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kirsten0929's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Gorgeous example of how sparse prose can work. Short, precise sentences that convey the complexity of the characters. The quintessential “nothing happens” and “no likable characters”. Love it. This is a novel kind of without a beginning and without an end. It just steps into the lives of these people at a point in time, follows them for a year - their interactions with each other, their struggles, the “unhappiness” of the day to day - then ends. Happiness As Such, indeed. This is primarily an epistolary novel, a form I often struggle with because the letters, tasked with providing information to the reader, often come off sounding too explanatory and unnatural. This novel suffers from that a little bit, but not enough to detract from my enjoyment.
medievaljuliana's review against another edition
read if
✅ you love dysfunctional families who kinda come together no matter what
✅ you'd like a peculiar take on found-family tropes
✅ you like thought-provoking narratives disguised as straightforward prose
don’t read if
❌ veiled/casual homophobia from characters is a no-no
❌ you like traditional storyline development and a neat ending
❌ you can’t stand overbearing and clueless mothers
✅ you love dysfunctional families who kinda come together no matter what
✅ you'd like a peculiar take on found-family tropes
✅ you like thought-provoking narratives disguised as straightforward prose
don’t read if
❌ veiled/casual homophobia from characters is a no-no
❌ you like traditional storyline development and a neat ending
❌ you can’t stand overbearing and clueless mothers
buckandabook's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I love an epistolary novel and was sold from the first seven pages of motherly drivel.
robotnic's review against another edition
4.0
Almost every character did my head in but this is the best of Ginzburg’s work I’ve read so far.
emilyinherhead's review against another edition
3.5
Written largely in the form of letters, Happiness, As Such is about a family in Italy in the 1970s. The son, Michele, has moved to England for political reasons, and his mother and sisters are all pretty lost without him. Not a lot happens, but Ginzburg is great at setting you down right in the middle of the action and painting a vivid slice-of-life portrait of her characters. Even if I couldn’t relate directly to what they were going through, I could feel it. The tone at times is funny in a Wes Anderson sort of way, but there’s also a healthy dose of melancholy here—a winter book to be sure.
anastar's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
radio_ghost_'s review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0