onmalsshelf's review against another edition
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This is my first read from Dani Shapiro, and while I've heard great things on her other works, it may be the only one I pick up.
Pulled right from the synopsis, I would like to examine the following, a "riveting, deeply felt novel that examines the ties that bind families together."
I do not think Shapiro was successful in sharing the how exactly the secrets from one night shattered lives and bound a families together. The idea and the writing had a lot of potential, but it all fell flat for me.
Each story line and character felt unfinished and underdeveloped. There was no real examination of the ties that bound Ben, Theo, Mimi, and Sarah together, it was just jumbled timeline jumps.
We don't know what drove Theo to go off on his own or what drove Sarah in her actions in her marriage. We found out more about Waldo and his love for constellations and Waldo's dad than the all of the first characters we were introduced to.
Nothing was riveting (completely engrossing; compelling.), nothing. While this was a quick read, there was nothing that made me feel engrossed in the plot or with the characters. Shapiro spent more time developing the Shenkman family and not enough time developing the Wilfs, whom we were supposed to be examining.
Things that would've helped my reading experience:
- at least one chapter from Misty's POV
- less time with Waldo, more time with Theo and Sarah
-expansion on the why behind some actions from Theo, Sarah, and Ben
- more time spent with Mimi before her diagnosis
and who is Misty Zimmerman?
Well that's a secret Dani Shapiro will never tell.
xoxo, you know you love me
Mal
Pulled right from the synopsis, I would like to examine the following, a "riveting, deeply felt novel that examines the ties that bind families together."
I do not think Shapiro was successful in sharing the how exactly the secrets from one night shattered lives and bound a families together. The idea and the writing had a lot of potential, but it all fell flat for me.
Each story line and character felt unfinished and underdeveloped. There was no real examination of the ties that bound Ben, Theo, Mimi, and Sarah together, it was just jumbled timeline jumps.
We don't know what drove Theo to go off on his own or what drove Sarah in her actions in her marriage. We found out more about Waldo and his love for constellations and Waldo's dad than the all of the first characters we were introduced to.
Nothing was riveting (completely engrossing; compelling.), nothing. While this was a quick read, there was nothing that made me feel engrossed in the plot or with the characters. Shapiro spent more time developing the Shenkman family and not enough time developing the Wilfs, whom we were supposed to be examining.
Things that would've helped my reading experience:
- at least one chapter from Misty's POV
- less time with Waldo, more time with Theo and Sarah
-expansion on the why behind some actions from Theo, Sarah, and Ben
- more time spent with Mimi before her diagnosis
and who is Misty Zimmerman?
Well that's a secret Dani Shapiro will never tell.
xoxo, you know you love me
Mal
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Dementia, Grief, Cancer, and Medical content
Moderate: Alcoholism
readingwithcats's review
Too depressing. I need something lighter right now.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content and Car accident
sparksofcuriosity's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Dementia, Death of parent, and Car accident
Minor: Child death, Alcoholism, Medical content, and Medical trauma
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