teachingkids1982's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 i am close to putting her in my favorite author category. Every time i read her books my heart is left raw! Beautiful story...
brittany_tellefsen's review against another edition
3.0
Jack and Elizabeth have been married for twenty-four years. They raised two daughters and weathered the storms that came with Jack's fame as a football star and then his fall after an injury and subsequent prescription drug problem. But after all this time, they have started to drift apart. They are merely going through the motions, simply existing day to day, both afraid of the conversation they need to have.
But one day, tragedy strikes Elizabeth and forces her to open her eyes to the life that she leads. Realizing that she has spent almost twenty-five years living Jack's life, helping him reach his dreams, she decides that she will not follow him as he pursues his dream career in New York City. Opting to staying behind in their beachside Oregon home, Elizabeth tries to find herself again, reigniting lost passions,letting go of who she was, and embracing who she wants to be.
Sadly, this book was remarkably unremarkable. In it, Kristin Hannah managed to create the ultimate cliche'd "chick lit" that really had no solid plot and spends 300+ pages reaching a point that could have been told in much less time.
Ultimately, I was supremely underwhelmed by the story. I had read one of Hannah's works previously so I knew what a talented storyteller she could be. On top of that, her WWII historical drama The Nightingale has received nothing but rave reveiws, so when I found one of her books on Bookoutlet for a low price, I decided to pick it up and delve back into her work. Distant Shores was not the smart choice to start with.
The story is very character driven which I typically only appreciate if their is a strong plot to still drive the story. In this case, there was not. It ultimately summarizes to: "long married couple reaches plateau in relationship. Couple decides to spend time apart on separate coasts. Couple both experience joys and trials while apart. Couple gets back together."
It is a sweet tale that I think many women might find inspirational, especially if they have found themselves stagnant in their own lives, married or not. And it was a very heartwarming story about strength and love, but in the end, it was very forgettable.
But one day, tragedy strikes Elizabeth and forces her to open her eyes to the life that she leads. Realizing that she has spent almost twenty-five years living Jack's life, helping him reach his dreams, she decides that she will not follow him as he pursues his dream career in New York City. Opting to staying behind in their beachside Oregon home, Elizabeth tries to find herself again, reigniting lost passions,letting go of who she was, and embracing who she wants to be.
Sadly, this book was remarkably unremarkable. In it, Kristin Hannah managed to create the ultimate cliche'd "chick lit" that really had no solid plot and spends 300+ pages reaching a point that could have been told in much less time.
Ultimately, I was supremely underwhelmed by the story. I had read one of Hannah's works previously so I knew what a talented storyteller she could be. On top of that, her WWII historical drama The Nightingale has received nothing but rave reveiws, so when I found one of her books on Bookoutlet for a low price, I decided to pick it up and delve back into her work. Distant Shores was not the smart choice to start with.
The story is very character driven which I typically only appreciate if their is a strong plot to still drive the story. In this case, there was not. It ultimately summarizes to: "long married couple reaches plateau in relationship. Couple decides to spend time apart on separate coasts. Couple both experience joys and trials while apart. Couple gets back together."
It is a sweet tale that I think many women might find inspirational, especially if they have found themselves stagnant in their own lives, married or not. And it was a very heartwarming story about strength and love, but in the end, it was very forgettable.
litatalisman's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
pamgrenier's review against another edition
5.0
Enjoyed the book very much and was happy with the ending.
kellymc03's review against another edition
3.0
This is my mood lately, lots of sappy but emotional turmoil in families and our own lives. Good book exactly what my mood needed.
algssb's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-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
jodiereads_'s review against another edition
2.0
The husband is the most selfish, unlikeable character I’ve read about in awhile and it was difficult to even finish the book since the entire thing was just about them and their relationship, but I like to find out what happens.
audreyk62005's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
This was such an inspiring story of the necessity of change. Birdie is such an endearing character because she isn’t perfect. Her perserverance and ability to step back and truly reflect on her life was touching. As always, the relationships that Kristin Hannah writes and the developments in them are so human and lovely. I love this story.
nic_dodd's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mmasten's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this book. It was a little slow for me to get into, but once it unfolded I didn't want to put it down.
This is the story of two people, married for 24 years, who have lost their way and each other. Love becomes taken for granted and unhappiness settles over both characters. The books talks about their life and dreams and their family and how things change over time but it is the people around you who matter the most.
This is the story of two people, married for 24 years, who have lost their way and each other. Love becomes taken for granted and unhappiness settles over both characters. The books talks about their life and dreams and their family and how things change over time but it is the people around you who matter the most.