Review of When Life Was Like a Cucumber

[Nzube Chizoba Okeke]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "When Life Was Like a Cucumber" by Greg Wyss.]

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2 out of 5 stars

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The story of Jeff, a college graduate who adopts a hippie lifestyle and sets out on a voyage of self-discovery, is told in When Life Was Like a Cucumber. As he shares his experiences in this captivating story, readers experience the thrill of his life — the drugs, the sex, and the party.

Greg Wyss's When Life Was Like a Cucumber struck me as extremely thorough. Every event in the book was detailed so vividly that nothing was left to the reader's imagination, demonstrating the author's meticulous attention to detail. Reading the book made it feel like I witnessed each action unfold. Because of how vivid the story was, I had the impression that I was also experiencing Jeff's lifestyle — the drugs, sex, and sleeping arrangements, which were expertly and thoroughly depicted. During a scenario where Jeff slept outside and encountered scorpions, it felt like I was there experiencing the same thing.

Regrettably, I had many problems with the book. First, the story was uninteresting because there was no tension. It was presented in a way that would not pique the reader's interest.

Aside from that, the story's plot was hard to follow. The story's protagonist was described as a frequent traveler. As I read it, the recurring theme of visiting new places and leading specific lifestyles became so tiresome that it was difficult to follow along and recall the specific locations he visited and the circumstances surrounding them. Most of the tale's specifics were monotonous, and I soon got tired of seeing the same story repeated with only minor scene changes. It appeared as though the author was dragging out the plot.

The book's mostly predictable plot was another problem I had with it. There was only one surprising occurrence in the narrative. The rest of the plot was readily predictable, another reason the book became tedious.

The book is professionally edited. I rate it two out of five stars, as there isn't much that impressed me about the book. I recommend it to anybody who enjoys historical fiction. However, I advise that minors under the age of sixteen read under adult supervision or not at all, as the book contains numerous sexual scenes and a significant amount of profanity.

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When Life Was Like a Cucumber
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[Kirui Collins]

This review mentions a lot of negativity about the book. I want to read it and prove this.

[Abiodunakinola]

This book takes readers on a detailed journey through Jeff's hippie lifestyle, vividly depicting the highs and lows of his experiences. The author's meticulous attention to detail creates an immersive narrative that allows readers to feel connected to Jeff's world, especially during intense scenarios like encountering scorpions. Nice review.

[Aaron Joseph Maupin]

This review provides a detailed and vivid description of the book "When Life Was Like a Cucumber" but highlights several issues. It states that the story lacks tension, the plot is hard to follow and predictable, and some aspects become monotonous. Though professionally edited, this review rates the book two out of five stars and recommends it mainly to those who enjoy historical fiction but with a caution for explicit content. Overall, this review may not motivate someone to buy the book and suggests it may not be a good addition to one's library.