meghreadsbooks's review against another edition
2.0
hahaha I meaaaan, yikes. reading this book was LABOR for me. to be fully transparent it was $2 at half priced books on clearance and I thought “looks emotional and like it will make me cry! might as well give it a go” and oh my gosh what a sliding-doors-mistake-moment. please don’t read this lol I mean that with my whole heart. there was some beauty to it of course but man I am so relieved to be done with it and that’s not how I feel like I should feel! 2.5 stars, for some nice moments and for Reuben— the only likable character in the entire book of many, and I mean many, underdeveloped characters
thewolvesread's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer and Death
nicole_1003's review against another edition
3.0
This was on and off my reading list for like 6 months. It's a good story but couldn't keep me engaged fully.
amandamarieger's review against another edition
DNF at 40-ish%.
I tried so hard, but I could not get into this book. I knew going into it that the whole thing spanned a single weekend, but I didn't think there would be so little that actually takes place. And Anna, the friend who is dying - I hated her. It's not like she was just an unlikable main character - she was awful. A manipulator, a liar, a very selfish person. I couldn't do it. Watching a loved one die of cancer hits too close to home for me to find this interesting at all. Back to books I want to read now. *shrug*
Thank you to Penguin and First to Read for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion in any way.
I tried so hard, but I could not get into this book. I knew going into it that the whole thing spanned a single weekend, but I didn't think there would be so little that actually takes place. And Anna, the friend who is dying - I hated her. It's not like she was just an unlikable main character - she was awful. A manipulator, a liar, a very selfish person. I couldn't do it. Watching a loved one die of cancer hits too close to home for me to find this interesting at all. Back to books I want to read now. *shrug*
Thank you to Penguin and First to Read for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion in any way.
brogan7's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
About a group of friends who've known each other since childhood, only now they're much older and one of them is dying.
The problem with it was that it wasn't very interesting or believable. The conflicts between the friends felt artificial and very superficial. I could not keep track of the multiple children. I did not find Anna, the central pivot (and dying woman) nearly as compelling as they all redundantly told us she was.
The problem with it was that it wasn't very interesting or believable. The conflicts between the friends felt artificial and very superficial. I could not keep track of the multiple children. I did not find Anna, the central pivot (and dying woman) nearly as compelling as they all redundantly told us she was.
jjmcdade's review against another edition
4.0
This is a 'girlfriend' book. It explores female friendships and the ups and downs of them, through good times and bad. It's a bit sad, but is a good summer read.
stacyroth's review against another edition
2.0
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.
Anna, Helen, Ming, Molly, and Caroline have been best friends since elementary school. Now with grown children of their own, the Old Friends (as they dubbed themselves the summer after 6th grade) are gathering again after Anna enters hospice. Each of the other women has issues going on in their own lives and don't want to accept that Anna is dying.
The novel had beautiful writing in places, but it jumped around too much for my taste. You hardly get into a subject before you jump around to another perspective, another time, another subject. The abrupt changes made it hard to connect with any of the characters in the book. The story had promise based on the blurb, but it did not deliver for me.
Anna, Helen, Ming, Molly, and Caroline have been best friends since elementary school. Now with grown children of their own, the Old Friends (as they dubbed themselves the summer after 6th grade) are gathering again after Anna enters hospice. Each of the other women has issues going on in their own lives and don't want to accept that Anna is dying.
The novel had beautiful writing in places, but it jumped around too much for my taste. You hardly get into a subject before you jump around to another perspective, another time, another subject. The abrupt changes made it hard to connect with any of the characters in the book. The story had promise based on the blurb, but it did not deliver for me.
amothersmusings1's review against another edition
Won in Goodreads Giveaways - not read, passed on.
meghanjean's review against another edition
2.0
hahaha I meaaaan, yikes. reading this book was LABOR for me. to be fully transparent it was $2 at half priced books on clearance and I thought “looks emotional and like it will make me cry! might as well give it a go” and oh my gosh what a sliding-doors-mistake-moment. please don’t read this lol I mean that with my whole heart. there was some beauty to it of course but man I am so relieved to be done with it and that’s not how I feel like I should feel! 2.5 stars, for some nice moments and for Reuben— the only likable character in the entire book of many, and I mean many, underdeveloped characters
bourriquet's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5