I liked the premise but I didn’t like the writing style. It is written in a telling rather than showing style. The characters in this book were so strange. I did like some of the obsessive trope.

I nearly DNF'd this in the early stages, but I became quite invested in our main protagonist and the commentary on how older women are perceived in society and their sexuality. However, by the end I was livid with the time I'd wasted reading this. the terrible situations the characters found themselves in due to their poor choices were ludicrous and Vladimir was a completely one dimensional character who was put on the page as a play thing. It got more and more silly and I was glad it was over by the time I reached the end.

(Sorry, I read this so long ago I don't remember much about it other than that I thought it was interesting, so gave it three stars on GoodReads)

Although the blurb sounds interesting I found that this style of book is just not for me. Overall I found it to drag and I did not enjoy the characters.

An enjoyable read, well written and entertaining. Hadn't read this author before but would consider reading again.

However raw and disturbing, I enjoyed this book and the writing style of the author. The characters are not sugar coated, they all have their own obsessions, and one cannot say that they are boring. Despite being a decade younger than the narrator, I can so very much relate to her worries and anxiety about her getting old, losing attractiveness and becoming invisible.

The ending is not what I expected and quite unlike the rest of the book. I'm not sure if I'm completely happy with it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan / Picador for an ARC.

It took me a while to get in to this book. I found that I had to adapt my thinking and feelings to appreciate the author's writing. Brilliantly written and powerful. Has left a lasting impression.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publishers, Picador - Pan Macmillan for this ARC.

I took a while to get to this one because I felt like it had so much hype to live up to! A really strong debut, with excellent prose and an interesting perspective on perhaps a now-familiar topic.

There is something compelling about this book so I finished it quickly. It wasn’t what I was expecting when I started reading and as I went through it I felt it changed genres at least three different times so I’m not sure the book knows what it is either.

💬 “I didn’t want to be in the world, around all those people who didn’t read books, who didn’t think they were important.”

📖 Our unnamed narrator is facing a slew of accusations against her professor husband by former students. When a married young novelist - Vladimir - arrives on campus, she quickly develops an obsession with him. Is she willing to destroy her world to satisfy her infatuation?

💭 First off, I loved the style of writing in this. It was quick-witted, provocative and sharp. It started off as a 5⭐️ for me, but lost its perfect score by the end, as I was left a bit unimpressed by the plot.

Our protagonist has a sticky obsession with a younger colleague; her husband is under investigation after a slew of #MeToo allegations from students; their marriage is close to imploding and something has got to give. In the end, this “something” is Vladimir.

Having an older female MC provided such an interesting character study, and despite her obsession with outer appearances, it was fascinating to read her monologues on the patriarchy, youth, morality, double standards and liberation.

This was a fantastic read for anyone who loves unreliable and flawed narration, and it weaves an interesting narrative about the nature of today's society and how older women are viewed.

It took me quite a while to read this one for absolutely no reason than my own "mood-readerism". I wasn't bored, it just wasn't the right time.
When I finally picked it up again recently I flew threw it eager to know how things would develop. I had no idea where it was going and, by the end, I wasn't sure the destination was that exciting.
I didn't dislike the book. I liked it very much. Towards the last quarter, it took a very unexpected turn and I didn't really see the point of what followed.
I enjoyed it! I just don't know how to begin to describe it, let alone recommend. Maybe because I went in thinking about Lily King's Writers & Lovers but it turned out more on the way. to Mona Awad's Bunny (which I REALLY liked!). Maybe I just need adjusting it in my mental bookshelves and come to terms with the fact it wasn't the book I was expecting.
The writing, on the other hand, left me no doubts. It was pristine!

I loved hearing from the perspective of an older woman. This book is a really solid debut - I thought the questions around consent and power especially in the context of higher education was well parsed out. The characters were sharp and memorable, I can't wait to read whatever Julia writes next.

I now have my own copy to underline some beautiful lines. Haven't done that in a long time! This book should be on writing class reading lists.

I thought this was a really interesting take on the impact of Me Too/those who are adjacent to those accused. The protagonist isn't a particularly sympathetic character but I did find her very compelling to read.

Dark, smart, and sexy. We follow a University professor whose husband (also a professor at the same college) has been accused of inappropriate relationships with students. As the protagonist grapples with the consequences of her husbands actions she finds herself with an inappropriate fixation of her own – the young novelist Vladimir. A culturally relevant and suspenseful story of obsession, sex, and power that leaves you grappling with one singular question – is our protagonist the victim or the villain in her own story?

Vladimir is so worth the hype. I know I am insanely late to this party but I finally read Vladimir and I loved it.

Absolutely delicious writing from Julia May Jonas and a riveting plot that kept me on my toes. There were parts of this that I had to reread because my jaw was on the floor.

Going into this I surprisingly had no idea what it was about but I loved that the main character was an older woman as I so rarely read from the perspective of a woman over the age of her mid-30s.

Thoroughly recommend!

Probably the best book I have read in the last 12 months. At first I thought it was a typical “me too” style polemic but it is so much more than that - clever, subversive, iconoclastic, this is a genuinely interesting character, voice and author. A must read.

A slow burning yet completely compulsive debut novel which takes a sharp look at many complicated topics including misogyny, sexual abuse and ageing relationships.

Full review to come.

Two married professors find themselves at the centre of a sordid scandal just as a very alluring - and very married - young author appears on campus in Jonas' incisive and accomplished debut.
smart, sharp, and uber provocative. I devoured it!

At first I wasn't sure this was for me but boy was I wrong! Really enjoyed how it delved into the complexities of sexual politics, gender, consent and power, and albeit problematic I found the terrible, spikey female protagonist so intelligent and intriguing. Highly recommend!