Loved your review Alicia! Funnily I’m the other way round. I really enjoyed universiality. As you said it’s a short punchy novel and I managed to read in a couple of sittings so was very much swept up in the characters. Caledonian Road I thought was good but I struggled with the protagonist he grated on me!
Thank you, Emma! The MC in Caledonian Road grated on me too, but he was so obviously meant to that it felt fine to read, and perhaps the length of the book gave me time to get to know the less likeable characters and empathise with them more.
Can’t wait to read the other book with you soon. ;)
Loved your review Alicia! Funnily I’m the other way round. I really enjoyed universiality. As you said it’s a short punchy novel and I managed to read in a couple of sittings so was very much swept up in the characters. Caledonian Road I thought was good but I struggled with the protagonist he grated on me!
Thank you, Emma! The MC in Caledonian Road grated on me too, but he was so obviously meant to that it felt fine to read, and perhaps the length of the book gave me time to get to know the less likeable characters and empathise with them more.
Can’t wait to read the other book with you soon. ;)
Hi Alicia, I read Universality this summer and I feel similarly. I understand why it was Booker long listed but didn't love it. I didn't know Brown worked in finance before breaking through. I work in an adjacent field. I wrote my own post on Universality here: https://open.substack.com/pub/davenashiswriting/p/memes-rage-and-borrowed?r=40mr&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Nice knowing someone else felt similarly! I'll check out your review--thank you for sharing.