Goodreads Choice Awards Book Club discussion

2022 Fiction Winner

Beautiful World, Where Are You bySally Rooney



Beautiful World, Where Are You is a new novel by Sally Rooney, the bestselling author of Normal People and Conversations with Friends.

Alice, a novelist, meets Felix, who works in a warehouse, and asks him if he’d like to travel to Rome with her. In Dublin, her best friend, Eileen, is getting over a break-up and slips back into flirting with Simon, a man she has known since childhood. Alice, Felix, Eileen, and Simon are still young—but life is catching up with them. They desire each other, they delude each other, they get together, they break apart. They have sex, they worry about sex, they worry about their friendships and the world they live in. Are they standing in the last lighted room before the darkness, bearing witness to something? Will they find a way to believe in a beautiful world?

I will not read any more of her books because she is anti-Israel, and I totally support the only democracy in the Middle East!

The Israeli / Palestine situation is very complex and highly volatile subject. The moderators of this group do not feel equipped to mediate such a discussion or feel that this is a suitable platform for such a discussion.

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This thread is to discuss the book and not the author's politics.

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I have this on reserve at the library…currently due to be available in May! Seen lots of mixed reviews but really enjoyed her first two books. Interested to see what everyone else thinks!

I already read this book when it first came out. I didn't love it and I didn't hate it. This was my first time reading the author Rooney. I had heard so many good things. I did watch the series about her other novel Normal people but never read the book. Curious what others will think about this book.

I’ve never read anything by Sally Rooney before but I have this book on my kindle and plan to join in on this read.

Sarah wrote: "I already read this book when it first came out. I didn't love it and I didn't hate it. This was my first time reading the author Rooney. I had heard so many good things. I did watch the series abo..."

Normal People...I think it was the first time in my life that I liked a movie MUCH better than the book.
I hated everything about that book. The pace was so slow. Nothing happened. The characters were very unlikeable. It was a painstaking read! I'm not going to even try this one.

I'm the same Robin, I really disliked Normal People to the point that it even put me off watching the TV series.

I'm excited to read this one soon. I read and watched Normal People and loved them both!

Lynn wrote: "I'm the same Robin, I really disliked Normal People to the point that it even put me off watching the TV series."

I loved the TV series that was why I had to read this book. But I didn't love the book. So interesting that Robin thought mini series was also better than the book

I was able to snag a copy of this from my library, I’m like four chapters in so far and I’m not really sure how I feel about it yet. So far I’ll give it a meh. Let’s see if it picks up.

I enjoyed this book, but it was SO slow and I'm not exactly sure what the big fuss is about Sally Rooney, to be honest! She does these hyper detailed observational details of her characters which are fun and interesting for a little while to read but to me, gets tiresome quickly. I do have 3 small boys though, and reading is not easy to fit in, so maybe that's part of it! I need something more fast paced to keep me motivated.

I haven't read this author either. I have this one on my list, but it isn't available at my libraries yet. I was going to use an audible credit, but I might put this one pause and see what some other people think of it.

I read this book in Sept/October 2021. I gave it 4 stars. It was the 1st book I have read by Sally Rooney. The characters were interesting but I felt the ending left me hanging. I do have Normal People on my TBR list and own a copy.

I got tired of waiting for the library copy so I bought a used copy from thrift store. Can’t wait to start reading it! I loved Normal People. I don’t need a lot of action - character building is my passion. Happy reading everyone !

I was able to get half way through this book before my library loan ended. It started to pick up. But I just didn’t have the time/desire to read it. I’ll try again when it’s available :)

Finally got hold of a copy of this from a friend. I’m a few chapters in and it feels very like a very typical Sally Rooney book, with extra added politics. I’m enjoying it so far but still can’t stand the lack of speech marks!

This one wasn't for me. There wasn't enough happening and the things that were happening just didn't interest me. Alice and Eileen's friendship was way more interesting to me than whatever else was going on with Simon and Felix.

Lea wrote: "This one wasn't for me. There wasn't enough happening and the things that were happening just didn't interest me. Alice and Eileen's friendship was way more interesting to me than whatever else was..."

I've now finished and I agree. Nothing really seemed to happen?! And all four main characters were awful really (although I think this is Rooney's MO!). I'd have liked more of an exploration of the friendship between Alice/Eileen/Simon and not just the long-winded emails between the two women. 3 stars for me, although I'd still read her next book.

That is most definitely Ronney's MO, from the one book I've read and feedback I've seen on the others