Adena > Recent Status Updates

This feels like it is trying to be a novel to segue college kids into literary fiction, but it does not do that very well.

I just don’t like first person narration that is so reflective in style. It lacks genuine writing craft.

The writing is not strong enough to label this book literary fiction. Likewise, the character development is not strong enough to warrant a literary fiction label. I think I’m done reading anything endorsed by Reese Witherspoon.

The time jumps in this book create a lack of cohesion rather than lend any sophistication to the story.

FFS, stop trying to cover such a large expanse of time that all you can do is scratch the surface of Abigail Adams. Also, can we get a bit more depth to her character? She’s incredibly flat. I’m close to making this a DNF. Authors need to write for intelligent readers, not adult-aged tweens.

Goes on too many deep dive tangents that 1) feel like filler to turn an extended issue of a magazine into a book and 2) cause you to forget about Zac’s death (and not care).

I was hoping for Meet Joe Black mixed with The Book Thief. This is not that. It’s disordered and struggles to find a purpose. I’m DNF-ing at 25%

How is this book getting so much buzz? The character development is somehow lacking and the plot is just getting absurd.

Campy, but in a good way

I think in the 16 years between novels, I became too savvy of a reader for Stockett. I’m 100 pages in and it’s very clear what’s going on with the husband and other characters. If there are supposed to be shocks or surprises, it’s going to take a lot.

Daphne’s voice is too much like Lara’s voice (Tom Lake).

This might end up as a DNF. I feel like I’ve already read a dozen versions of this book - the premise has been done again and again.

How does this book have such a high rating? It’s dragging and read like a Hallmark romance movie 🤮

I think the modern chapters are stronger than the past chapters. Natalie is too savvy not the read the room of the past.

I wasn’t really interested in this book by its description, but an author I respect hyped it on her TilTok. So fa, the book is predictable and cliche. I can predict the entire plot by 10% in.

I don’t like the true crime podcast format. It’s too Zennial for this Gen-X.

I could do without the narrative break where the author lectures us. If we are reading this book, we are the choir.

The writing is good, but I’m listening to the audiobook, which is read by the author. He is a terrible person for that task because his intonation is dull and is cadence is odd.

Daye’s agency - or lack thereof! The pacing is a bit slow, but not so slow that this is in danger of DNF.

Is this book self-published? I keep finding grammatical errors and incorrect use of homonyms.

Let’s take an interesting premise for historical fiction and ruin it by trying to throw in smutty romance scenes and with a woman who acts too modern and has no understanding of the social constructs of the era in which she lives. How did this win a Goodreads award for historical fiction?! I’ve lost faith in humanity.

I have never seen a novel with no narrative voice have such a high Goodreads rating.

Ugh! The author is spending way too much time building backstories for the characters.

It was going so well until the author threw in a campy, shipboard romance, plot.

This book started out with a bang, and I like the narrative perspective. However, characters are drawn with a heavy hand to the point of being cartoonish stereotypes. Tom is so wrapped up in his grief to the point of it being ridiculous. Lauren is so in love with Tom that it is obvious. I’m not sure if I will finish this book. Right now it is turning into such a disappointment.

Welp, I’ve already cried. It’s been a long time since a book has made me cry.