This novel is everything I like. Multi-generational, women-centric, and touching on eras of feminism and womanhood that i find interesting with a little cult situation happening. The first POV character is a young woman in a punk band and as someone who grew up in the local music/hardcore scene I was ready to resonate with her so hard. All the pieces are here to create something interesting. Unfortunately, the writing and story telling are too weak for this to amount to anything "spectacular." It reads, at times, like one of the hundreds of cartoon-cover, paperback romance novels that are so popular right now. And if that's your bag, then great, maybe this is for you.

The ending also left me feeling rather hollow and betrayed. Any time there is a time-jump that fast forwards readers through a decade plus of personal growth, any development in a character is going to feel unnatural and sudden. I would have been more interested to follow Missy throughout her life and see her grow into the decisions that she ultimately did make than be given the POVs of her mother and grandmother that added background and context but not development. That context could have come in a way that took up less space and left more room for the clear main character to feel more complete.

I had a hard time getting into this at first, and I think it might have had something to do with the language and the way the book begins talking about sex. I’m no pride but Missy is far beyond me. However, once I got into the story and the different perspectives I really enjoyed it. Everyone’s motivations were really interesting and I was left hoping things work out for Missy and her mom.

Told from multiple POVs and multigenerational, this novel was your typical women's lit novel. Great book for an escape, but I have read other books that are similar which were better.

Overall, I hated it. It was grating. I normally enjoy books that follow multiple protagonists and skip between time periods, but the time skips in this story were difficult to follow. I often felt like I was dropped in the middle of a completely different book. I'd go back a few pages to make sure I didn't accidentally miss something.

I was finally able to get to this book. It has been sitting on my kindle for.ev.er!

I love a generational novel and this one did not disappoint. It checked all of my boxes for a great read!

Generations
Found Family
Historical Fiction

This story is a look back at the changing gender revolutions going on in the 1980s and 90s. It looks at three generations of women and how their lives have played out. Missy is 22, the lead singer in a band out on tour. She’s not managing her life particularly well - pregnant, doing drugs, having sex with all and sundry. Her mother, Carola, had walked out of her life on a commune when her daughter was just a child, leaving Missy behind. In 1997, she’s caught up in a sex scandal at an ashram. Ruth is 83, having been a real presence in Missy’s life and having introduced her to the cello.
I wasn’t sure what to make of any of these women. All are trying to find their “authentic lives”, to quote the book description. But what happens when seeking your best life means hurting others? All at various times are called on to make decisions about being a mother.
The book felt divided in half and I much preferred the first half. The second half moves to 2013. Ruth is dead, Carola is some sort of self awareness guru, Missy all of a sudden wants to be a mother. The first half of the book seemed much edgier. It tackled the idea that not everyone wants to or should be a mother. Now, we’re subjected to Missy’s ticking biological clock. It seemed to meander more in the second half.
The problem I had was that I never quite connected with any of the women for long periods of time. Having never wanted my own children, I expected to connect, given the way the book started. But the second half of the book was such an about face, it threw me.
This was just an ok story. Nothing special. Nothing to deserve the title. It didn’t live up to my expectations after what I thought was a really strong opening.
My thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advance copy of this book.

I highlighted this book on my Booktube channel. The video can be accessed here: https://youtu.be/d0yIVLVC22U

The author tells three varied and interesting stories about three differently situated women. However, The Spectacular falls short because the timelines are often confusing and tricky to follow.

Dang. This is a really special book. Three generations of women with complex issues are trying to find their own definitions of home, self, and family. I thought a lot about what we owe each other, how we care for each other, and how stubborn and strong women need to find ways to be compassionate and careful with each other. I related to some of the familial dynamics so deeply it was a little unsettling. The characters and relationships came alive for me in this book and I often felt like I was reading a memoir instead of a novel. I really loved the oldest and youngest of the three women best - the intensity of being on tour with a band, and the complicated mess of running toward and away from things at the same time. Plus, I have been thinking about aging and what we leave behind a lot, so that made the grandmother's story very compelling.'

Overall, this is a brilliant novel that is going to stay with me for a long time. I can see myself recommending this to people who like domestic dramas, books about music/bands, people who like to read about women's relationships with each other. There is so much magic in this book. It is spectacular.

I really enjoyed this book as it is told from 3 different generations of women. I really like books that alternate time lines and this is no exception. We learn a lot of different perspectives from the characters. You can definitely tell how much one changes over years. I enjoyed reading about the life experiences by each of the characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. I really don't remember what made me request this one as the cover isn't eye drawing for me and I almost never actually read the blurbs about the book anymore...anyway, the book is told by more than one point of view and normally that might throw me off but in this case, it worked well. We get to see what life is/was like for three generations of women. Missy, her mother, and her grandmother. We learn of their hopes and dreams and how the expectations of society differ for each of the women...I really liked it a lot as there was so much growth and change throughout...

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for a copy of Zoe Whittall’s novel, The Spectacular.

Told in a non-linear fashion, The Spectacular, follows three generations of women in the same family who each make difficult decisions regarding motherhood, relationships, and careers. Ruth is in her eighties and she recounts her journey from Turkey to America, a difficult migration made worse by her husband bringing along his mistress to their new country. While Ruth has conservative leanings, her daughter, Carola, forges a different path, including setting up a commune. Carola struggles with her own aspirations versus being a wife and mother, ultimately distancing herself from her family. Her daughter, Missy, becomes a famous rock star who struggles with boundaries and relationships, harboring a deep resentment towards Carola.

The novel starts with Missy’s perspective and her dynamic, intense personality immediately grabbed my attention. I cannot think of a recent read where a character had such a strong personality as Missy. It is so strong that when the chapters shift to Carola or Ruth’s perspectives, it is hard to let go of Missy. She dominates, commanding a readers full attention. I was quite struck by her voice.

