This was my first arc read! I did like the writing style, and as it was my first time reading a piece from Zink, I was impressed and did enjoy the pacing of the novel. With that said there were a few phrases and themes that felt unnecessary and ultimately detracted from me from story. Out of the seven characters, only about two showed real development, while the others didn’t feel as fleshed out. I did find the last 3-4 chapters the most enjoyable with all the characters and provided closure. That said, I’d still be interested in reading another book by Zink to see a more rounded view of her talent. Also, I absolutely love the cover

The main character of this book is Berlin.
No, it is Europe.
It is certainly our human flaws; pretentiousness, lack of clear communication.
I think I missed something about this book. I found it amusing but without a clear plot, I felt a bit directionless.
3.5 stars.

I have a lot of time for Nell Zink's novels - Doxology in particular was a frequently hilarious reckoning with the state of the USA - but Sister Europe does not quite live up to its predecessors in my view. Set during what the publisher calls a "wild night in Berlin", it's amusing enough in places, but not really as wild as it needs to be or as unhinged as we've come to expect from Zink's previous books. At the end, I was left wondering what it had really all been about. As a portrait of high life and society in Berlin, it seems too imprecise in its setting. As a satire of literary pretension, it's a bit obvious. As a state of Europe novel, it's rather too scattergun in approach. Worth reading if you've enjoyed Zink's previous work, but probably not the place to start if you are new to her writing.

This one just wasn't for me, unfortunately. It sounded great from the synopsis, but I just wasn't a fan of the execution, with its minimal dialogue. I've discovered that I need it to keep a steady pace and keep me interested.

1.5