hheemmaa1's review
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.25
djrmelvin's review
4.0
These are the stories behind the scenes of a Norman Rockwell painting. These are the stories of families that look so good on the surface, but what's really going on is going to cause massive scars that may never heal. Leavitt worked with the same theme: a family member who either never felt like they belonged or because of a recent event knows they won't be a part of the family much longer. All of the stories are about isolation either by choice or circumstances, and obviously, they're not happy stories. I liked all of them, but my favorite was "Dedicated" about a self-made family of three friends who are bound by their weaknesses rather than their strengths.
magus_eden's review
3.0
Despite being one of Leavitt's first works and certainly bearing the marks of an immature writer, this book contains several stories I found very poignant, most especially "Territory" and "Danny in Transit." Leavitt has an uncanny ability to express the odd, awkward, inopportune thoughts and sensations that creep into the backs of our minds that we shrug away and pretend we aren't thinking, sure we are the only ones who would have such an inappropriate idea. On the other hand, several of the stories, particularly "Dedicated", tend strongly toward the melodramatic. In addition, Leavitt's prose style feels heavy-handed and blunt as often as it does insightful. All in all, a three star rating seems deserved - three for insight and good-heartedness, two docked for mild melodrama and sometimes clunky style.
More...