Whittall does not shy away from controversial topics. In the first chapter, Missy, in her early 20’s, is seeking a doctor who will perform a tubal ligation surgery. Missy is certain that she will never desire to be a mother, yet no doctor is willing to give her the procedure. Worse than the denial of the operation, is the way Missy is treated, her voice silenced. As a middle-aged reader, I can appreciate the perspective that people can change a lot throughout their lives. I’m certainly not the same person that I was in my early 20’s. We see Missy in middle-age and we can see how she has changed through time and experience. Missy changes and so do her thoughts on becoming a mother, however, I don’t believe that the reader is supposed to conclude that the doctor’s were right to deny Missy her wishes when she was younger. It’s more complex than that; Whittall is writing about societal expectations of women and how these might conflict with individual desires.

I’m forty-five and from my teen years, I knew that I never wanted to be a parent. However, life takes unexpected twists and I married a man with two children and have been a part-time stepmom ( they live in Europe most of the year), and it has been a great joy. I was also raised by a single-mom, having lost my father when I was four. The Spectacular is a story about the unexpected, the seasons of life, and learning to accept your life, including the impact of your decisions and those beyond your control. I related to the over-arching themes and to aspects of each character’s life choices.

I recommend The Spectacular and it would be a great book club pick for lively discussions.

The Spectacular tells the story of three generations of women.

Changing time-lines is one of my favorite storytelling methods so this was a won for me. Readers who prefer more linear path may be disappointed.

Thanks to the author and publisher fir the ARC.

Zoe Whittall writes so beautifully. Almost all authors work diligently to place figurative language within their pages. On occasion, they feel forced and unnatural, and I find myself cringing a bit at the attempts that fail to achieve a visual for me. And that is what I require of figurative language in a book. Whittall executes it eloquently and effortlessly. It is a pleasure to read her pages.

The Spectacular started so solidly for me. I was invested in all of the characters, even the wild young 20-something Missy. The first half of the book was definitely my favorite. I returned to my characters each reading session, anticipating new revelations of their lives and decisions.

Without giving anything away, my investment in the first half, didn’t pay out in the second half. The writing remained lovely and articulate, but felt rushed and didn’t develop as expansively as the first. I still enjoyed the story and the lives of the characters, and learning where their paths led. The ending, for me, could have been more closely tied to the beginning, especially with such a strong feminist take throughout. As a young woman, my thoughts and feelings about love, sex and motherhood were nearly identical to our young protagonist. I, however, maintained that into my years that have now long passed the childbearing years. Perhaps I hoping that I could walk a sentimental path with Missy in our life choices regarding motherhood.

I waffled between 3 and 4 stars, and settled with 3 1/2. I have no issue rounding up because the prose was just so smooth and lyrical and I did enjoy the stories of each of these women. This is a character driven story, which I love, and if you do too, I can confidently recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House - Ballantine books and the author for an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

DNF - Did not finish. I did not connect with the writing style or plot and will not be finishing this title. Thank you, NetGalley and Publisher for the early copy!

This was just ok for me, it is a multi-generational story and told in the POV's of Missy, Carola, and Ruth. I enjoyed Carola's story the most as Missy's storyline / character overall annoyed me and there wasn't any real growth from until the very end. Ruth seemed more of an afterthought by the time her POV was introduced, so it was odd and maybe it was because I listened to this via audio and the introduction of a different narrator so late in the story was a bit jarring or maybe I wasn't vested enough, I don't know. By the end it was all coming together when there was a reunion, but it was a bit late for me. Because of that this was average overall but engaging enough for me to keep going to see how it would end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the digital galley to review.

Unfortunately, this book was a miss for me. It had the potential but i just cou;dn't connect with the characters.

The Spectacular by Zoe Whittall is a women’s fiction novel featuring three generations of women. The story in The Spectacular is one that is told by changing the point of view between the characters and by changing timelines going back to the past and also a jump further into the future from the current time.

The story begins in 1997 with twenty two year old Missy. Missy grew up in a commune never having known her mother and is now in an indie rock band traveling the world. Missy wants nothing to do with motherhood and only wants to live freely like her male bandmates.

Carola is Missy’s mother and hasn’t seen her daughter in years since she left her at the commune. Now in her forties Carola sees her daughter on the cover of a magazine. Eighty three year old Ruth is Carola’s mother and Missy’s grandmother and when Missy pops into her life she thinks it’s time for the family to begin to understand one another.

I have to say I picked up The Spectacular because I read The Best Kind of People by Zoe Whittall and really enjoyed it. After reading The Spectacular I felt that it wasn’t nearly as engaging for me though. The story is kind of all over the place in terms of time and the first half seemed a bit more smooth than the second. It was interesting seeing how different the characters were but the ending left a little to be desired for me so overall I just felt this was only an OK read.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This was sadly a DNF for me. Not because it was a terrible book, but because I simply wasn't the right reader for the book. I truly think many others will enjoy.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley.

I have no idea why this book is called The Spectacular, because nothing particularly spectacular happens. The book focuses on three generations of women and how they grapple with being a woman and a mother in their society. I suppose the great takeaway is that though much has changed over the years, the central struggles remain the same. The main character Missy spends a decent chunk of the book ruminating on whether or not to become a mother. Part of me wished she had chosen not to, as I think it sends the message that womanhood and motherhood are intrinsically intertwined. However, I do appreciate that Missy was able to come to the decision on her own terms, as opposed to her predecessors.

Overall I did enjoy this book. I don’t think any of the three narrators were strong enough to stand on their own, but intertwined I was kept interested.