This was fucking devastating. I loved the writing style but was not prepared for how sad it was. 

Jenny Offill is an incredibly talented writer; no doubt about it. In this short novel, she plays with form in a way that feels like a printed stream of consciousness. This nonlinear style is so distinct and delightful.

That being said, the story and the characters are too familiar and bland. Offill's portrait of a marriage feels both real and deeply unexceptional. Some of the portions about the couple's early romance were very sweet and touching. However, beyond Offill's distinct stylistic choices, the story was not memorable at all.

this is a typical case of right book, wrong time. i read the book in august 2022 when i wasn't in the mood to read stories about people falling in love, raising a child together, wives being cheated on or marriages. or anything about love really. additionally i had such high expectations on this book, because back in the day basically every bookstagrammer reviewed this book as a 5 star read. maybe i will read it again sometime when i feel more like it.