I truly wanted to love this book. What started as a strong premise of a woman who had lost herself in a man and societal expectations suddenly findingI truly wanted to love this book. What started as a strong premise of a woman who had lost herself in a man and societal expectations suddenly finding the determination to love herself fully and without needing a man to validate her ended in� a woman who ended up with a man who validates her.
Which is fine and fair but everything about her individual journey to self acceptance and self-love disappeared. The chapters became repetitive conjurations of self-punishment, from Nadia AND Marcos.
The idea was strong, the writing was not. There were too many loose threads, very little character development- for the main characters as well as the supporting characters, and eventually it ended flatly.
It was hard for me to get through it at times and I wanted to believe it was because of foggy brain or inability to focus but it’s moreso that I felt zero investment in these people. Could Nadia tell us ONE more time how much money she has to throw around? Could Marcos tell us ONE more time how much of a screw up and coward he was? And his father’s miraculously articulate moment of lucidity that lasted quite a lengthy conversation given that he had not been that lucid in ages?
It was just too fractured of a story. And after writing this review I realized that the three stars I was going to give it was too generous. It’s a two star book packaged in a 5 star cover....more
As I just told my best friend� This book taught me more about Canadian culture in one night than the past 12 years I have spent living here.
Little detAs I just told my best friend� This book taught me more about Canadian culture in one night than the past 12 years I have spent living here.
Little details like street names, a popular kids game show, and the economic disparity that is often swept deep under the rug here in Alberta were put on full display for me for understand better than I ever have before.
Author Natalie Sue does an incredible job at describing the toxic work culture that is prevalent across most of Alberta (which I have witnessed firsthand in various workplaces) and the crushing dependency that a lot of our community members have on alcohol to help with the many wounds they get next to no mental health or systemic support for.
This novel hit close to home for me as a Hispanic-Middle Eastern woman from an American background. I constantly feel caught in a rat race, failing to make rent even with a decent job (that doesn’t pay that well given our current cost of living), and like I’m a bad daughter.
In the end I guess we are all somebodies Carl.
But one thing will stick with me forever� when it all falls apart, and I no longer have to focus on keeping it together, I can finally start to focus on what’s right in front of me.
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