The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
judyward's review against another edition
4.0
Family ties bind us close together even as they have the power to tear us apart. And this book is a good example of the power--both positive and negative--of family bonds. Emily Maxwell's husband, Henry, has been dead for a year and Emily has decided to sell the family's cottage at Lake Chautauqua in upstate New York. She gathers the family together for one last vacation at the cottage before it is sold. Joining Emily are Arlene, her sister-in-law, who is grieving over the loss of the cottage that has been in her family for generations, Meg, Emily's daughter, who is separated from her husband, is a recovering alcoholic who lives with her two children in Detroit, and Ken, whose wife is very cool to his family and who doesn't want to be there, and their two children. As the three generations try to coexist as peacefully as possible for a week, old jealousies, anxieties, behavioral patterns, and unresolved arguments are ever present. Nan records all of the throughts and behaviors of each of the nine family members over the course of the week. In recording the attempt of this family to deal with grief and loss, readers will certainly see reflections of their own experiences within their individual families.
bethreadsandnaps's review against another edition
3.0
I read this series out of order: #3, #2 and now this one #1. I liked the subsequent two in the series a whole lot better.
Too many character perspectives in this one - I can’t still remember which of the grandkids go to which child. The book gave away the two granddaughters’ ages, but I can’t nab down the ages of the boys. Sometimes they feel 8, sometimes 13.
The incest plot line - couldn’t this have been worked through without it being incest??????
So many characters that the reader doesn’t get to know any of them very well.
Thought the adults were more interesting than the kids.
My advice is to stick with the subsequent two novels in this series. They focus on the older characters without so much perspective switching, and I think you get to know those characters a lot better.
There was a certain charm to the author’s writing that I enjoyed, but it was obfuscated by the things I didn’t like.
Too many character perspectives in this one - I can’t still remember which of the grandkids go to which child. The book gave away the two granddaughters’ ages, but I can’t nab down the ages of the boys. Sometimes they feel 8, sometimes 13.
The incest plot line - couldn’t this have been worked through without it being incest??????
So many characters that the reader doesn’t get to know any of them very well.
Thought the adults were more interesting than the kids.
My advice is to stick with the subsequent two novels in this series. They focus on the older characters without so much perspective switching, and I think you get to know those characters a lot better.
There was a certain charm to the author’s writing that I enjoyed, but it was obfuscated by the things I didn’t like.
runkefer's review against another edition
3.0
This book has something in common with MAINE, in the situation of a family vacation home that the matriarch is about to dispose of. That's where the similarity ends. I found Maine to be overloaded with literally generations of backstory that didn't add anything, and a lot of exposition and overwriting. While not much happened in this book, the characters were more three-dimensional. Backstory was used more sparingly and to better effect. I read this book because I'd read good reviews of Emily Alone, and want to read that soon.
suzyjal's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
brookebookshelf's review against another edition
3.0
I went back and forth between enjoying this book and being annoyed by it. He definitely captured the experience of a painful, awkward, nostalgic family vacation... I'm just not sure that's a good thing. I also could not get over the absurd story line of one girl cousin being in love with another girl cousin - especially as written by a male author. It really bothered me. I don't know... maybe it happens in real life, but it seemed ridiculous. Especially as it took up quite a chunk of the book. The characters were interesting, but I only had sympathy for 2 of the 7 characters.
rebus's review against another edition
0.25
I'm normally a huge fan of O'nan because he gives voice to the underclass and is illuminating. This is just a far too long tale of upper middle class people whining about their circumstances without reason.Â
It's just terrible and I didn't finish it.Â
It's just terrible and I didn't finish it.Â
buckeyegal81267's review against another edition
4.0
So sentimental and all of the feels. I could empathize with Lisa, Arlene, and Emily at times. I started with book 3 (my favorite so far) and now 1, so off to finish in the middle with 2 now.