Writers & Lovers

This book is THE quintessential story of how writers struggle. If Casey's Love and Revolution a was real book, I would have read it. What I love most about this novel is that it doesn't have any major plot twist or something. It's just a story of normal human being and I found that somehow comforting. Casey getting published eventually is a big inspiration, really. Normally, I am against adaptations, but this book should definitely be adapted. If Daisy Edgar Jones plays Casey, I will die out of pure joy!

Having read Euphoria, I was not expecting this totally different book by Lily King. The initial pages were filled with such raw pain, that I was struck with the power words have when written so beautifully. The protagonist became my old friend as she narrated her life filled with turmoil. It felt very real and relatable. I also loved the parts where she tells anecdotes from her favorite books. It doesn't have a story per se but is a slice of life narrated by an endearing character.

personally did not enjoy this book. clearly has been written from the authors experience and seems a bit self indulgent. does not grip or allow for connection with the characters either - is what i felt. just not for me. others may enjoy and have a different opinion.

There’s much to say about a writer committed to writing without the financial backing of a rich family. All the more so if the writer is knee deep in debt, grieving the death of a parent, and is working as a waitress at nights on meagre salary so that she can write her novel in the daytime. Add to this a crushing heartbreak and you’d be inhabiting the life of Casey Kasem, the protagonist of Lily King’s Writers and Lovers. Casey perseveres with her writing even as her faith in it dwindles, the odds piled up high against her.A premise such as this has magnetic appeal for me as a reader. The birth of a novel, from its conception in the mind of the writer to the protracted labour during which it grows, is a process I have always wanted to know intimately. However, King operates not quite to my liking—she dangles the bait but the reader is never quite within reach. The clipped sentences of her prose do not make common cause with the desolation that permeates Casey’s life. I felt like a distant observer witnessing a 31-year-old aspiring author whose troubles (most of them) are her own making.I want books to engulf me in their world, to make it impossible for me to emerge on the other side without feeling as if I have lost a part of myself—the part that is now in rightful possession of the book. Nothing less would do. Perhaps that’s why Writers and Lovers proved to be a middling read for me. A huge supportive cast of characters appears in the book, none of whom go beyond their stock roles and I forgot the characters’ names even before I reached the finishing line. King circumvents conflicted territories— Casey’s estrangement with her father, her habit of picking the wrong lovers—losing ground for making the story memorable. But it is not all terrible. Casey’s sorrow as she laments the loss of her mother is painted with an empathetic brush. King’s observations regarding the hubris of male writers are quite fitting. And there’s my Achilles heel too—a happy ending.

thank you NetGalley for sending me this book to review .One wonders if a more appropriate title would have been ‘Waiter, Writers and Lovers.’ For much of the first part of the novel, Casey Peabody is a waitress at Iris, a fairly upmarket restaurant. At this stage, she is probably at her lowest point of her life: She has no boyfriend, her mother whom she loves has suddenly died while she was on vacation, she has an outstanding debt of huge college loans which she is unable to settle and she works in a hostile environment. Though she is writing a novel, she seems to be suffering from a writer’s block. She is living in Boston, in rather squalid conditions in room which used to be a potting shed and, to reduce her rent, she walks her landlord’s dog. The only virtue she seems to possess is a persistence to continue writing her novel, in the face of immense obstacles when most of her friends have given up the thought of making their careers in writing and have taken the easy way out.King spends a lot of time and effort describing Casey’s work as a waiter, serving well-heeled customers who are celebrating birthdays and anniversaries. Her colleagues and her bosses are realistically portrayed, politics and favouritism dominating the scenario but in unnecessary detail which tends to slows down the pace of the book.Casey suddenly finds herself faced with not one but two lovers: Oscar is a rich, middle aged successful writer, a widower with two sons and Silas, a struggling writer, closer to her age, to whom she is definitely more sexually attracted but who is not very reliable who seems to be playing hot and cold. She is faced with a choice between ‘fireworks’ on one hand and ‘coffee in beds on the other. It is here that the novel really picks up. King manages to make the choice evenly balanced and her skill as a novelist comes to the forefront. The language is beautiful and the characters are effectively portrayed in a concise manner.There are perceptive and amusing feminist remarks. All boys are brought up to believe that they are destined for great things; though some women may be ambitious and self-driven, no woman says that ‘greatness was her destiny.’Once the book picks up it is a great read. It’s only the first third of the book which may discourage a reader if he/she is not persistent.

Writers & Lovers was captivating, beautifully written, and a pleasure to read.There was just something about this novel that set it apart from some of the others that I’ve read. There was no big event, no pivotal moment so to speak, no grand climax. This is Casey Peabody’s story, and while it follows her through her daily routines and somewhat mundane days, there is absolutely nothing mundane about Casey or this story.Casey’s life wasn’t easy. She struggled. She struggled with writing her novel in her grim one-room apartment, with making ends meet, with her grief, and with her love life. While most of her friends had moved on and given up on living a creative life, Casey persisted. Friends were getting married, having children, buying houses, and advancing in their careers. Casey felt as though she was at a standstill while everyone else was moving forward in their lives.Lily King made me feel as though I knew Casey personally. She came to life within the pages of the book and felt like an old friend. I couldn’t help but feel invested in her story. Her vulnerability, her worries, and the obstacles that she encountered, both creatively and otherwise, made her a realistic and normal character.I loved every minute that I spent reading this novel. I hated reaching the final page and saying goodbye to Casey, but I am so glad that I got to meet her.

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It took some time to get into this book.stick with it, it’s worth it. Don’t read it in bits though, put aside some time and the story grows and develops. I read it in one day, uninterrupted and that, I believe, made all the difference.

This book blends so many themes/genres - coming of age, dysfunctional family, love triangle romance, grief recovery - without ever feeling hackneyed or forced. As a writer who has also lost her mother (and struggles with anxiety), I found lots to relate to about the central character and especially enjoyed her analysis of particular books and descriptions of the creative life. Casey is someone you can’t help but root for and I found myself slowing down in the final pages because I didn’t want her story to end. My first time reading Lily King and I’m a convert.

Sehr gutes Buch! Spannende Geschichte, gut geschrieben. Sehr realistisch aus der Sicht einer jungen Frau erzählt. Habe mich sehr gut wiedergefunden in der Protagonistin