Scan barcode
repeatt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Infertility, Abortion, and Abandonment
eloisesal's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I could smell the cigarette smoke and fresh country air the whole way through.
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Addiction, Eating disorder, and Abortion
jhansell's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Infertility, and Abortion
jesssalexander's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I thought this was going to be a fun read about a quirky movie star turned recluse and her family in Ireland but actually it’s mostly about a middle aged man with substance abuse issues who ruins his future while trying to reconcile his past.
My two favorite scenes centered around Marithe, Daniel’s youngest daughter. There is a moment when she is grieving over her half-brother’s departure for boarding school and she is mean to her pet chicken. I can’t remember exactly what she and Claudette say to one another but I remember thinking it was so poignant. Also later when she is reflecting on her own adolescence and crossing over into adulthood and says this: “To never feel that again, that idea of yourself as one unified being, not two or three splintered selves who observed and commented on each other.”
Everything was so well put. Like she could never be that child again who was wholly present and fully doing one thing. It was a neat conceptualization.
I thought it was interesting that one of the main motifs of the novel was Daniel’s impotence when attempting to form relationships with his children. First there is the abortion he doesn’t want his girlfriend to have, then his ex wife thwarts all his attempts to connect with his first two kids, then the senseless gun violence, and lastly Claudette imposes a separation from his last two kids when his drinking gets out of control. I suppose part of his redemption arc is how he finally bonds with Niall. I’ve been puzzling over why the reader roots for Daniel— he’s pretty objectively terrible, he cheats on his girlfriend the day after her abortion— and I guess it has to do with this motif. He wanted so bad to have a relationship with his kids so you end up wanting things to work out for him.
Graphic: Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Gun violence, and Infidelity
lauratoline's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Medical content
lindsaybethlyons's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Self harm and Grief
Moderate: Child death, Eating disorder, and Death of parent
emblepemble's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Alcohol
Minor: Child death, Eating disorder, and Abortion
tinkthings's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Child death, Eating disorder, and Abortion
stampest's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Stalking, and Abortion
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infertility, and Miscarriage
maryannc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Alcoholism and Grief
Minor: Child death, Eating disorder, Miscarriage, Abortion, Death of parent, and Pregnancy