Girl/Woman/Other

[PollyPepper]

Is currently sitting on my bookshelf with three chapters read.

I just can't get into it, but it's so highly recommended.

Does it get better? Should I give it another go?

I got to about the same place on my first try, and when I came to it a second time a long time later I didn’t warm to it until I got to the Carole, Bummi, LaTisha section, but came to really enjoy the book. I think you could skip to section 2 (Carole) and see if you take to the book, if so revisit the first 3 women later.

Ohhh good thinking @Cornishblues Thank you!

Do you understand the huge accolades it's had having read it?

It’s hard to say... I think the weight of accolades was part of the problem for me with getting into it, if I’d come to it with less expectation I think I’d have found it easier to take it on its own terms and get into it. I don’t have enough reference points to answer sensibly, not having read any of the books it was up against, but fwiw I don’t rate it nearly as well as Milkman but I enjoyed it more than the 2 others I read/half-read that were booker-shortlisted Milkman’s year. I really enjoyed it once past the first 3 people and would read her other books, and wouldn’t have known of it if it hadn’t won, so I’m glad it did.

Mr Loverman is suppose to be even better. Agree with a PP, the win means lots of us will read her other novels and that means it's worthwhile, even if her winning novel isn't her best novel. Personally I enjoyed it, it was an easy read and as you go on the connections between the characters become apparent.

Third of the way in and looking for something else to read. Not much of a story and seems to be intent on describing the cultural ethnicity and sexuality of the characters but not much else.