michellepenson's review against another edition
2.0
A depressing look at the events that occurred during a 30 year span to one extended family. Anything that could go wrong (alcoholism, accident, war, affair, divorce, alcoholism) did. The characters were sad individuals that seemed to roll over and accept all the things that came to them. Didn't enjoy the debacle.
maryrobinson's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting dynamics and well-developed characters in small-town Iowa family – with characters followed from 1970s to 2000. Many issues of those times highlighted through the characters: farm bankruptcies, bank failures, Vietnam and Iraq wars.
The writing was so good and the dialogue realistic. Many sad and disappointing things happen, but there is growth in each of the four children and a sense of hope at the story’s end. Crazy cousin Chip steals every scene he’s in – he’s funny and strangely sweet.
The writing was so good and the dialogue realistic. Many sad and disappointing things happen, but there is growth in each of the four children and a sense of hope at the story’s end. Crazy cousin Chip steals every scene he’s in – he’s funny and strangely sweet.
emiliesommer's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this and felt invested in the characters even though I could sense the writer's hand the whole time. Each member of the family felt slightly more like a creation than a real person, but I still found the book compelling.
harby's review against another edition
4.0
This is a really wonderful book, and not just because I overly relate to Ryan's character. You should read it. The writing style was really refreshing and unique, it was a mix between a collection of short stories and a chaptered book. We see slices of the family's life through different character viewpoints. This multi-decade family saga is one of the better ones that I've read. Also, if you have any interest in the social culture of the midwest in the latter half of the 20th-century, Thompson does a really great job exploring a lot of different sociocultural events from the character's eyes... not as dense as Franzen or Moore, but just as enjoyable and a really quick read.
meaganchurch's review against another edition
4.0
I was drawn in by the subtlety of the writing and the simpleness of the delivery. I appreciated the unique style where each story seemed like a short story in and of itself, but really it wove together a greater story, building off each of the others. It was a non-traditional way of moving through time to tell one family's story over a few decades. I liked how time advanced and details were given with patience and timing instead of long paragraphs of exposition.
vgillispie's review
5.0
I loved this chronological series of stories from different members of a large family from Iowa. Heartbreaking and funny and very relatable (to me) in its weird stoic Nordic Midwesterness.
skyroxy's review
5.0
Really liked this book. Well written, I would love to read another book from this author.
crabbygirl's review
5.0
[guessing at the star rating / mining my old FB notes now that they are almost impossible to find]
my first time reading this author and she is Fa-Bu-Lous. like an unknown (to me) alice munroe. this book is considered a novel, but each chapter could stand alone as a short story. although it's advertised as 'fiercely american' (the aftermath of the vietmam war, the farm crisis, the boom of the tech sector) all these events were felt in canada too. the author's iowa could well be our prairies, her seattle our halifax - even the way she writes the geography feels so canadian to me:
city of brutal and wayward temperatures, of horizontal snow and lashing rains, city of instant potholes and blackened slush.
my first time reading this author and she is Fa-Bu-Lous. like an unknown (to me) alice munroe. this book is considered a novel, but each chapter could stand alone as a short story. although it's advertised as 'fiercely american' (the aftermath of the vietmam war, the farm crisis, the boom of the tech sector) all these events were felt in canada too. the author's iowa could well be our prairies, her seattle our halifax - even the way she writes the geography feels so canadian to me:
city of brutal and wayward temperatures, of horizontal snow and lashing rains, city of instant potholes and blackened slush.
kiks396's review
2.0
The book focuses on a family over three decades: their ups and downs and everything in between. I wasn't too impressed considering nearly every single member was miserable and living the worst life ever. And the fact that the only thing that makes this book memorable is how miserable the Erickson family was says a lot.