This novel is a series of linked observations, like literary pointalism. The characters touch the bondaries of their bubble in society - prep school, college, clubs and wealty ennui but never burst it. The sole character of color is used to give a distanced & morally correct pov. I can‘t wait for the book that shows a black person happily drinking & swimming in the lemonade. If you liked The Nest, you‘ll like this, but there are no surprises.
I‘m posting one book a day from my extensive TBR pile. No description. No explanation. Some will be new. Some will be old. They all spoke to me at one time. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join in on the fun if you want to.
Day 16 #tbrpile
Just OK for me.... 🤷♀️
I thought I was going to love it, as these WASPy, summering on the island, lunch at the country-club, rich people problem novels are usually my perfect brain-candy! But this one just wasn‘t as much fun as I‘d wanted it to be. I found Winn too creepy, Livia almost insufferable, and many characters just so bland. Probably the point, but it made it much less fun. Less witty, more icky, than I‘d hoped.....
#weeklyforecast
- Halfway through the tagged book, a fun summery brain candy kind of read 🧠🍭
- Just starting Glass Hotel and have a feeling I‘m going to love it....
Both are for #bookspinbonanza books 3 & 4
- Up next..... the Emma Straub for B&N bookclub, Foreign Affairs for #bookspin #5 and Lolita for #booked2020 #bannedbook
3.5 ⭐
I've seen a lot of negative reviews about this one and although I didn't love it by any means, I did enjoy it for what it was - a bit of a laugh about the lives of rich people. The story is not great and I'm unlikely to remember it but I laughed out loud a few times. The characters are AWFUL - I especially hate Winn! But I like being made to feel strongly about something/someone even when the book is bad.
What a bunch of odious people! The writing was sharp and the author did a good job of skewering the pretentions and insecurities of people for whom social status is a defining issue, but a I would have liked a stronger story. Ultimately it was just a series of incidents that didn't signify much at all. Thanks for the buddy read ladies😘😘😘
Unfortunately, strong writing and a solid first half gave way to a somewhat sloppy second half. I think Maggie Shipstead is talented, and this book has many quotable lines and astute observations. But while I do occasionally like a good book about rich people problems, it turns out it wasn‘t much fun to watch a rich entitled white guy implode.
Thanks for the buddy read, @BarbaraBB @Cinfhen @CarolynM! I enjoyed reading along with you.
What starts out as a slapstick (the days before a wedding when the family is preparing for the big day and the midlife crisis of the bride‘s father is reaching a height), first turns into a tragedy and then spins out of control - for me at least.
An amusing fluffy read but one to forget about quickly.
#Booked2019 #FoodOnCover
#ReadingUSA2019 #Massachussets
This quote made me chuckle. Shipstead is constantly making astute observations in this book.
@Cinfhen @BarbaraBB @CarolynM
If you hate reading about #RichPeopleProblems then skip this book, but if that‘s your jam then this book is going to be super satisfying. The writing was clever, witty and acerbic although at turns the book veered a little into absurdity. Winn Van Meter, father of the bride and a man so obsessed with status, appearances & pedigree is on the brink of a mid life crisis as he faces the nuptials of his pregnant daughter. Would make an excellent film❣️
“but the weekend, now surveyed from its near edge, felt daunting, not a straightforward exercise in familial peacekeeping and obligatory cheer but a treacherous puzzle, full of opportunities for the wrong thing to be said or done.” Ummmm, hello foreshadowing!!!??!? This is from the father of the bride, who‘s hiding some sort of secret, as he approaches his daughter‘s wedding weekend😳
Seating Arrangements was available on Overdrive so I‘m crashing a buddy read! @BarbaraBB @Cinfhen @CarolynM
I‘m really loving the descriptions in this so far. 💄
#abbainaugust #idoidoidoidoido These two have been hanging-out unread on my kindle for quite a while.... One day I‘ll get to them... maybe even soon! 🤦♀️
I saw a recommendation for this book, realized I had a copy, and read it immediately. It takes place on a fictional island in New England, which sounds like Nantucket to me. A family gathers to celebrate a wedding and the author does a great job of deep diving into all of the drama that unfolds. There is an abundance of interesting and flawed characters. But what I liked most was the rich dialogue, both inner and between the characters.
