It started out decent enough as a critique of both the modern-day gay dating scene and academia. Gregor is a great talent and has a future ahead of him. I love his voice and style. However, despite this, he fails to create empathy or even likeablity for any of the characters, and I eventually found myself not even caring what happened to them. Yet I continued reading captivated by his style. I think I wanted to like this book more than I did. It definitely speaks about white gay privilege, which Richard reeks of. Ultimately, I cared about Richard as a character about as much as the character cared his research or finding a new place to live. I do look forward to seeing what Gregor offers in the future. ( )

Bailed at 32% 3:01:43 (>6.5 left). Characters are unappealing. Story is slow and boring.

Chalk up my dislike for Going Dutch to me being a boomer...this book, which apparently describes and observes the millennial lifestyle, simply wasn't intended for me to understand. I picked it up hoping for insight into what motivates and shapes people who recently have come of age in contemporary America. From what I inferred from Going Dutch, the answer is: not much, beyond fleeting whim and fancy predicated on a culture of entitlement and privilege.

Author James Gregor's story-telling craft wasn't bad or unengaging. The problem was his characters, nearly all of whom were unlikable and unsympathetic, and the seemingly purposeless lives they led. I hope Gregor's observations aren't accurate...because, if they are, American society is in for a world of hurt in the years to come. ( )

Well, this story is...??? Going Dutch is deliberately infuriating on an epic level. Richard is the main character, and he's just a dolt. He's a grad student in NYC with a paper due so he can get paid, but he's got writer's block. Plus, his love life is in the toilet. He's gay and can't find a good man. Meanwhile, everyone else around him are happily dating, working, succeeding, etc. Money is no problem for them, yet Richard is broke. He's not as pitiful as he seems, though. The woe is me yarn he's spinning is starting to unravel. He's not moving forward in life because that's the choice he has made. Richard feeds off of pity and sympathy and whining. Not making a choice is what he's chosen. A woman enters his life and saves him, theoretically speaking. She has money and spends on him. She helps him with writers block by writing it herself. She desperately needs his attention. Then a man enters Richard's life via a dating app. He's successful and interested. Basically, Richard uses these two people in any way he can to get as much as possible from them. It's a love triangle kind of thing, and it's not clear if Richard is gay or bisexual. I despise this character. He's a self centered millennial with no morals. The writing is eloquent and lyrical. It's so nicely done. I just wish it were in a different story. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review. ( )

I had high hopes for this book based on the description, but I was sorely disappointed. The writing style was very eloquent, almost to a fault. I felt like this highlighted all of the worst parts of what people think of millennial lifestyles. Richard was extremely annoying and whiny, wasting his fellowship money on unnecessary things. I almost didn't finish this, but I was able to push through it.

*Book received through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review* ( )