Source: Goodreads First Reads
Publisher: Atari Books
Series: –
Edition: Paperback, 529 Pages
Genre: Contemporary
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes & Noble
Rating: 3/5
THREE FEMALE FRIENDS FACE MIDLIFE CRISES IN A NO-HOLDS-BARRED EXPLORATION OF SEX, MARRIAGE, AND THE FRAGILITY OF LIFE. Holly: Filled with regret for being a stay-athome mom, she sheds sixty pounds and loses herself in the world of extramarital sex. Will it bring the fulfillment she is searching for? Andrea: A single mom and avowed celibate, she watches her friend Holly’s meltdown with a mixture of concern and contempt. Holly is throwing away what Andrea has spent her whole life searching for—a committed relationship with a decent guy. So what if Andrea picks up Holly’s castaway husband? Marissa: She has more than her fair share of challenges—a gay, rebellious teenage son, a terminally ill daughter, and a husband who buries himself in his work rather than face the facts.As one woman’s marriage unravels, another’s rekindles. As one woman’s family comes apart at the seams, another’s reconfigures into something bigger and better. In this story of connections and disconnections, one woman’s up is another one’s down, and all of them will learn the meaning of friendship, betrayal, and forgiveness.Unflinchingly honest, emotionally powerful, surprisingly erotic, Triangles is the ultimate page-turner. Hopkins’s gorgeous, expertly honed poetic verse perfectly captures the inner lives of her characters. Sometimes it happens like that. Sometimes you just get lost.Get lost in the world of Triangles, where the lives of three unforgettable women intersect, and where there are no easy answers
I want to thank Goodreads and Atari books for the chance to read this.
This is an adult novel, and does contain quite a bit of unapologetic language and content.
Before this book I had never read anything by Ellen Hopkins or anything like a verse novel, so this is completely new to me. Even now that I’ve finished it I’m not quite sure I get the entire point of it. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it. It’s different and a few of the poems are really great in presentation and form, but for the most part it was just a story written in an odd way. That being said I did find this to be a really interesting experience and I’ll probably pick up another Hopkins novel when I can.
Now to talk about the story…There is a lot going on within these pages and boy is it crazy. There are three women each connected but with their own stories that occasionally touch and overlap, but to me it seemed like these three women have more baggage then most people. I can’t say I really liked any of them since they were so far away from being anything I can connect to but I did like that they are far from perfect and they know it. It deals with some real issues and of course they are on the taboo side. In that sense this novel accomplishes exactly what it needs to, the situations are meant to make you think. Do you like it? Have you thought about it? Does it offend you? Are you so different? It’s meant to make you react to the situations and I can say that at times I had to put the book down because something would piss me off or get a bit too…out there. The reason it’s only a 3 star book for is because of 1) I didn’t understand the need to be in prose and 2) after awhile I was basically wondering when the next screw up was going to take place, there was almost too much going on. So I’m on the fence with it, I enjoyed it but at the same time I’m not fond of it.
If this adult book is as good as Ellen’s young adult books, I’m going to love it! Thanks so much for the giveaway!
Lauren
I loved Ellen Hopkins young adult book Crank. If it is anything like that, I’m sure to love Triangles.
Thanks for the giveaway!
I am like you, I haven’t read verse stories, or Ellen Hopkins before though I’m intrigued by the storylines of her books. I kind of worry I won’t get the point as well…
It doesn’t distract from the story necessarily, it was just odd to me to be reading poems that read like a normal story. You never know till you try it I guess,lol.
I really like Ellen Hopkins.
I agree, though, about the verse. It’s hard to get used to at first. The more you read it, the more you get out of the poetry and its structure.
Yeah, I’m going to try out her other books sometime. I like the idea of the verse though.
Great review, this is the only Ellen Hpkins book I haven’t read. I do agree the books being written in verse can be quite confusing at first, but I love it now! Thanks for the giveaway!
I have read other Ellen Hopkins books, I enjoy the books, although verse, well, it’s a unique thing in an author, espicially a young adult author. I do like that, however, because it’s different than anything out there. Thank you for the cool book giveaway
This is a great review!! I love the cover… I have never read a book by Ellen Hopkins but she seems like a great writer!
Great Review! Would love a chance to read one of Ellen Hopkins’ books!