It was okay. Sort of interesting. I categorize it as “rich people with rich people problems”. Eh. 🤷🏻♀️
Finally finished this one. I had a hard time getting into it mainly because I hated every character in this book. Bad review: privileged family wallows in self pity over situations that they have created themselves by their bad behavior. They are self-centered, selfish, and show no love or caring for one another. They almost ruin the wedding. The writing was good though!
This father 5 yo daughter exchange made me both laugh and feel sad. Laugh because it quite funny and great dialogue. Sad because all she wants is to be a princess in his eyes even if she is not a real one. Yet he can‘t do that for her. Not sure what this means for the rest of the book. #fathersdaughters #nodaddyslittlegirl
Finally finished the knitted for my friends baby shower luncheon tomorrow! So I can finally start this one. #knitting #tbr
@Cinfhen #Decdays #celebration I love a good wedding! These 2 are on my TBR for some fun reads next year....
OH MY GOD there is this incredible short story by Maggie Shipstead about a horrible young male writer publishing a book wherein the protagonist is himself/has his name and if you've ever interacted with a young male writer you need to read this immediately - it is hilarious and horribly real.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/maggieshipstead/new-short-fiction-by-maggie-shipstead-a...
Question for @Liberty : I seem to remember you once (maybe many times?) raving about a book with this title. Is this it? I'm getting the feeling there are two authors who both have books by this name. 🤔🤔🤔
Went to a wedding last night with my love. The goofy grin shows how much I love this guy!! ❤️❤️One of my favorite books at weddings is Seating Arrangements, what about you guys?
Only halfway through this one, but so far it's a lot of unlikeable wasps complaining about first world problems. Hoping for a little more depth as it moves forward.
This book is about a summer weekend vacation/wedding celebration, and I remember reading it during a heat wave, so it seemed like my best possible entry for the #SWEETSUMMERSTACK contest. Thanks @Liberty for the prompt! I haven't thought about this book in a long time.
#RockinMay #WhiteWedding #MountTBR
I've got this one on ebook as part of my TBR mountain. I am thinking I may try for June for this one!! 👰🏽
My reading partner is feeling a bit under the weather today. Poor baby 🐶
I was hunting around for the perfect follow-up to RICH AND PRETTY and settled on this one, which, it turns out, was the perfect choice. So good so far.
Today's book haul from an awesome little used bookstore run by my local library. All paperbacks for $1 and hardcovers for $2!
Maggie Shipstead's hilarious, satirical novel about drunken, repressed New Englanders is definitely #underhyped. A large cast of characters assembles for a wedding on Waskeke, the ritzy New England island where the rival Van Meter and Fenn families own second homes. This is a perfect read to close out the summer! #augustofpages
What am I missing?? I don't want to bail, but I am having a hard time getting attached.😴Think I will revisit in a few days...☺️
Good summer read. Not sure when I'll get tired of reading stories about wealthy families in the northeast, but apparently not yet. Shipstead laces this one with plenty of exploration of the disappointments of wealth and obligation.
There were parts of this book that were really funny!!! I laughed out loud when the whale exploded all over Livia and when Winn was hit with the golf cart (especially since he was a creepy old man in my opinion). I can't say it's one of my favorite books, but it was definitely worth reading.
Finally reading this - rich people problems - perfect beach read. Now if only I was on a beach.
This went so quick! It was a great vacation read! Light, funny, ridiculous!
I'm gonna miss this porch when I'm gone!!! Vacations have to end!!!
She had never chosen where to live.
This is a sad line.
WASPy ridiculousness off the coast of New England. Books like this are a license to judge as harshly as you want, since all the characters are terrible but also fictional. Rage-inducing in the best way 👌🏻