A Very Nice Girl is the tale of Anna, a talented young opera singer who is barely able to afford the prestigious conservatory that will provide the opportunities she needs to launch her career. Anna possesses all of the insecurities and limited perspective of youth and finds herself in a relationship with an older man she is unable to accurately read, leaving her unable to interpret his words, signs, or distress over his own disappointments. Her lack of confidence in her ability to facilitate her own relationship and career goals lead to a sort of implosion with both career and relationship consequences. She is an unreliable narrator and at times it's difficult to tell what's really happening vs. her affected interpretation of events. The discomfort of the reminders of the times in my 20's when I completely misread a situation was real. I'm looking forward to reading more by Imogen Crimp.

A Very Nice Girl tells the story of Anna, a singer who is struggling to make ends meet, when she meets wealthy Max at a bar. Usually I don't mind an unlikeable main character, but Anna was difficult to connect with, which I guess is the point. I appreciated the commentary on what is expected of women- that is not expected of men- but I didn't like Anna at all, which made it hard for me to feel sympathy for her to truly get into the book.

Thanks to @netgalley for the ARC. #AVeryNiceGirl #NetGalley

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of A Very Nice Girl by Imogen Crimp.

I almost made it to the end of this book, but then I asked myself, "do you even care how this ends?" And my answer was, nah. I didn't like the main character, the plot was weak, the characters were not compelling, and the story went absolutely NOWHERE. On top of that, it was just kind of gross? I'm not entirely sure what the author was trying to say with this story, but I wasn't a fan.

A few chapters into this book and I knew that it was not the book for me. There were a few reasons, like the narrative voice and character development of the main character. Another thing that bothered me, which I know will sound petty, is the lack of quotation marks throughout. I know that this is often a stylistic choice that authors make, but it is never not jarring to me.

I've seen some other reviews with absolute hatred for this book, and while I can't say I loved it, I didn't hate it, either. Overall, it's a decent story with somewhat unlikeable characters (though I think that's the point), but my overall opinion is that it was OK.

Anna is a student of opera who is following her passion hoping to find success in her highly competitive niche area. The author spent time studying singing at a London conservatory, which is very evident in the novel. Some may not appreciate the amount of time spent on the intricacies of opera education at a conservatory, but I didn’t mind it.

Anna is living the life of the starving artist when she meets an older man and her focus is split between her opera training, her friends, and this new man in her life.

The style of writing is reminiscent of Sally Rooney’s, but devoted Sally Rooney fans could be insulted by the comparison. No quotation marks, very character-driven, 20-something protagonist navigating life

I must praise the author’s writing for fully immersing the reader in the mind of Anna. I felt that I fully understood her and her intentions and confusion as she was trying to figure things out. I thought about Anna for a long time after finishing the book, which is a mark of excellent writing for me, personally.

I am curious to know if most readers liked the ending. I thought it was very smart.

If you like character-driven novels and won’t be turned off by a slower pace and detailed talk of opera school, pick this up.

(Arc from NetGalley) Definitely for fans of the “sad girl” books like My Year of Rest and Relaxation. It’s one of those books that’s so irritating to read because the main character makes god-awful choices, but then you remember you’re also twenty-something and make stupid decisions. Can’t relate to being an opera singer, but the feeling of wanted to be wanted is universal.

Imogen Crimp's debut novel A Very Nice Girl follows a well-trodden path in contemporary literary fiction, telling a story about a young woman trying to make a career in a creative field, dealing with the realities of life as a poor student, and entering into a toxic relationship with an older man. It's a familiar story, but Crimp's take on it really struck a chord with me.

Twenty-four-year-old Anna is an opera student at a London conservatory, working a side job as a jazz singer at a hotel where she meets Max, who works in finance and is more than a decade older. She's immediately drawn to him and into a relationship with him that becomes increasingly troubling as it progresses. Max criticizes her friends, questions the likelihood of her career ambitions, regularly gaslights her, and begins giving her envelopes full of cash when she quits her job at his subtle suggestion. She misses classes and rehearsals to spend more time with him and ignores her friends and professors when they voice their concerns.

Crimp's portrayal of Anna is what, for me, made this book truly stand out from the slew of 20-something-journey-to-self-love novels that have become so popular in recent years. Anna is a fascinating character who is both vulnerable and unreliable, both naive and world-weary -- a character who confused and frustrated me with her contradictory choices, but also one who I felt so much sympathy for. Crimp's portrayal of her relationship with Max is pitch-perfect; like Anna, we aren't sure if we should believe that Max's intentions are good, or if we should be concerned about the direction the relationship is headed. Max himself is a complex, nuanced character, with a hardened, aloof exterior and a sense of superiority that hides his own insecurities. I wanted to dislike him, and I definitely did not approve of the way he treated Anna -- but I also felt that I understood him, in a way.

