Without Merit

Author: Colleen Hoover

Genre: Fiction, Romance

Rating: 1 out of 5

Pages: 385

Date Started: 2 November 2022

Date Finished: 6 November 2022

This book left me with mixed feelings. While it explores the complexities of family dynamics and personal struggles, it did so in a manner that felt quite convoluted. The characters and their actions often left me perplexed, making it challenging to truly engage with their stories. The family at the center of the narrative, with their unusual living situation and strained relationships, seemed almost unreal. Additionally, the introduction of certain characters and subplots, like Luck, raised more questions than they answered. Throughout the book, I found myself waiting for a significant twist or revelation, only to be left somewhat unsatisfied. The story's length and pacing could have been streamlined, as it often felt like it was meandering without clear direction. That said, Colleen Hoover's writing style remained engaging, which kept me reading to see how the story would ultimately conclude. While this book may not be my favorite of Hoover's works, it still presents a narrative that delves into the intricacies of family and relationships, even if it sometimes loses its way in the process.

Favorite lines from the book:

• Out of all the places we could be, we’re right here. At the same time.

• No one in this family notices my presence or my absence. They would all notice Honor’s. But I was born second, which just makes me a faded copy of the original.

• My spontaneity and refusal to weigh the consequences of my decisions are my two favorite things about me.

• Not every mistake deserves a consequence. Sometimes the only thing it deserves is forgiveness.

• I wonder if this is what death is like. Just . . . nothing.

• So many people dream of living in a house with a white picket fence. Little do they know, there’s no such thing as a perfect family, no matter how white the picket fence is.

• Tuqburni is used to describe the all-encompassing feeling of not being able to live without someone. Which is why the literal translation is, ‘You bury me.’

• You don’t get to decide what your life means to anyone else.

• I found out that depression doesn’t necessarily mean a person is miserable or suicidal all the time. Indifference is also a sign of depression.

• Maybe that’s the root of a lot of family issues. It isn’t actually the issues people are hung up about for so long. It’s that no one has the courage to take the first step in talking about the issues.

• It annoys me when people try to convince other people that their anger or stress isn’t warranted if someone else in the world is worse off than them.