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smsienk's review against another edition
3.0
This was an interesting idea and it explored the concepts of grief, existence, and meaning but not as fully as I would have liked. The underlying themes of community and empathy were slightly saccharine and the characters fell a bit flat in their tropes - manic pixie dream girl, awkward software engineer, flamboyant gay relative, coastal grandma, etc. I found it alright, but not Frankel's best work.
zoeaclay's review against another edition
2.0
simply too sad for me to enjoy. i knew what was coming and dreaded it the whole time. cried way too much once it happened.
saralily's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-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
lincognito's review against another edition
5.0
Laurie Frankel writes the most beautiful characters and builds the most beautiful stories around them. She makes me feel big emotions and I love her for it.
Note: this may not be the book for you if you don't like reading about death or dying, or if you are grieving the death of a loved one.
Note: this may not be the book for you if you don't like reading about death or dying, or if you are grieving the death of a loved one.
bakerisreading's review against another edition
3.0
3.5? I was originally thinking 4 but then there was a blip of repetitiveness and I needed the story to move on. Crazy to think the AI theme is so possible today. The book is 12 years old. Many human conditions are explored and get you thinking. Grief, loss, betrayal, illness, friendship, love, family relationships. Was worth the time invested.
jmarchek's review against another edition
4.0
I'll also rate this book 2 kleenex boxes - because that's how much it made me cry. I thought this would be funny chick-lit but it was much deeper.
Sam is a genius computer programmer who works at a dating website. He finally designs an algorithm that helps people find their perfect match, and finds his - Meredith, a coworker. He then gets fired because the company starts losing money as customers find matches too quickly. Then Meredith's grandmother dies and she is heartbroken. Sam uses his amazing programming skills to design a computer program that utilizes all the grandma's electronic history (email, video chats) to make an electronic grandma that Meredith can communicate with.
They decide to use this "dead mail" to help other communicate with their lost loved ones and start a business. Neither of them realizes how hard it will be to deal with the grieving on a daily basis. They have a lot of ethical questions and moral issues. Then Meredith is killed in a freak accident and Sam uses his program to talk with her. There's also 2 other characters who die, so it's super sad, and really makes you think about death & grieving & healing. But Laurie Frankel's writing is so compelling that I couldn't stop reading(listening). Sam & Meredith are two very likable characters.
The narration in the audible version by Kirby Heybourne is top notch too!
Sam is a genius computer programmer who works at a dating website. He finally designs an algorithm that helps people find their perfect match, and finds his - Meredith, a coworker. He then gets fired because the company starts losing money as customers find matches too quickly. Then Meredith's grandmother dies and she is heartbroken. Sam uses his amazing programming skills to design a computer program that utilizes all the grandma's electronic history (email, video chats) to make an electronic grandma that Meredith can communicate with.
They decide to use this "dead mail" to help other communicate with their lost loved ones and start a business. Neither of them realizes how hard it will be to deal with the grieving on a daily basis. They have a lot of ethical questions and moral issues. Then Meredith is killed in a freak accident and Sam uses his program to talk with her. There's also 2 other characters who die, so it's super sad, and really makes you think about death & grieving & healing. But Laurie Frankel's writing is so compelling that I couldn't stop reading(listening). Sam & Meredith are two very likable characters.
The narration in the audible version by Kirby Heybourne is top notch too!
sunrisecatcher's review against another edition
AI of someone who died is too close to real life these days
mrsboyko's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.75
katejacks's review against another edition
3.0
This book was a good read but not one that totally drew me in. I liked the story. I liked the characters. I liked the book. But it didn't stand out for me. It revolves around a young couple who create a program that mimics the dead based on online communications. People who lost their loved ones can maintain relationships with the computer recreation. I'd recommend it as a light read.