This is why I need to write reviews immediately after finishing a book: I finished this about 36 hours ago, and my brain has wiped my own opinions from my mind, going, "All done, guess you don't need that information any longer ☺️" and now I'm even second-guessing my own rating. While writing the worst "review" of all time.

I found this pretty engaging while reading it. In retrospect, I don't feel like I got to know Lola, the main character, very well beyond hey, she's indecisive about men and kind of finding herself out, maybe? And the ghosts of boyfriends past were all quick characterizations, naturally, but mainly people I would find insufferable to meet in real life. There was a level of pretension across all parties, Lola included, but look, we've all been there/are there at some point in our twenties and thirties, right? If I'm not right, please don't tell me, I can't mentally handle being wrong on this point.

Anyway, a cool concept, and not a plot I could have predicted, and also more navel-gazing than I would have predicted, but it all came together into something quite unlike anything I've personally read before, and in a good, intriguing way.

This was just so slow paced to me. I didn't like the protagonist enough to follow her for 300 pages. I felt super distant from her, and truly I can't think of a book about well-to-do's working in media in New York City that I've enjoyed. This reminded me quite a bit of A Special Place For Women by Laura Hankin, so if you like that, you'll probably like this.

SPOILERS ahead.

Lola (because of course her name is Lola), is forced to confront her ex boyfriends one by one in an effort to comply with her friend Clive's new business: A spiritual new-age company that promises to give people closure from past relationships by reuniting them with their exes. How does the company manufacturer these reunions? Meditation and thoughts and prayers.

If that sounds far-fetched, yes. It is. New-age stories are 1000% not my cup of tea, so I probably should've side stepped this title to begin with. I thought the writing was okay, funny at times. But I just really didn't care for any characters. And with a relatively plot light book (the entire plot is just her running into exes and then reporting back to the company what happened), you really need to like the protagonist. I found her pretty meh

Crosley’s strength is essays but this is her first work of fiction that equally bites. Hilariously funny, and sometimes outlandish I enjoyed the commentary on commitment, attachment, and modern relationships.

This is such a strange book. I liked it, but I didn’t. I was interested in it, but I wasn’t. I thought the plot was cool, but I also thought there wasn’t much of a plot. I enjoyed the writing style, but I also found it a bit young and pretentious. How to begin reviewing this one?!

Lola is a young hipster in Manhattan, and she has a never-ending string of ex-boyfriends that she keeps running into. Soon, she realizes this isn’t fate, it isn’t destiny - it was all a plan set up by her friend Clive, who has seemingly started a cult. Don’t call it a cult! It’s kind of a cult. Is it a cult?

Soon she realizes that she’s meeting all of these exes for a reason: to get closure. Lola is engaged now, but she’s not sure if the man is really the one for her, or if it’s just a relationship of convenience. Seeing her past relationships gets her wondering why she hated some of them, why she liked some of them, and why she ended it with all of them.

Written in a surrealist manner, this book flips you around and leaves you wondering what all of this is for … and you get your answer, with a very abrupt ending. Overall, this was decent, but I think it just wasn’t for me, thus the three-star rating. It felt like it was for a younger, hipper audience than me, but you may find that it blows your mind.

(Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Sloane Crowley, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)

In "Cult Classic," Lola begins running into her ex-boyfriends while out and about in New York City. As she interacts with them in turn, she begins to question her relationship with her fiancee, but doesn't realize until it is revealed that she has unwittingly become the subject of a strange psycho-social experiment run by, you guessed it, a cult. Twists and turns abound in the last half of this novel, and while I found Lola hard to relate to, I enjoyed what feels like a very unique take on cult-y storytelling.

As an engaged divorcée in her early thirties, this was surprising cathartic. Based on the plot summary, I was expecting something akin to a thriller, but Cult Classic is more like a vaguely magical and sharply intelligent reflection on the psychology of committed relationships and finding the strength to detach from the past. It’s also incredibly snarky and genuinely funny. It’s full of zingers like, “Sometimes choosing the right partner seemed like everything. Sometimes it seemed as deeply irrelevant as deciding what to wear to a wedding.” It also passively uses words like “pusillanimous” (which, apparently, means “showing a lack of courage or determination” - thank you, Kindle dictionary).
Im not sure if this book will feel relevant to everyone, but I for one am really curious about Sloane Crosley’s other work now. I hope the rest of her bibliography is as smart and complex as this one.

