lauraorourke's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
I did not have high expectations for this book. I just found it available as an ebook at my library and I recognized the cover from seeing it displayed prominently in bookstores last year. I knew nothing about it. So it was really fortuitous that I stumbled upon a book I absolutely adored.
This is a book about a family. It is about parenthood. It is about getting older and memories and love and belonging. It is about how our identity grows out of the soil of our family and community, the good and the bad, and how we try to stand on our own but realize we shouldn't have to do it alone. It is about all the transitions of life, which is essentially what growing older is -- one transition after another until we finally transition from life to death. (If you're reading this book, take note of crossings -- the crossing guard, crossing the street... I think that's pointing to this theme of transition).
"Being an adult was like always growing new layers of skin, trying to fool yourself that the bones underneath were different too." (Chapter 35)
This book was absolutely heartwarming. I smiled almost the entire way through. It absolutely had some laugh out loud moments. My eyes teared up a few times while reading like they are now as I reflect on what a beautiful experience reading this book was. There is so much truth written into this book. There was so much about the sibling relationship I related to. The central character, an older woman named Astrid, narrated her chapters with words and phrases I've heard my parents use. This book made me feel like I was going home, and it made me miss home. I've seen some reviews say this is a dysfunctional family, but I don't know. To me, this looked like a real family, with deep love and deep history and everything that entails.
This book showed what diverse families and acceptance can look like better than a a recent book I've read called Every Heart a Doorway. And if you like the movie The Family Stone or the shows Parenthood or Brothers and Sisters, I think you'll love this book. This book has that kind of feel to it. I would highlight some trigger warnings. Notably infidelity, car accident death, the death of a spouse, abortion, sexual assault. Some of these are very minor points, but I expect could be jarring to readers trying to avoid those issues due to their own trauma.
This is a book about a family. It is about parenthood. It is about getting older and memories and love and belonging. It is about how our identity grows out of the soil of our family and community, the good and the bad, and how we try to stand on our own but realize we shouldn't have to do it alone. It is about all the transitions of life, which is essentially what growing older is -- one transition after another until we finally transition from life to death. (If you're reading this book, take note of crossings -- the crossing guard, crossing the street... I think that's pointing to this theme of transition).
"Being an adult was like always growing new layers of skin, trying to fool yourself that the bones underneath were different too." (Chapter 35)
This book was absolutely heartwarming. I smiled almost the entire way through. It absolutely had some laugh out loud moments. My eyes teared up a few times while reading like they are now as I reflect on what a beautiful experience reading this book was. There is so much truth written into this book. There was so much about the sibling relationship I related to. The central character, an older woman named Astrid, narrated her chapters with words and phrases I've heard my parents use. This book made me feel like I was going home, and it made me miss home. I've seen some reviews say this is a dysfunctional family, but I don't know. To me, this looked like a real family, with deep love and deep history and everything that entails.
This book showed what diverse families and acceptance can look like better than a a recent book I've read called Every Heart a Doorway. And if you like the movie The Family Stone or the shows Parenthood or Brothers and Sisters, I think you'll love this book. This book has that kind of feel to it. I would highlight some trigger warnings. Notably infidelity, car accident death, the death of a spouse, abortion, sexual assault. Some of these are very minor points, but I expect could be jarring to readers trying to avoid those issues due to their own trauma.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Cursing, and Sexual content
Minor: Abortion, Sexual assault, and Infertility
leahlovesloslibros's review
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is a story about family, friendship, and life. Astrid Strick is the matriarch of a growing family. When she witnesses a school bus accident in the middle of town, it causes her to reflect on the choices she has made with her own children over the years, and to question life in a new way.
I will admit, I was not immediately drawn into this story. I usually don't mind multiple POV, but for the first chunk of this book, I was having a hard time following the story lines. I'm glad I pushed through. Straub had a creative way of weaving characters' lives into each other, not just within the family, but also in the relationships that we see among characters living in a small town. I can relate to this, having grown up in a Midwestern suburb where not many people leave, and often you have the 'everyone knows everyone and their business' feeling.
Another enjoyable aspect of this book was that the author didn't shy away from hard topics. This story delves into many such topics, including but not limited to: homophobia, transphobia, death, death of a parent, grief, infidelity, addiction, infertility, miscarriage, abortion. Some of these topics are mentioned briefly, but many are woven into characters' storylines, which shows their flaws and makes the story more relatable.
If you grew up in a small town, I definitely recommend this read. If you didn't, I still recommend this read. I believe everyone will find someone or something relatable in this book.
I will admit, I was not immediately drawn into this story. I usually don't mind multiple POV, but for the first chunk of this book, I was having a hard time following the story lines. I'm glad I pushed through. Straub had a creative way of weaving characters' lives into each other, not just within the family, but also in the relationships that we see among characters living in a small town. I can relate to this, having grown up in a Midwestern suburb where not many people leave, and often you have the 'everyone knows everyone and their business' feeling.
Another enjoyable aspect of this book was that the author didn't shy away from hard topics. This story delves into many such topics, including but not limited to: homophobia, transphobia, death, death of a parent, grief, infidelity, addiction, infertility, miscarriage, abortion. Some of these topics are mentioned briefly, but many are woven into characters' storylines, which shows their flaws and makes the story more relatable.
If you grew up in a small town, I definitely recommend this read. If you didn't, I still recommend this read. I believe everyone will find someone or something relatable in this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Death, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Abortion, Cursing, Deadnaming, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Pedophilia, and Sexual content
Minor: Drug use and Miscarriage
There is a brief Harry Potter reference.
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