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Angela M 's Reviews > Day
Day
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I’m an outlier on my rating of this book and I’m surprised. I thought at first I would love this . It took one paragraph to bring me to that street in Brooklyn just waking up to the day April 5, 2019. Cunningham immediately gives us through multiple points of view, glimpses of the main characters and their relationships with each other. It’s quiet and introspective, a character driven novel with a focus on their ordinary everyday life - usually the kind of story that I love. I liked the writing. It becomes not so ordinary, though because a pandemic is just not that. Yet, even with this intimate look, I felt distanced from them, unable to fully connect emotionally.
I liked the structure with each of the three sections starting on April 5th 2019 , pre pandemic, then April 5, 2020 during the pandemic and April 5, 2021, post pandemic. I found this to be filled with some pretty sad people with too few moments of joy in their lives . I wish I could come up with a better explanation for why this didn’t fully work for me, but it was just my inability to connect with the characters . There are many highly rated reviews and I recommend that you read those.
I received a copy of this book from Random House through NetGalley.
I liked the structure with each of the three sections starting on April 5th 2019 , pre pandemic, then April 5, 2020 during the pandemic and April 5, 2021, post pandemic. I found this to be filled with some pretty sad people with too few moments of joy in their lives . I wish I could come up with a better explanation for why this didn’t fully work for me, but it was just my inability to connect with the characters . There are many highly rated reviews and I recommend that you read those.
I received a copy of this book from Random House through NetGalley.
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Reading Progress
May 5, 2023
– Shelved
May 5, 2023
– Shelved as:
to-read
December 24, 2023
–
Started Reading
December 30, 2023
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Finished Reading
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Liz
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rated it 3 stars
Dec 30, 2023 02:27PM
I guess that makes me an outlier as well. Great review.
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Angela, I had a similar reaction to the novel and in fact, didn't finish it. You're not alone.
Nice to be in good company. Thanks Liz.
I have to honestly say I'm not a Cunningham fan so an easy pass for me. Sounds like you aren't alone in feeling this way, Angela. At least the writing was good.
Holly, I really did like the writing and the structure, but the lack of emotional connection kept me from rating it higher .
Jen, besides this one, I read The Hours years ago . That was 3 stars for me, too . Could be he’s just not for me.
I'm sorry to hear that, Angela. I'm just glad you didn't have to pay for it!😉
I appreciate your honesty, Angela. You can't help how you feel/think about something. I'm yet to read Cunningham. Best wishes for 2024!
Oh Angela, I’m sorry to hear your reaction to this book. I am looking forward to reading this one soon. Sometimes I wonder if it may not be the pandemic that is the problem with the enjoyment of this book. Always love connecting with you.
Bianca, thanks. Can’t love them all!
Lorna, I don’t think it was the pandrmic that caused my response . Just felt distance from the characters. I love connecting with you here as well . Thanks !
Sometimes it’s hard to know why a book doesn’t work for us, Angela. We are all unique readers. I have only read The Hours by him and I did love that one. I’ll try this one at some point! Great review!
Thanks, Antoinette .
Good balanced review Angela. Hope you enjoy your next one more.
Dale, thanks very much.
Oh, I had no idea that this book is about the pandemic on the same day across three years. Yes, it can be hard to revisit those days, Angela. Not surprising perhaps why the characters had too few moments of joy. May 2024 be a cheerier year for all of us.
Laysee , they were unhappy before , during and after the pandemic, so I’m not convinced that it was necessarily the driving force. Wishing the same for all of us !
It's hard to love the book if you can't connect with the characters. So I think a fair review, Angela.
Nice and honest review. I’m interested in this book and like this author, but I do struggle with us calling April, 2021 POST-pandemic. Sure, it was a lot less scary that 4/20/20, but things were not really back to “normal� for anyone following the science and trying to protect the more vulnerable members of society. I am glad authors are writing about the pandemic in general because seems a lot of people want to pretend the whole thing never happened. This makes it harder for those who lost loved ones, or ways of life during that time. The world changed and in many ways, our cities have still not recovered and many small businesses (restauranteurs, retail, commercial properties, and such) may never recover.
I have both high hopes and hesitations about reading this novel. Not being able to connect is often a deal breaker for me. Hoping for better luck than you had with it, but who knows, maybe we can "outlie" together, Angela!
I did really like this one� my first book by him.. sorry that it didn’t live up to what you’d hoped!Terrific review though, Angela!
Sorry this one didn’t allow you to connect better, Angela. I’m curious how I’ll do with it. Lovely review!
Thanks, Karen. I definitely need that connection.
Seawitch wrote: "Nice and honest review. I’m interested in this book and like this author, but I do struggle with us calling April, 2021 POST-pandemic. Sure, it was a lot less scary that 4/20/20, but things were ..."
Seawitch, I should have said the year after lockdown rather than post pandemic. I agree with you about the extended impact .
Candi wrote: "I have both high hopes and hesitations about reading this novel. Not being able to connect is often a deal breaker for me. Hoping for better luck than you had with it, but who knows, maybe we can "..."Candi, hope you do have better luck than I did, the writing is very good, though !
Karen wrote: "I did really like this one� my first book by him.. sorry that it didn’t live up to what you’d hoped!Terrific review though, Angela!"
Thanks, Karen. Glad it worked for you.
Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader wrote: "Sorry this one didn’t allow you to connect better, Angela. I’m curious how I’ll do with it. Lovely review!"Jennifer, thanks ! Hope it works for you !
I appreciate your review Angela - I plan to eventually read this, and am curious to see if I’ll feel the same way.
Looking forward to your thoughts , Lisa.
Angela, I felt that way about Cunningham's novel Flesh and Blood so I have been in no hurry to pick this one up though it's on my list. I appreciate knowing how you feel and will keep that in mind when I do get to this one.
I’ll be interested in your thoughts, Lisa.
Too much angst in this beautifully written, albeit, pretentious novel. Good grief�I’m with you, Angela. Couldn’t connect. Was drawn to it by the concept; turned off by the angst.
Colleen, angst is a good way to describe it, someone else in a ŷ review called then “whiney�.
I appreciate your thoughts on this one, Angela. An emotional connection with the characters is a must for me so I understand how you feel. Not sure I want this to be my first attempt with Cunningham, deciding on “The Hours� instead.
Some books just don't work, no matter how hard we try. This seems to be the same. Sorry it was a mixed bag, Angela! I hope you find your next read much better! 💕
Thanks, Rosh. There were definitely some things I liked about it , but that emotional connection with the characters is important to me.
Angela M wrote: "Holly, I really did like the writing and the structure, but the lack of emotional connection kept me from rating it higher ."Felt the same way, Angela. Enjoyed the writing but couldn't connect with the characters. Since this was Cunningham's first book after ten years, one might expect something a bit better than it was.
Pamela, glad to be in good company. I have only read The Hours , which is highly acclaimed. I looked back and saw that I gave that three stars as well . Could be he’s just not for me , but I did like the writing.
