The winner of the mystery book is Dulcie! Congrats! Check your email and I'll send it right out to you.
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Look, I sort of read Cherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell because it fulfilled a Pop Sugar Reading Challenge prompt (a book with any type of fruit on the cover or in the title), but I also sort of read it because it's Rainbow Rowell. I mean, is there a better character in fiction than Cath in Fangirl? Is there a more perfect YA novel than Eleanor & Park? Rowell is an autoread author for me. I don't care what the book is about - I'm going to read it.
Cath is in the middle of a divorce from her husband, a cartoonist who rose to fame writing a strip based on their relationship. She goes out to a concert and reconnects with a man she had a crush on in high school. But then Tom comes back to get his stuff and he starts eating dinner with her and walking the dog. What's going to happen with this love triangle?
Spoiler alert
I'm a prude. I don't like that she runs into a guy and sleeps with him that same night. I would not have done that when I was in my twenties. I would not do that now. But I kept going despite that because I trust Rowell as an author. Also, people don't always do what I would do in real life. Why should it be different in fiction?
There are some fair criticisms of this book. Cherry cries on almost every page, so I honestly don't know when things are really serious. Cherry is fat and I only mention this because she mentions it every chapter. I feel like that's an important part of the story, I really do, but I also found myself struggling with her complaining about it constantly, but not doing anything about it. I KNOW weight loss is hard, but so is being overweight, you know?
But I was also rooting for all of these characters. I wanted good things for Cherry, Russ, and Tom. I wanted really good things for Stevie, the Newfoundland-Great Pyrenees mix who did not get enough walks or training in this book. I read through it at quite a clip and found myself thinking about the characters after I had closed the book.
It's not perfect, but if you traditionally have liked Rainbow Rowell, you'll like this one. 4/5 stars
Line of note:
Tom had known all these kids since they were babies. He'd sat in the hospital waiting room when they were born. If you asked the little ones, they wouldn't be able to tell you that Cherry was their aunt by blood and Tom was their uncle by situation. (page 316)
This really resonated with me. My niblings have no idea who the in-laws are. I think that's great.
Santa hats (page 125), wool hats (page 245), matching hat (page 394)
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What's your favorite Rainbow Rowell book? Can you think of another book with any type of fruit on the cover or in the title (I immediately thought of The Grapes of Wrath, but didn't want to get messed up in that Depression)?
I liked Eleanor and Park but I think that's the only thing I've read by this author. I'm not a prude so that wouldn't bother me from that standpoint, but I'm kind of over "young women making bad decisions" as a plot point, I've read too many and I AM TOO OLD NOW.
i haven't read any Rainbow Rowell books, and probably won't read this one- although if you made me choose between this and Grapes of Wrath, I would choose this one. i hope Dulcie reports back on what the mystery book is!
Hey — I am so glad you reviewed this book, because I just finished it last night. I really liked it. Probably a 4.5/5 stars for me. I started out rooting for Russ, but let’s just say I was very happy with how the book ultimately resolved.
I was also struck by the excessive use of the word “fat,” which made me cringe every time I read it. But I think the repetition of such a blunt descriptor, and the resulting reader discomfort, were intentional because it was such a defining aspect of how Cherry saw herself and her siblings. There was absolutely no sugarcoating of that aspect of her self-perception.
I’ve read most Rainbow Rowell books (I think all but the graphic novels) and pretty much love them all. 'Eleanor & Park' was my first, so it will always hold a special place in my heart (I recently re-listened to it on audiobook, and that was awesome). But I’ll go a little outside the box here and say that 'Carry On' is possibly my favorite. It found it gloriously meta, before I even understood what the word 'meta' meant.
One reason I think her books resonate with me so much is that she and I are both Gen X, and she definitely writes in a way that feels very familiar and specific to Gen X readers.
Yeah, it was fun how Rowell had us rooting one way and then the other. She's a clever author.
I think the fat thing was interesting. I have a friend who is similar to Cherry in that she's overweight, complains about the effects of that (her knees, ankles, and back always hurt), but won't do anything about it. And it's frustrating. "I'm going to be fat forever" may be true, but it wouldn't hurt Cherry to walk the dog more than once a week, you know? Genetics are a bitch and it may be impossible to lose weight, but it also might be better if she were more active, especially since she's able-bodied! She won't be able-bodied for long at this rate. Anyway, this whole comment comes off as fat shaming and I don't mean it as such. I just was frustrated with it.
I've never read Carry On because the excerpts in Fangirl were 100% the worst parts of it. Ha! It may have been meta, but I don't think I need that in my life.
I liked Eleanor and Park but I think that's the only thing I've read by this author. I'm not a prude so that wouldn't bother me from that standpoint, but I'm kind of over "young women making bad decisions" as a plot point, I've read too many and I AM TOO OLD NOW.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I aged out of YA and now I think I'm aging out of a lot of romance novels. *sigh* I just want to be less impatient with characters!
Deletei haven't read any Rainbow Rowell books, and probably won't read this one- although if you made me choose between this and Grapes of Wrath, I would choose this one.
ReplyDeletei hope Dulcie reports back on what the mystery book is!
Oh, Eleanor & Park is DELIGHTFUL. I do love Rainbow Rowell.
DeleteWow - I feel so lucky! Thank you Engie! I’ll go check my email. Yes Jenny, I will report back. :) -Dulcie
ReplyDeleteYay! I put it in the mail this morning. I hope you do report back because we all want to know!
DeleteHey — I am so glad you reviewed this book, because I just finished it last night. I really liked it. Probably a 4.5/5 stars for me. I started out rooting for Russ, but let’s just say I was very happy with how the book ultimately resolved.
ReplyDeleteI was also struck by the excessive use of the word “fat,” which made me cringe every time I read it. But I think the repetition of such a blunt descriptor, and the resulting reader discomfort, were intentional because it was such a defining aspect of how Cherry saw herself and her siblings. There was absolutely no sugarcoating of that aspect of her self-perception.
I’ve read most Rainbow Rowell books (I think all but the graphic novels) and pretty much love them all. 'Eleanor & Park' was my first, so it will always hold a special place in my heart (I recently re-listened to it on audiobook, and that was awesome). But I’ll go a little outside the box here and say that 'Carry On' is possibly my favorite. It found it gloriously meta, before I even understood what the word 'meta' meant.
One reason I think her books resonate with me so much is that she and I are both Gen X, and she definitely writes in a way that feels very familiar and specific to Gen X readers.
Yeah, it was fun how Rowell had us rooting one way and then the other. She's a clever author.
DeleteI think the fat thing was interesting. I have a friend who is similar to Cherry in that she's overweight, complains about the effects of that (her knees, ankles, and back always hurt), but won't do anything about it. And it's frustrating. "I'm going to be fat forever" may be true, but it wouldn't hurt Cherry to walk the dog more than once a week, you know? Genetics are a bitch and it may be impossible to lose weight, but it also might be better if she were more active, especially since she's able-bodied! She won't be able-bodied for long at this rate. Anyway, this whole comment comes off as fat shaming and I don't mean it as such. I just was frustrated with it.
I've never read Carry On because the excerpts in Fangirl were 100% the worst parts of it. Ha! It may have been meta, but I don't think I need that in my life.