Set in Parus, Lucky Dogs by Helen Schulman is a powerful and relevant read that reflects our current society and tackles themes of sexual abuse. Schulman is definitely a great writer. However, some parts of the book were less interesting than the rest of it. Following the #MeToo movement, Lucky Dogs is a must read for lovers of literary and women’s fiction. Thank you Knopf & NetGalley for the ARC!

Powerful and evocative writing. An important book for the #MeToo movement. This story will stay with me for a very long time. Helen Schulman is unflinching in shining a light on a difficult subject matter.. Thank you Knopf publishing and NetGalley for my ARC of this.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This wasn't the style for me and I really struggled to get through the first half of the book (if it hadn't been an ARC I definitely wouldn't have finished it). I liked it better in the second half/last quarter and I liked the message behind the writing, but just couldn't catch the tone.

I really wanted to love this book but it just wasn't as good as I had hoped. I liked the idea of the story. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Three stars. The writing was ok. The character not my favorite.

Hm. Mixed feelings here. Schulman, no denying it, is a terrific dynamo of a writer. She writes with energy, fizz, pizzazz, all those words. Reading her character Merry’s sections of the novel were immersive, addictive, sometimes hilarious. Her other main character, Nina, was less magnetic. Interestingly based on a real figure, but still somehow dull. And the structure of this novel, while driven by outrage, worthily, didn’t seem to me quite right. Too much water was trod in the long middle section and not enough time and space devoted to the finale. The set-up in Paris was probably the best part - fast driven, multi-layered, engrossing. After that, an awful lot of backstory and not much momentum.
Still, Schulman is a talent. Good for her.

First of all, I love this cover.

This is a story of girls in the era of #MeToo . I loved the mix of Paris and Hollywood and exposing the darkness that lies in the world. It was a bit meandering and I lost interest at a few points.

Thanks to the publisher for this ARC. This is a great pick for those interested in the aftereffects of the #MeToo movement. Overall an enjoyable story but was dragging a bit in the end.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this novel. The snippet for this novel had me hooked and at times reading this novel, I absolutely loved it. However halfway through, it was hard to find the power to finish. There was nothing wrong with the writing. I feel it was me who wasn't in the right mindset to enjoy it more.

3.5/5

Fascinating ! Like a fever dream or frenzy ! Feel like I would've been lost if I hadn't read CATCH AND KILL (or listened to too many True Anon episodes) prior. I just wish there had been more to the climax

Initial thoughts:
Thank you Knopf for the ARC !

I’m so, so excited about this book. Anything set in Paris already has my interest, but what really intrigues me is Helen Schulman’s commentary on sexual abuse in Hollywood.

A little snippet from the blurb: “Helen Schulman lays bare what happens to women—no matter how fortunate they may appear to be on the surface—whose lives have been warped by brutality and misogyny. The issues are universal, but the core of the story is intimate: a passionate exploration of love, betrayal, and survival. Lucky Dogs asks and answers a shattering question: How could one woman so utterly betray another?”

Plus, the cover is just GORGEOUS.

After reading this I feel left with a sense that this was missing something. I was so excited when I got approved for this story because the concept really had me interested. I believe the writing was done well. As a woman you want to believe you can trust in other women to not only understand your struggle, but to help you. This story shows us that some women are just as culpable as the men committing the atrocity in the first place.

this one started out really strong for me but unfortunately fell a bit flat towards the middle and never really bounced back. i found it weirdly difficult to connect to the characters despite really liking them and being excited about them at first. i did like the writing style and the exploration of patriarchy & violence against women.

3.5 rounded up

thank you for the arc! <3

This novel strikes all the right notes if you're looking for #metoo plots. The characters are interesting and multi-faceted, and the plot is written with finesse. You won't be disappointed by this one.

I thought this book was good. It’s not usually something I would read but I did really enjoy it. I wanted to read something out of my comfort zone and I’m so glad I gave this book a chance. It was very interesting

I thought the idea was good but I don't think they set the characters up enough in the beginning because I couldn't connect with them as the story went on. I couldn't quite put my finger on it but between the convoluted story and at times overly "literary" writing style, it was hard to stay focused. I'm not sure where it went wrong.

Even though I didn’t enjoy this book, I didn’t finish unfortunately. I tried a few times, in fact I started from the beginning three times and still couldn’t get into it.
Having said that, I will still buy it for the library and I am sure others will enjoy Lucky Dogs.

I kind of slogged through this one - it wasn't bad, it just didn't catch my attention. It was meant to be depressing (I think), and maybe I just wasn't in the right mindset? I may revisit it at another time, but I just couldn't get into it during this period of my life.

A haunting, thrilling novel imagining a #Metoo story. When a struggling B-list actress strikes out against a very powerful and well known producer she has no idea what she is getting into. Likcing her wounds and hiding out in disguise in Paris, she is lonely and questioning her very existence. When she meets a pair that befriend her and help her with her plan to reveal the producer's horrible behaviour. The problem is that the pair is not to be trusted and the her life slowly begins to unravel If you love a metoo story (who doesn't), when fiction illustrates the current climate, or just want a thrilling novel to pull you in, Lucky Dogs is for you!
#Knopf #Pantheon #luckydogs #HelenSchulman

I absolutely loved reading this book. I was completely drawn into the topic and could not stop reading it.

Absolutely fantastic! Could not put the book down once I began reading it. Cannot wait for it to be released. Will recommend it to everyone I know!

I liked the concept of this book initially, however I felt like it became quite convoluted and I lost track of what its purpose was.