alireuter's reviews
244 reviews

this book is a beautiful autopsy of a lost but loving relationship & the complications of life after death. it deals very well with max’s perspective, his observations & the reflections of someone watching his past life fade away from him. it reminded me a lot of A Ghost Story, a film directed by David Lowery from 2017 (go have a watch), especially in how it portrays the loneliness of both characters. i liked the dual narratives as it reveals both sides of the grief & heartbreak from two completely different perspectives, however i started to feel lost when other characters started to have chapters as well, especially when they hadn’t been integrated into the plot before. it got to the point where i felt pretty confused but still enjoyed the exploration of generational trauma. unfortunately the thing i most enjoyed about the plot lost its significance & that was max. still an enjoyable read nonetheless & very beautiful writing.

i’m not usually one for a romance but this has to be one of the best books i’ve read this year! perfect for a summer of delightful yearning, this story will transport you to a small italian town full of nostalgia, lovers & complete beauty. i can honestly say it was a pleasure learning about the complications of everyone’s lives & not one character felt underdeveloped or stuck, each one had their use to the narrative while also having their own lives which was so refreshing. 

another thing i appreciated was the inclusion of the italian language & culture. as someone who’s learning italian & is in love with the country, i felt that i was building a stronger connection to the setting, i only wish there was more of this. i also enjoyed reading the italian & realising i knew what it meant! 

now, the love story…one of the best i’ve read. both theo, magdalen & their relationship were so genuine that following the gradual growth felt so rewarding. the split narrative really added to how they are individual characters with different perspectives & backstories, connecting with each other not because they’re both perfect but because they have a mutual understanding. parallel to the main romantic narrative, there is almost a catalytic mystery that lingers along the chapters, causing this underlying tension that both shatters & envelopes the story to a satisfying & heartbreaking conclusion. you must read!!

this is SUCH a breath of fresh air when it comes to historical fiction. most i know are set in very popular times but as a lover of rome in all its centuries, it appealed to me as soon as possible. through its fast paced prose & collection of great & in depth female characters, the pages flew by to expose a story fuelled by discussing the relationship between power & love. scandal, betrayal & perseverance are also at the heart of the book, displaying a thorough exhibition of character driven moments & addictive drama. an extremely compelling & important aspect of the novel is how it is ultimately a response to the ongoing abusive behaviour men show to women, a pattern as old as time that cannot be ignored. i think that as it’s a work of fiction based on a real inspirational woman, it’s a perfect attempt to confront the female narratives of the past. costanza is a great character with such individualistic qualities that i find her a role model in her passion of art. i encourage everyone to read this & if not, research the real costanza bernini. 

this is one of those times that a book cover doesn’t seem to match the tone or genre of the plot but i still read it in a day so perhaps that’s a good thing? i really liked that a middle aged unmarried and childless woman was the main character, & that she was an interesting person to follow around. it’s rare for me to read from such a unique & mature person so her personality & actions were very balanced which doesn’t happen a lot. the plot was mysterious enough to keep you turning the pages however I thought it did stray from the central mystery for the most part, resulting in a sad yet realistically expected outcome. 

now the big one… the ending. i think most people who know the final chapter of the book can agree with me that after such a light & delicate story handled with care, the last pages feel unnecessary & at most parts completely absurd. for me it seems to have tainted the whole concept of the book that i enjoyed, leaving a mess of unanswered questions. also, after reading some other reviews, I agree that the portrayal of mental illness & queer relationships could have been handled better. it was unfortunate that while the lesbian couple breaks apart because Martha is so toxic, Jean and Howard are a dream team straight couple that is shown as sympathetic. i don’t think queer relationships need always be healthy but it’s a shame that the characters get an unhappy ending from the romance itself being bad, not due to the external societal expectations. overall I’d recommend this book as an easy and interesting read, if you ignore the ending, though not one I could see myself re-reading.

this is a book about revenge, no matter the cost or whatever the outcome of it. captivated from the first murder (yes the title is very literal), i loved reading Grace’s inner thoughts as she plans & carries out her vengeful actions. it was also interesting to learn & understand the story of her motives, from her rocky childhood to the relationship with her mother. finding what makes the character who she is throughout the entire book was great to read as you become more & more sympathetic to her situation. although this was prominent , i often felt disconnected from Grace, especially when there was a death i didn’t agree with & was consistently reminded of it. the story also reflects our current society well, highlighting the injustice & imbalance of the class system, stereotypes surrounding women & the issues with social media. i think these elements were expertly commented on & integrated well into the story. the unravelling & slow reveals towards the end were both shocking & clever where it had me smiling in understanding. despite this, the ending was quite anticlimactic & seemed to not tie the loose ends together, leaving an open ended conclusion to a great story. 

look, i’m a big shakespeare fan as you can infer from my many readings of his plays & sonnets, but this one just didn’t hit as they normally do. i expected a similar chaotic plot of wit & creative dialect such as that in much ado about nothing, my favourite play of his, but found nothing as compelling or comic that compare. as many modern perspectives, i found it misogynistic at best, which surpassed my realistic tolerance, & dull at worst. there are some quite fun interactions & word play from katherina who is the most likable character with an actual personality (i’m a match with kat stratford which might explain my favouritism). honestly, i don’t have much else to say. i wouldn’t recommend it if you were into shakespeare or not unfortunately. go watch 10 things i hate about you i guess.

this was such a refreshing yet dark take on the romantic relationships that so many experience, from the drama of the youth to the excitement of first & lasting love. the core enticement of the story really situated in how dark & twisted it is, but also how it’s so relatable & real. it really feels like an early twenty-somethings diary who unfortunately goes through the inevitable stage of depending on male validation but does so with pure intentions of finding love & harmony.

the story is told through a structure of events, focusing on one guy at a time, with a raw & unapologetic tone that grips the reader & forcing them to see through the protagonist’s eyes. Foley does well in capturing the loss of innocence, naivety & emotional turbulence that so many have gone through, collecting points of recognition to navigate the idea of self-worth in relationships. despite how short it is, the book really sticks with you especially the last few pages…