A Very Nice Girl is a character study more than anything else, and there's a lot to unpack in this narrative. It's a fascinating look at power dynamics in relationships as a result of financial inequality and deals with lots of themes: the pitfalls of trying to live a creative life in the "real world," trying to find yourself and your place as a 20-something woman, dysfunctional family relationships, and female friendships. Crimp also makes an effective parallel between Anna's opera roles and her relationship with Max that adds so much texture to the narrative, serving to highlight Anna's feelings and the inequalities that exist between her and Max. Crimp's prose is stunning and insightful and, in A Very Nice Girl, she tells an honest, raw, heartfelt story about life and love. She may not be treading new ground with this novel, but she is definitely making her own footprints.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this eGalley! I often enjoy the story of protagonists finding their way in life and feeling confused and aimless in their early adult years. Plotless literary fiction is having such a moment right now, especially surrounding young women, and I eat it up every time. I don't want a character who does no wrong, I love getting to see a character for their flaws and shortcomings as well as their positive attributes.

I received a copy of A Very Nice Girl, for an honest review from Netgalley.. this is a tough one for me. I did enjoy the writing but the story wasn’t something I usually like. Anna can’t seem to find her group or her space or her career. She went to school, on scholarship and spent time with very wealthy young ladies. After school she goes to university to study opera. The conservatory should feel like home. This is what she has always wished for. But something is off and she knows it. She also starts a relationship with an older man Max, who she has is very attached too. She loves his apartment and lifestyle. He spoils her and she doesn’t mind the attention. Anna is very busy and conflicted with the day to day work that is needed to do to become a working singer. The auditions and the practices are exhausting. She seems to spiral out & in of reality. This is where the story lost me. It just seems to much for me. The main character is complaining nearly the entire story and I just don’t want to read this type of story. Life is too short to have to read about a complainer, who can’t get out of her own way and can’t make a good choice. Over all this was a 3 1/2 star story for me. It just lacked something.

This is a story about finding your path.  Anna is studying opera at the prestigious London Conservatory.  She often feels like a fish out of water -- whether it is with her family from a small town, who do not seem to understand her desire to pursue an artistic career or her life in London; or with her classmates, many of whom have spent most of their lives intending to try for a professional singing career; or those in her social circle, who seem, despite outward appearances, largely to come from wealthy families.  

Then Anna meets Max at the bar where she sings jazz for extra money.  Max is her opposite in many ways -- older, working in finance, and seemingly altogether stable.  But, or perhaps because of those differences, Anna is drawn to Max and they spend more and more time together, although they are not, as Max makes clear, in a formal relationship.  Her not-quite-relationship with Max, where they spend time with each other entirely on his terms, and her budding opera career increasingly, in Anna’s mind, come into conflict, leading her to question not just what she wants for her future but whether she can even trust herself to decide.

This was an interesting read.  It captures well the period of early adulthood when many are trying to figure out what path to take, often excited by the possibilities of an unconventional option but also drawn to a direction that is more expected by their families and society more broadly.  The author also depicts well the challenges, including isolation, that come from pursuing a career in the arts.  I've seen this book compared to Sweetbitter, which is an apt comparison for how it brings together the competing pressures of navigating friendships that can be simultaneously fleeting and profound and romantic relationships that are both completely consuming and toxic, all amid a professional field that is enthralling but full of obstacles that regularly make you wonder if it is really worth it.  

Highly recommended!

This was so good. It's a very millennial literary fiction novel about affairs, scrambling through your twenties, and the implications of loving someone who does not or will not love you back.

The novel is described as Normal People meets Sweetbitter, but I think it's more Sweetbitter meets Conversations with Friends. The voice feels more similar to Rooney but the focus on Anna's career gives Tess from Sweetbitter.

I think fans of Danler and Rooney will eat this up. It's a bit slow in terms of plot, but it's nuanced in its exploration of the characters' shortcomings and choices. I enjoyed it and am relieved it met my expectations.

I did not love the opera aspect of this book simply because I do not know anything about opera but the story was compelling and I kept reading until the end. I enjoyed the authors writing style, although I do like punctuation...

TLDR: Everyone in this book sucks, nothing happens, and I loved it.

