found this one hard to enjoy too. It never spent enough time developing characters or their struggles. And the number of SIMILES drove me crazy.
I just rated it the same as you, for the exact same reasons!
I totally agree, am nearly finished and I could DNF
Preach! Loud enough for the people in the back!
Felt the exact same way. Very boring book.
I read her other book first, and sadly was disappointment cuz it didn't live up to the hype for me. Won't be picking this one up either.
i started it on audiobook and just immediately felt detached from it and didn’t continue. i also felt like i was the outlier. good to know others feel the same!
Heard similar reviews. Removed from my "to read" list. Thank you.
Same, I kept waiting for it to pick up, Mother dies and a whole bunch of the depth went out the door with her.
Hard disagree! I read it in May, 2025. It’s stayed with me ever since. Her newest book was also good, but not as captivating as this one.
A hard disagree, I think the reason I loved it was feeling seen by the author in the characters, I had a similar father, so it resonated with me.
I read her newest one and hated it so much that I took this one off my TBR list immediately lol
This was my feeling/reaction to her second book, The Burning Side.
I didn't love this book like everyone else did either, and was questioning "what did I miss?" too. It certainly didn't make me cry my eyes out. I liked it well enough but not a 5 star read like.
You and me both...I was so confused what everyone was going on and on and on about. To me it was simply fine and fell mostly flat.
I agree when the plot twist happened I shouted HUH??
Your opinion was communicated very well.
This was my exact response to this book. Fell VERY FLAT for me.
Your review supports my feelings as well. The book started strong but the characters were never developed beyond their initial profiles. I, too, had to read the “event” twice because it was presented so blandly I wasn’t even sure if what I thought happened had happened.
Your review is spot on. I felt completely detached from this book. The only character I felt somewhat connected to was Elise. I really enjoyed The Burning Side and it feels like it was written by a different author.
Agreed. I only got wet eyes about death and funerals because I cry about them in general, not because the story made me feel it. The voices of the characters were exactly the same (some teenagey words added for the daughter). I haven't understood what that means in reviews before, so I guess it was a good thing to learn from reading this. Even if it's not very flattering for the book...
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Jun 22, 2026 04:50AM
These out my exact thoughts about this novel. I kept feeling like I missed something important with all the people saying they were in tears at the end of the book. I really couldn’t relate 😭
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I found this one hard to enjoy too. It never spent enough time developing characters or their struggles. And the number of SIMILES drove me crazy.
I just rated it the same as you, for the exact same reasons!
I totally agree, am nearly finished and I could DNF
Preach! Loud enough for the people in the back!
Felt the exact same way. Very boring book.
I read her other book first, and sadly was disappointment cuz it didn't live up to the hype for me. Won't be picking this one up either.
i started it on audiobook and just immediately felt detached from it and didn’t continue. i also felt like i was the outlier. good to know others feel the same!
Heard similar reviews. Removed from my "to read" list. Thank you.
Same, I kept waiting for it to pick up, Mother dies and a whole bunch of the depth went out the door with her.
Hard disagree! I read it in May, 2025. It’s stayed with me ever since. Her newest book was also good, but not as captivating as this one.
A hard disagree, I think the reason I loved it was feeling seen by the author in the characters, I had a similar father, so it resonated with me.
I read her newest one and hated it so much that I took this one off my TBR list immediately lol
This was my feeling/reaction to her second book, The Burning Side.
I didn't love this book like everyone else did either, and was questioning "what did I miss?" too. It certainly didn't make me cry my eyes out. I liked it well enough but not a 5 star read like.
You and me both...I was so confused what everyone was going on and on and on about. To me it was simply fine and fell mostly flat.
I agree when the plot twist happened I shouted HUH??
Your opinion was communicated very well.
This was my exact response to this book. Fell VERY FLAT for me.
Your review supports my feelings as well. The book started strong but the characters were never developed beyond their initial profiles. I, too, had to read the “event” twice because it was presented so blandly I wasn’t even sure if what I thought happened had happened.
Your review is spot on. I felt completely detached from this book. The only character I felt somewhat connected to was Elise. I really enjoyed The Burning Side and it feels like it was written by a different author.
Agreed. I only got wet eyes about death and funerals because I cry about them in general, not because the story made me feel it. The voices of the characters were exactly the same (some teenagey words added for the daughter). I haven't understood what that means in reviews before, so I guess it was a good thing to learn from reading this. Even if it's not very flattering for the book...