Call it a rom-com for cynics. Call it a romance novel for misanthropes. Whatever you call it, call it brilliant as well, because it really is. This book was everything it was hyped up to be, and yet it was somehow even better, owing to Crosley’s incredible prose. At times deeply philosophical before taking a turn for the equally deep emotional (or vice versa) before turning delightfully wry, achingly raw, or even throbbing with rage, there are narrative passages in this book that absolutely took my breath away.

I love the very idea of this book. If you’ve ever had friends or family that are just too invested in your love life, then you only know a fraction of what Lola (our main character, who is just about done with all the Lola references people can make) is going through in this book. I love how Crosley took that idea and just turned it up to 11. Combine that idea with the concept of a mash-up of “This is Your Life/”A Christmas Carol”/”High Fidelity” and you’ve got… well, you’ve got “Cult Classic”. And the world is all the better for it.

Crosley’s talents don’t only apply to prose, either. Her dialogue is quick, bright, and witty: fencing as speech. Lunge, parry, riposte, repeat. Watch your footwork. If you’re not smiling or laughing when conversations are being had in this book, you’ll be thinking, because there are a lot of emotional and thoughtful conversations to be had in this book.

Like all New York-centric books, I deeply appreciate how Crosley uses this book to write a love/hate letter to the isle of Manhattan. You can tell the difference when someone writes a book about New York and has an idealized vision of the place and when someone has actually lived in its bones.

Pick this book up. It’s about love, but it’s not romantic. It gives romance the finger and is the better for it.

Thanks to NetGalley, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and MCD for granting me early access to this title in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Cult Classic, Sloane Crosley's second novel, is hard to define. In broad terms, the narrator Lola (who is engaged to Boots) mysteriously keeps running into her exes in Chinatown. As we soon learn, her former editor at Modern Psychology, Clive Glenn, is purportedly creating a start-up where clients can buy very expensive packages to achieve closure in their romantic relationships by randomly encountering their former love interests as Lola has, and he is using Lola as his test case. Honestly, the middle of the book is difficult to get through as it reads like a number of hilarious "bits" strung together over a confusing background plot involving Clive's cultish company. However, the last third of the book is actually quite beautiful (while remaining funny) and brings the book back full circle to the prologue in a satisfying way. Without saying more, it is in interesting exploration of love and death told through the lens of humor and the bizarre. 4.0 out of 5.0 stars. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a complimentary advanced reader's copy of this book.

CULT CLASSIC by Sloane Crosley
Macmillan Audio. MCD Books … Publication Date;June 7,2022
Narrated by: Sloane Crosley

Noted essayist Sloane Crosley crafts a witty literary mystery that is fresh, quirky and suspenseful. A thirty something editor, Lola, is out to a work reunion dinner with former colleagues. She decides to step out to buy a pack of cigarettes, while returning to the restaurant she runs into her old boyfriend Amos… who she hasn’t seen or thought about in years. Lola is engaged to her current boyfriend, Boots, but is in turmoil whether this is the “real thing” that will culminate in a lasting marriage. As the days slip past, she continues to confront a series of boyfriends and exes from her lengthy string of past romances. This couldn’t be just coincidental! While confronting her past failed relationships, she has to seriously ponder her current dilemma. She’s running out of reasons to put off the inevitable wedding. Lola learns that these meetings with the multiple exes have been somehow engineered by the “power of suggestion” or mind control generated by a cult-like construct developed by her old boss, Clive. Clive always seemed to have unending charisma, but now he is considered a “mystical guru”.
Sloane Crosley has crafted a hilarious narrative , filled with snarky humor, commenting on absurd situations related to relationships. In between the humor are multiple passages that are both poignant and insightful, relating to friendship, love and romance.
I was fortunate to alternate between the written and audio version of this gem. The author, Sloane Crosley provides the narration to this witty analysis of modern relationships. Frankly I fell in love with her unique voice and tone that brought the book to life …. Her wit and charm flowed from her audio presentation …. prompting me to seek out her previous body of work.
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Books & Audio for providing an Uncorrected Proof and Advance Audio version in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I am a sucker for a cynical woman talking about love and life and everything she hates about both. Sometimes this book felt a little too smart for its own good, but I do love that feeling and relate to it. The prose thought it was better than everyone else, but so did Lola -- or, no, she didn't, but she had to pretend she did for her own sanity.