There's been a sudden influx of books with monotonous plots and unlikeable characters. This is one of them. Anna, the protagonist, has become dependent on a man who rarely ever shows her approval. It's a frustrating dynamic that shapes the entire book. And for every back choice Anna makes, the more deeply relatable she is. Of course she's constantly failing, spiraling, self-sabotaging. It's hard to be a young person alive in this era. This is good for fans of books like Exciting Times and Jillian. Classic toils of modern romance.

Thank you Net Galley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review!

Not at all what I expected this book to be, but enjoyed it all the more for that. A wonderful meditation on young adulthood, finding yourself, and also losing yourself in a toxic relationship. Crimp made me feel many things while reading; anger, frustration, intrigue, hope. She truly brings you along on the characters' journey.

This was an impressive read, with a tale that at first seemed predictable but then turned.
It's a story of a young girl Anna falling in love with an older benefactor, Max. It reads slightly abusive, in that Max tries to make Anna wholly dependent upon him. Beautiful writing, can't wait to read Imogen Crimp's future work.

A Very Nice Girl review
Anna, a young opera student, met Max, an older man working in London, at a restaurant where she sang to pay for her expenses. Soon they were meeting regularly at Max’s apartment near his work place. Anna had been living with her roommate, Laurie, an aspiring writer who had her doubts about Max. Lauren and many of her friends had wealthy parents while Anna had working class parents who offered no financial aid.
Max treated Anna to dinners in expensive restaurants but only spent time with her during the week after work. His weekends were spent at his country home in Oxford, a place where he never invited Anna.
Anna fell in love with Max and was willing to become the person he wanted her to be. He eventually talked her into quitting her other jobs and gave her sums of money to cover her expenses. Soon she was emotionally and financially dependent upon him.
This is an oft told story of a young girl falling head over heels for an older man who treated her badly. However the ending may surprise some readers.
The author, once a student who studied music at a conservatory in London, uses much of the book to describe Anna’s experiences studying opera and then going to auditions and eventually getting a part in a an opera. The reader will also see the quiet young woman fall under the spell of this older, wealthy but mysterious man.


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Anna is an opera student struggling to keep up with the financial demands of her passion when she meets Max, a wealthy, older banker. They quickly fall into a… relationship that, while providing Anna a level of comfort she’s never known, also begins chipping away at her true self as she molds herself into the perfect woman for Max.

I really enjoyed the writing style and thanks to the complicated (re: fucked up) relationship at the center of this novel it gave me a lot of Sally Rooney vibes. It’s certainly sad, but also very true for anyone who has tried to turn an unrealistic dream into reality. The middle dragged a bit and the ending I’m still processing, but overall a very impressive debut.

When I received a copy of this book, I was so excited to read the story of Anna an Opera student at the London Conservatory. She is there on scholarship, and works multiple jobs where ever she can get work. At one job working at a bar she meets Max, who appears to be wealthy and immediately takes an interest in Anna.

While on the surface Max appears to be a nice guy and care for Anna, he makes little comments that plant seeds in her head that slowly rattle her. Soon Anna is missing classes, rehearsals and even has trouble singing.

I personally wanted to walk away from this book, but am so glad I stuck with it. While at times I wanted to scream at Anna and slap Max, it was great seeing Anna grow and finally make the decisions herself that will affect her life.

This is a tough read at times, but then that just means Imogen Crimp was writing fabulous scenes and story. Stick with this one, it will be worth it in the end.

Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

a very nice girl is about anna, a twenty-something-year-old aspiring opera singer attending a prestigious conservatory in hopes of launching her career. on the side, she sings jazz at a hotel where she meets max, a soon-to-be-divorced older wealthier man, who she starts (to her dismay) an unlabeled relationship with. laurie—her shameless, hypocritical, yet caring best friend and roommate—is incredibly suspicious of the strange and callous max.

anna has a hard time figuring out where she fits in between max, narcissistic opera students, and laurie with her friend group of out-of-touch so-called feminists.

anna intentionally shapes her personality to please whoever she's around to get the validation of being liked, but only ends up with an identity crisis and a question of whether or not she's content with her life.

this book deals with a morally questionable narrator who you shouldn't trust but really want to because her experience is so universal; she’s in a weird toxic relationship, with toxic friends, totally confused with what she wants, yet completely sure at the same time.

i really enjoyed this book; it’s complex relationships with love, money, friendship, and self-understanding. the characters are so inconsistent and fake (but so real!!) it’s amazing.

*thank you to NetGalley & Henry Holt and Co. for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for an honest review*