Not gonna lie, this ended up being a little bit of a hate-read for me. I somehow thought from the cover and title that this was going to be a multi-generational saga about immigrants? I have no idea where I got that from. Obviously on page 1 I realized that was not the case. I kept reading even though I hated everyone I was reading about, because it was kind of funny how awful they were. I made it all the way to the end, and the prose certainly goes down easy, but I still hated everyone I was reading about (even Sasha, who I think is supposed to be a relatable point of entries for us "poor" normies). Problem is, I don't think the author actually knows how awful all these people are. She clearly admires them in many ways, which was frustrating.

It's certainly readable and entertaining, and it's not like I could do any better, but I really am mystified how this ended up on the NYT "notable book" list; it was light as a feather and will float out of my consciousness just as quickly. ( )

There was so much hype over this novel, that frankly, I was expecting a lot more. Based on GMA's book club pick and the (literally) 37 positive reviews posted at the beginning of this novel, I was expecting an epic novel. "Pineapple Steet" by Jenny Jackson was mediocre at best. The chapters bounce back and forth between the various boring and unrealistic characters and their ho hum lives. The ending is predictable and unrealistic with its happily ever after conclusion. ( )

Interesting look at wealth from the perspective of growing up with money. ( )

This was a very skillfully written novel that was addictive, laugh out loud funny, poignant, and (to middle class me) a fascinating peek into the world of the uber-wealthy.

It rang true throughout and I loved her excellent renderings of each character. I was grateful that, while it would have been so easy (and probably popular) to turn some of them into clichés, she never did.

And thank you, also, Ms. Jackson, for dividing up the chapters by character without ricocheting us through multiple first person accounts.

In fact, I am pretty sick of modern fiction's overuse (imho) of the first person. This novel proves you DON'T have to do that in order to make characters vibrant, sympathetic, and believable.

I found myself going back after I'd finally gobbled down the last page, just to randomly open the pages and savor again some of her wonderful turns of phrase, vigorous use of language and description, and her compact and powerful imagery.

Not life-changing for me, hence not 5 stars, but a breath of fresh air in the current, often dreary contemporary fiction landscape. ( )

[3.5] Ralph Waldo Emerson once proclaimed that “Without a rich heart wealth is an ugly beggar.” Jackson’s debut novel that transports readers into the lives of the uber rich proves this point many times. The story is told through the eyes of three women – two sisters from a rich family and their not-so-wealthy sister-in-law. All three characters have their quirky – and annoying sides. Jackson highlights the positives and negatives without seeming to cast judgment. In fact, during an interview on NPR, the author stated: “I think we all are good, and we're all bad, and we're all trying to do our best. And sometimes we're selfish. And these characters are no exception.” Readers who come into this examination of white privilege expecting to encounter heart-pounding action will likely be disappointed. Some reviews have aptly noted that not much happens for the first third of the book. But Jackson’s peek into the problems that occur when marrying outside your class is enjoyable and insightful. ( )