I think the plot twist, if you want to call it that, was good, as I didn't even think it was going to happen, and the end was a bit of a shock only because I had forgotten the beginning.

4 stars.

This is the type of book that I would’ve thought was brilliant in my younger years and now annoyingly immature in my middle aged years. Crowley’s writing is fine, just the characters were distracting.

This was such an interesting book and not quite what I was expecting. It’s been a few days since I’ve finished it, and I’m still trying to decide how I feel about it.

Cult Classic introduces us to Lola, a recently engaged woman in her late 30s who isn’t quite sold on this marriage business. After a a night out with her friends she runs into an ex after dinner. The next night, another ex. Then another, and another. As the story progresses, Lola encounters the men who came before her fiancé and re-examines the woman she was during those relationships. Cult Classic explores the impact relationships can have on you and your future relationships. Who hasn’t internet creeped an old flame at some point? Does that mean you’re still not over them? I loved Lola as a character and found her to be quite funny and witty. I grew very protective of her as the story progressed and without saying too much I was mad for her throughout the book.

This was my first time reading Sloane Crosley’s writing and I look forward to checking out more by her. Thank you to Farrar, Straus, and Giroux and NetGalley for an eARC.

I'm not sure what I expected this book to be, nor am I entirely sure how I feel about it now I've finished. I think this is one of those novels that really needs to sit for a while in my brain before I can fully figure that out. haven't read Sloane Crosley's first novel THE CLASP but I have read and enjoyed each of her essay collections. Her writing is just as sharp (and yes, maybe a bit pretentious) here, filled with charming observations and witty repartee. For me, the plot didn't quite come together and a lot of the backstory was hard to follow. If you're here for the more sci-fi like elements of the novel you might feel a bit let down. But where Crosley's writing shines is in the every day interactions between people and all the ways our relationships (to one another and to ourselves) affect us. Fans of lit fic about those topics will probably get more out of this one.

The first thing that attracted me to this book was the cover. I thought it was so beautiful, intriguing and aesthetically pleasing. I absolutely love when a book cover can suck you in like that. I then read Cult in the name and thought ooh, this sounds interesting, let me read more. The summary promises a "hilariously insightful and delightfully suspenseful crafted tale of love, memory, morality, and mind control, as well as a fresh foray into the philosophy of romance." however sadly I did not find it to be any of the aforementioned things. This is supposed to be a novel about Lola. a New Yorker who happens to coincidentally run into all her exes one by one while out to dinner with former colleagues. The premise of this really intrigued me as I love me some magical realism however the writing ruined the plot for me. I decided to DNF this at 17% as I found Crosley's writing to be highly pretentious and honestly confusing. The author likes to go off on tangents and I found myself asking multiple times throughout...."what is going on right now?". I also really did not like Lola, our protagonist. I found her take on relationships to be highly cynical and she seemed to be a very pessimistic person, who doesn't have a nice thing to say about a single person in her life. I read a couple of reviews on Goodreads where people mentioned that this author is an "acquired taste" however I don't know if I could ever get used to this type of literature. I am sure someone else will love this book but sadly, this was just not for me.

Thank you Netgalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! I highly appreciate being given the opportunity to share my opinion on these novels.

Positives:
-I love the cover. It really stands out amongst other books.
-Beautiful writing. It had almost a poetic feel to it.
-Very interesting and captivating plot.
-I loved the main character Lola (and the other characters too). Lola was real, sarcastic, and humorous.

