Member Reviews
Oh dear, wanted to love it, couldn't get into it at all.
Will give it another try at a future date but for now is a Did Not Finish.
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in return for my honest review
A light hearted book in the Bridget Jones genre. Doesn't quite match up to its predecessors but is fairly amusing. Sophie is troubled by her fascination with Chris. She follows him to Australia and breaks up with her boyfriend. Chris then stands her up. She next encounters him in a London pub where she works. What will happen this time?
I was looking forward to reading Weirdo, I am familiar with the author and really like her on The Great British Sewing Bee so was interested to read this.
Unfortunately, I really struggled to get into this and found Sophie thoroughly unlikeable. The story is narrated from her perspective throughout and she proves to be a pretty unreliable narrator - but then again, who isn't guilty of glossing over uncomfortable details or leaving out the bits where we don't come across well inside our own heads?
The stream-of-consciousness style was at times a bit hard to keep up with - this may in part be due to the formatting on kindle, it was not always clear where the breaks or changes of scene were.
Sophie seems to be the master of making poor decisions and we get to go along for the ride - being inside her head is exhausting, and while some challenging themes around mental health were explored I found her hard to sympathise with.
While this was not my cup of tea, I think it will resonate with a lot of people.
I really enjoyed this book. I found this book hilarious, parts I laughed out loud at but there were also parts where I felt really sorry for Sophie. I had empathy for her, especially her family life. Over all I really enjoyed this book
Written in first person, we follow Sophie trying to work her way out of the mess of a life she has created for herself. I found this to be a rather depressing book, and maybe that’s only because I related with the main character too much! I did sometimes find the writing style rather disjoined and confusing, but there were some moments of light amongst the darkness of Sophie’s life.
Overall I think it’s a rather powerful novel, the ideas and the story are spot on, but the execution lacked a little for me.
I found this novel darker than I had expected, having become famililar with - and enjoyed - the author's style of comedy from the TV show's she's been in.
I can see why people note that it's tragicomedy, but I found it more tragic than comedic. Sophie's anxiety and self-doubt permeate the novel and she is treated badly by the men in her life; this, to me, just isn't the stuff of jokes. It's sad.
I do think that the reader is supposed to feel sorry for Sophie, and feel empathy for her, but at times I felt she was being held up as a figure of fun. To quote Ricky Gervais: you can make fun of people for what they do, but not for the things they can't help. I think Weirdo steps over that line.
I can imagine some readers might be thinking, lighten up! It's just a light, funny novel! True, but still, it made me sad, and that's not what I want from humour. To compare again with Gervais, he makes fun of people in an arguably much worse way, but his underlying empathy for the underdog, and his rage against people who hurt people, is always there. His humour may be cruel but there's a kindness and humanity underpinning it. I didn't feel kindness in Weirdo.
It's well written though.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
Pascoe seems to be channelling Virginia Woolf in this book, with its stream-of-consciousness narrative exploring the modern world through the eyes of a milennial woman. It does well at exploring themes of mental health and complex family dynamics - I'm not sure anyone would want to be in Sophie's head 24/7, or have to deal with her mum and sister! Unfortunately I've never been a fan of this kind of writing style so it doesn't quite gel for me, though I'm sure others will love it.
If you have seen Sara Pascoe on TV you'll hear her voice as you read this! Sophie is in her early 30s and life is pretty complicated. I can't help but feel this is semi autobiographical, or pulled together from Sara's friends lives as it feels very raw and very real in places. Not an easy read at times but of course there's also the humour you would expect. Would like to read more from Sara in the future.
I found this to be a really moving novel, I enjoyed the style of writing and the voice of the main character Sophie. Despite her chaotic and often frustrating actions I was still incredibly sympathetic to her situation. It really helped the reader understand how someone gets into such a plight, her debt, her job that wasn't using her skill or paying for her lifestyle, her toxic relationships with her family and love life. I really enjoyed reading 'Weirdo' and found the ending moving and authentic. A great novel and I look forward to reading anything else that Sara writes.
Very different from my usual reading material but thoroughly enjoyed it. Swings from hilariously funny one moment, to heartbreaking the next and everything in between!
