cami19's review
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
fluffy8u's review
3.0
This was a close Abandoned Book. It's not bad, it's just long. There is a lot of history of the fictional candy company the main character gets involved with, Zip's, and the history of every character, even ones we never meet.
Some of this history is interesting and some.... not so much.
All of the characters are flawed (in a good way), only a few of them are actually likable, but they have this... attraction, that's sort of hard to explain. It's just something about this family. I can see why Alice, the main character, wanted to be apart of it. To be included in the Ziplinsky's little circle, surrounded by their rich history and customs? I suspect most people would want that.
A word of advice though, there is a lot of candy in this book. And it will make you yearn for candy, and not like a Snickers. Like Sky Bars and candies of old. Also, I really want to go to a candy convention now.
Some of this history is interesting and some.... not so much.
All of the characters are flawed (in a good way), only a few of them are actually likable, but they have this... attraction, that's sort of hard to explain. It's just something about this family. I can see why Alice, the main character, wanted to be apart of it. To be included in the Ziplinsky's little circle, surrounded by their rich history and customs? I suspect most people would want that.
A word of advice though, there is a lot of candy in this book. And it will make you yearn for candy, and not like a Snickers. Like Sky Bars and candies of old. Also, I really want to go to a candy convention now.
danad96's review
3.0
This had a very unique style. It was written as an affidavit of sorts from a woman who married into a candy-making company that is now falling apart. The narrator is not always as sympathetic as I would have liked and occasionally came off whiny. But overall, this was one of the most uniquely narrated books I have read so was worth reading.
twocents's review
2.0
I couldn't get into the story. It's not the worst thing I've ever read, but I had no idea what she going on about. From what I understood, there was a fire, and she was explaining what happened in her experience with the chocolate factory. But she wasn't telling the story in any kind of coherent order. We'd start with her first day in the factory and then jump six years into her marriage and then into her MIL's mental issues in later years, and I just couldn't follow what was going on long enough to stick with it, even a fifth of the way into the story. I'm all fine with the story not releasing all the details at once, but usually stories that withhold information are still coherent.
sharonfalduto's review
The estranged wife of a candy company scion tells her side of the tale of her years in the business, dealing with the family she married into, with some jaunts to Madagascar and some side notes about candy making.
yooperann's review
5.0
Who knew there could be two novels out there that purport to be snarky first-person memoirs of New England arsonists? Since I really did not like The Arsonist's Guide to Literary Homes of New England, I found myself starting this one with a negative attitude. But not to worry. It's a crazy wonderful story of an extended Jewish family, half of which went to Madagascar prior to WWII and the other half to New York and then Connecticut where they became candy makes. Well-researched, ridiculous, entertaining as all get out. Highly recommended.
qrschulte's review
4.0
Very interesting and I wanted to know the story behind every single story brought up in the novel. It was a little challenging at times to read it because it jumped around so much, but I really enjoyed it. I wish there would have been a family tree as an appendix
pyrrhicspondee's review
5.0
I LOVED this book. Despite its cover, it is not a fluffy, chick-lit, food mystery type book. It is a family saga, with arson and lots of candy.
Go. Read. Enjoy.
Go. Read. Enjoy.
lisagray68's review
4.0
Loved it!! Written as an "affadavit" - a personal story told because of some lawsuit, the narrator tells of her marriage into a candy making family. Yeah, kinda hokey - instead of 'true confessions' it's True Confections. Still, while the family she married into is fictional, you get all kinds of history about the real candy making world, which is fascinating! Plus, since I'm a therapist, I got to have fun trying to diagnose the narrator -- who is perfectly sane in her own mind, but obviously a whole lotta trouble for the other characters in her life. What a fun read.
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