Negatives:
-It was a slow read for the first 30% of the book. Started to feel bored, but the plot finally picked up,
-A lot of characters show up in this book, which can be a little confusing to keep up with.

Overall, I ended up really enjoying this book!

Thank you Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review!

I loved this book so much I had to buy a physical copy today so I can enjoy it forever. I was so surprised by this book and loved every second

This was such a fun read! If you love wild stories full of humor this is the book for you. One of my favorite reads of the year!

I didn't know what to expect from this one, so I was kind of surprised when it blew my socks off! Not that surprised though, as this is one of the most anticipated releases of 2022. Set in New York, Lola is out to dinner with her colleagues when she runs into an ex by happenstance. Imagine Lola's surprise when she runs into another ex shortly after... And another ex after that. Meanwhile, Lola is concerned she may be making a mistake by marrying her fiance, and she's running out of reasons to put the wedding off much longer.

Confronting her past failed relationships one by one while examining her current relationship, Lola becomes tangled within a web of coincidences leading her- she feels- toward the answers she needs... And also maybe toward a cult.

I thought this was hilarious. The dry humor and wit Sloane Crosley has brought to her new release just works, and I found myself laughing at the absurdity of it all. Lola frequently gave me vibes of Jim looking at the camera on The Office, which made the book all the better for me. At the same time this book leaves the reader contemplating love and the way we accept or reject it, and asking- is there even such a thing as "closure"? And if so, how can a person ever truly reach it?

With all that said, I really enjoyed this book. It was my introduction to Sloan Crosley's writing and what an introduction it was! Cult Classic will be hitting shelves on June 7th, my shelf especially as I've now got to have a physical copy to keep around.


I want to thank NetGalley and @fsgbooks sincerely for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book! *This review along with a photo has been published under the handle @literary.erica

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Hmm, this was initially an interesting concept for a story. Lola, a middle-aged New Yorker, is teetering on the edge of committing to marry her boyfriend, Boots, when she begins to encounter various ex-boyfriends from her past. Lola is someone who has trouble letting go of the past and accepting that nobody can never be perfect, and her encounters with her exes help her to find closure and decide if she can finally commit for the long term.

The introduction regarding ghosts and the idea of Lola spontaneously running into her various exes all in one two week period in Manhattan seemed like it would be the work of some magical realism or fantastical element. However, this was all played off as a cult-like exercise in the power of suggestion by targeted ads and new-age meditation. I would have preferred there to be some element of magic in this story for sure.

This book just didn't vibe with me overall, and I think it is because I am so far removed from the kind of person who chooses to live in Manhattan that most of the name-dropping, city locations and their associations, and jokes about the different types of New York men Lola dates went right over my head. I found all of the characters extremely vapid and insincere, with the single exception of Lola's current boyfriend, Boots. He was the only character who seemed genuine to me, and Lola spent the whole time basically making fun of him for it. I just refuse to believe that there can be entire circles of people this negative and tedious, even in New York City! Despite the questionable ethics of the events at the end of the story, Boots could do so much better!

Overall, it was paced really well and it was a quick read. Despite not liking any of the characters, I felt compelled to keep reading to find out who Lola would meet and what she would decide to do. Reading this was like a glimpse into the mind of an aging Instagram celebrity, or like watching reality TV. I wouldn't buy this book and it didn't teach me a lot, but it was entertaining. Maybe if you are from New York City or currently live there, you would be able to relate to this story more than I did.

Thanks to NetGalley and MCD for the ARC of this title.

I've previously enjoyed Sloane Crosley's essay collections, and I really loved her essayist's eye for detail throughout this book - she takes what could be kind of a ridiculous premise and makes the world it takes place in believable and real, with lots of funny asides and small details that make the prose crackle. That said, I think the ending here kind of comes out of nowhere and doesn't quite make sense - there are small hints along the way of what's actually happened, so it's not a complete surprise, but the way it happens it sort of feels like the author/editor going "well, time to wrap this up" rather than letting the story get there how it needed to get there.