I've been lucky enough to see Sara Pascoe live a few times so I was keen to read this and couldnt help but hear her narrating it in my head. Although it is obviously fiction, it felt inspired by incidents that I have heard her talk about in her stand up routines, and it was great to see the stories come to life in a new way. Her story telling is sharp, quick witted, very entertaining with an emotional truth at its core. Well worth reading.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Weirdo tells the story of Sophie, a 32 year old woman who is still trying to figure out her life in London, with mounting debt, her mum and sister along with her ex who is now engaged to her sister, and her current boyfriend.
Weirdo is a story about the human condition, and how not everyone finds out what they want to be in this world let alone reach their dream.
There are times in the story that the book is uncomfortable to read, not because of the poor writing style but, the writer gets into the mind of Sophie, a woman who has not got her life together yet.
As a reader I felt that weirdo could have been written in such a way that it becomes both over the top and a little fairy tale-ish where everything gets sorted out and we all go to live great lives.
However Sara Pascoe really does allow the character to work through her issues throughout the novel in such a way that you always were on Sophie’s side allowing readers to realise everyone is just a little Weirdo.
Making Sarah Pascoe’s Weirdo a readable literary novel.
This book is all about the life (and thoughts) of Sophie, and is a great read.
Parts of the book are laugh out loud funny, especially seeing as some of Sophie's thoughts echo my own.
Other parts are quite sad, and you find yourself rooting for Sophie, and hoping that her life gets back on track.
I would definitely recommend this to fans of Sara Pascoe!
I could not get past 13% of this book.
It takes a lot for me to DNF a book, I usually struggle through it no matter how difficult. But this one just did not hook me in any way,I just found it boring.
Sophie was not likeable enough to get me invested in her story. Her thoughts, motives and actions all just seemed so self-centered, juvenile and delusional. No redeeming quality to give the reader something to hold onto.
Really enjoyed this book, funny, girl thinking and over thinking. I love the main character and her ways of thinking and going with situations it then analysing what she has done. My teenage daughter also loved this book !!!!
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest, independent review.
Initially, I had high hopes for Weirdo, but unfortunately, I struggled to get into the story from the very beginning. The book was not my cup of tea.
The protagonist, Sophie, makes very poor life choices and is involved in a toxic relationship. The story is narrated in the first person, which did not work for me. I just couldn't find myself liking Sophie at all, and I found her to be an unreliable narrator.
The plot did not have much to keep me interested, and the story did not seem to go anywhere, which made it difficult for me to continue reading.
Anyone who has watched the author perform will recognise her in her storytelling. Her voice and tone shine through the words.
I found it a tough read - not because it wasn’t engaging but rather because the storylines health with challenging topics whilst I could empathise, had no affinity with the protagonist.
Would recommend- not all books are there to entertain - some are there to give us a new perspective.
Weirdo is the fabulous fiction debut from comedian Sara Pascoe, already with several non-fiction books under her belt.
As you'd expect, there is a healthy dose of comedy running through the book, but this is balanced with great depth and also sadness. The writing is laced with dark humour and astute observations, and doesn't shy away from difficult topics including abortion and pregnancy loss.
The main character is 30-something Sophie who lives in London, juggling increasing debt with a meagre paycheck whilst being completely obsessed with a man she used to work with who doesn't even remember her.
Her obsession is so great that she surreptitiously follows him to Australia for two weeks so she can "bump into him"; a large factor in her mounting debt, and the main reason her boyfriend dumped her and is now marrying her sister.
Sophie's inner monologue is at the heart of the novel and we witness her insecurity and growth as she navigates her complicated family and unfulfilling relationships, and learns to be kinder to herself.
A brilliant read which I thoroughly enjoyed, with the author's insight, wit and compassion shining through.
I have to say I'm sad to admit that I did not enjoy this book. I felt that the story didn't really seem to go anywhere. Not for me on this occasion
"Weirdo" was a book I had high expectations for, but unfortunately, it didn't align with my taste.
The story revolves around Sophie, a girl who has endured a life filled with toxicity and unhealthy relationships, resulting in a series of regrettable choices. Sophie's journey left me with a deep sense of sadness. Her struggles with debt stem from her infatuation with a former colleague in Australia, which ultimately leads to a downward spiral.
The book is entirely narrated in the first person, and, personally, this narrative style didn't resonate with me. Reading it felt like listening to someone ramble aimlessly without a clear sense of direction. I found myself skipping pages as I couldn't connect with Sophie.
I don't like giving low ratings, but I believe in honesty when reviewing a book. While "Weirdo" wasn't my cup of tea, it might appeal to others with different tastes.
I want to express my gratitude to NetGalley and Faber And Faber for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.