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A review by catcardoso
Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
4.0
Wow. First of all I just want to thank Sally Rooney for writing this incredible book.
Despite the fact that I didn’t love all the characters, I was still interested in them and the dynamics between them. This is all because of the incredible job Sally Rooney did as an author. I’m not sure whether the email chapters were just a way for Sally to discuss her political / economical / social (and much more) views, but I also don’t think it really matters. And don’t all authors project some of their views or experiences of the world in their books in some way or another? I learned so much about myself and the world reading this book and that wasn’t because she pushed “life lessons” into our faces. Instead I found that she did it in a way that didn’t manipulate the reader to agree or think a certain way at all. It was very much an open discussion, which I appreciated and it made me participate in the discourse in my mind (at times I stopped reading just to think about the topics on hand or texted my friend to discuss them).
I’ve heard people mention how depressing they found this book to be and I’d like to say that I actually found it very hopeful. The characters aren’t perfect nor happy all the time but the message of this book is that you can find happiness at any time at any age of your life (I think there are definitely more ways to think about this than just my interpretation).
A lot of people criticize Sally for writing too many details and say that she focuses too much on insignificant things. I think you wouldn’t make that argument if you’ve read this book cause that’s exactly the point she is trying to make. That even though there are more important things to worry about (and to write about) our lives are happening right now with the people around us and that’s what we live for. Things that may seem small and insignificant are part of everything we live and care for. And precisely her attention to detail makes the story feel so real. I felt like an observer watching these people live their lives instead of a reader. When I first started reading her books I was so confused by the lack of quotation marks but now I completely get it and applaud her for doing so. She has the ability to give her characters such distinct voices which makes it really easy to differentiate the characters and know who is speaking.
That being said, I wouldn’t necessarily say I “enjoyed” this book, or any of her books for that matter. And im not sure if they’re even supposed to be enjoyable. It surely made me think and feel a lot. And I’m so thankful that this book exists.
Despite the fact that I didn’t love all the characters, I was still interested in them and the dynamics between them. This is all because of the incredible job Sally Rooney did as an author. I’m not sure whether the email chapters were just a way for Sally to discuss her political / economical / social (and much more) views, but I also don’t think it really matters. And don’t all authors project some of their views or experiences of the world in their books in some way or another? I learned so much about myself and the world reading this book and that wasn’t because she pushed “life lessons” into our faces. Instead I found that she did it in a way that didn’t manipulate the reader to agree or think a certain way at all. It was very much an open discussion, which I appreciated and it made me participate in the discourse in my mind (at times I stopped reading just to think about the topics on hand or texted my friend to discuss them).
I’ve heard people mention how depressing they found this book to be and I’d like to say that I actually found it very hopeful. The characters aren’t perfect nor happy all the time but the message of this book is that you can find happiness at any time at any age of your life (I think there are definitely more ways to think about this than just my interpretation).
A lot of people criticize Sally for writing too many details and say that she focuses too much on insignificant things. I think you wouldn’t make that argument if you’ve read this book cause that’s exactly the point she is trying to make. That even though there are more important things to worry about (and to write about) our lives are happening right now with the people around us and that’s what we live for. Things that may seem small and insignificant are part of everything we live and care for. And precisely her attention to detail makes the story feel so real. I felt like an observer watching these people live their lives instead of a reader. When I first started reading her books I was so confused by the lack of quotation marks but now I completely get it and applaud her for doing so. She has the ability to give her characters such distinct voices which makes it really easy to differentiate the characters and know who is speaking.
That being said, I wouldn’t necessarily say I “enjoyed” this book, or any of her books for that matter. And im not sure if they’re even supposed to be enjoyable. It surely made me think and feel a lot. And I’m so thankful that this book exists.