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Finally, my bad-luck-streak is over; I loved this book! (I haven’t posted a book review in months because I’ve hated all the books I’ve read lately so much.)
I found a paperback copy at Barnes and Noble a few weeks ago, and I’ll admit, the “Exceptional Value” discount sticker made me set my expectations low—I’ve been “burned” by B&N bargain books before!
But I decided to pick up this book anyway, because the title made me laugh, and I figured it’d be an easy, entertaining read.
A Little Bit About The Plot
The story revolves around two American siblings, Alice and Paul, whose snooty, half-European half-sister, Eloise, is getting married. While they’re invited, Alice and Paul both have reservations about attending, as neither of them gets along well with Eloise.
Throughout the novel, each chapter is from a different character’s perspective, flip-flopping between Alice, Paul, Mark (Paul’s boyfriend), Donna (Alice and Paul’s mother), and, towards the end of the book, Eloise.
As the story develops, we quickly find out that there’s a lot of tension in Alice’s and Paul’s family—aside from the issues among the three siblings.
Overall, I think the best way to describe this book’s genre is as “a character development story,” because there is a plot, but it’s not very involved. Essentially, the plot only serves as a backdrop, rather than being the driving force moving the story along.
That said, I don’t think this book is for everyone… but I certainly enjoyed reading it.
My Thoughts And Rating
The Good
The writing in this book is exceptionally good, and I’m looking forward to checking out more titles from Grant Ginder.
Like I mentioned earlier, this book is more about its characters than it is about the story, so you have to appreciate that type of novel to enjoy The People We Hate At The Wedding.
The Not-So-Good
As someone who reads a fair number of books, I am getting a little bit tired of seeing the point-of-view alternate every chapter; this writing choice usually feels like a desperate attempt to be trendy. But despite my predisposition against shifting perspectives, I have to admit, it was beautifully done in this book, and actually improved the reading experience. So I guess I’ll give Grant a pass this time.
One other element I wasn’t wild about, though, was a slightly graphic gay sex scene I wasn’t expecting. It did contribute to the story, and maybe I should’ve even anticipated it, but I just don’t think I needed to read through all the dirty details.
Some things just aren’t for everyone.
The Verdict
I gave The People We Hate At The Wedding 3 out of 5 stars on Goodreads, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for something fun and lighthearted.
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