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Holly R W 's Reviews > Olympus, Texas
Olympus, Texas
by
by
Holly R W 's review
bookshelves: american-south, debut, family, fiction, retelling, texas
Jun 12, 2021
bookshelves: american-south, debut, family, fiction, retelling, texas
Reading "Olympus, Texas" was like watching a train wreck that I couldn't help but watch. It's a book about people acting badly - over and over again. The novel examines the Briscoe family who live in a fictional town in Texas called "Olympus". At the heart are Peter and June and their five grown children. Peter is an adulterer - two of the children have a different mother than June.
Everyone in the family behaves badly towards one another. Empathy and kindness are in short supply. It does seem to me that the author was intent on showing us how violent her characters could be. I also did not enjoy the (psychologically questionable) explanations of their behavior that were placed in the story.
It's rare that I can't connect with any of the characters in a novel. At times, I felt like I was reading a version of "The Sims" video game. It just did not feel true to life.
I did like reading about Texas as well as the author's nods to the gods of Mount Olympus.
2.5 disappointing stars
Everyone in the family behaves badly towards one another. Empathy and kindness are in short supply. It does seem to me that the author was intent on showing us how violent her characters could be. I also did not enjoy the (psychologically questionable) explanations of their behavior that were placed in the story.
It's rare that I can't connect with any of the characters in a novel. At times, I felt like I was reading a version of "The Sims" video game. It just did not feel true to life.
I did like reading about Texas as well as the author's nods to the gods of Mount Olympus.
2.5 disappointing stars
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Reading Progress
June 6, 2021
–
Started Reading
June 6, 2021
– Shelved
June 9, 2021
–
19.5%
"The author seems intent on making her characters do violent acts. I'm just on page 62 and have already witnessed: March choking his brother when young, Hap taking a sledge hammer to March's car, June castrating young bulls on their farm, and Artie pulverizing a fish that she's caught. What's next and do I really want to find out about it?"
page
62
June 12, 2021
– Shelved as:
american-south
June 12, 2021
– Shelved as:
debut
June 12, 2021
– Shelved as:
family
June 12, 2021
– Shelved as:
fiction
June 12, 2021
–
Finished Reading
July 6, 2021
– Shelved as:
retelling
October 21, 2023
– Shelved as:
texas
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by
Barbara
(new)
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rated it 4 stars
Jun 12, 2021 04:20AM
Oh shoot Holly! I hope you didn't spend a lot of time reading...sort of speed reading to get through it. It certainly was about a family in a big hot mess....of their own creation...
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Isn't it funny, Barbara? You forewarned me that I might not like the book and you were right... I kept reading, due to liking the books I have on hand even less!
Holly R W wrote: "Isn't it funny, Barbara? You forewarned me that I might not like the book and you were right... I kept reading, due to liking the books I have on hand even less!"have you read any other novels by Jessica Anya Blau (Mary Jane author)? After reading "Mary Jane", she has piqued my interest.
Barbara wrote: "Holly R W wrote: "Isn't it funny, Barbara? You forewarned me that I might not like the book and you were right... I kept reading, due to liking the books I have on hand even less!"have you read any..."This is the first book of Jessica Blau's that I've read. She's a new author to me. I enjoyed listening to her talk about "Mary Jane" in this interview.
Fair and honest review, Holly. I hope your next read is better :-)
Thank you, Libby.
Oh, no, Holly, that’s too bad! Thanks for this, though. Reminds me a bit of a Paul Theroux I read a few years ago. Hope your next book has you rooting for the characters. ☺️
Yes I did not like any of the characters but very interesting story. I could not relate any of them as well. However its because the family are narscissist. That is why...,
Thanks for your comment, Alice. I understand that the story has its appeal - it just wasn't for me.
