lorimichelekelley's review against another edition
1.0
This was pretty repetitive and got really boring in the middle and even more so at the end. Not one of the characters was likable, and it just wrapped up at the end like, "hey, let's go get sandwiches!" Really? The writing was poor, dialogue was bloated, and the story too long.
kle105's review against another edition
5.0
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own. While this book deals with a hard topic I still felt deeply involved in the outcome. Knowing the author herself went through a similar experience made it more real.
Ronnie finds herself in the midst of a police standoff after asking her husband for a divorce after struggling for years. You get 12 hours of emotion from the POV of Ronnie, her Mother, and also her husband Jeff's mother. Each one has their own interpretation of the events and how it unfolds but some secrets Ronnie has been keeping in order to survive and raise her kids. The decision to be made, can change the course of all their lives. Deeply moving, fast paced, heart wrenching, yet remaining hopeful. Beautifully written!
Ronnie finds herself in the midst of a police standoff after asking her husband for a divorce after struggling for years. You get 12 hours of emotion from the POV of Ronnie, her Mother, and also her husband Jeff's mother. Each one has their own interpretation of the events and how it unfolds but some secrets Ronnie has been keeping in order to survive and raise her kids. The decision to be made, can change the course of all their lives. Deeply moving, fast paced, heart wrenching, yet remaining hopeful. Beautifully written!
throwmeabook's review against another edition
2.0
Just read about how this is based on the author's own personal tragedy, her husband's 12 hour standoff with the police, his suicide and the impact this tragic event had on her family. My heart goes out to her and her family. Unfortunately doesn't make me like this novel any more. Truth be told, I skimmed through large sections and still don't feel I missed much. A lot of writing with nothing happening.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing a digital copy in return for an honest, unbiased review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing a digital copy in return for an honest, unbiased review.
farmlady1's review against another edition
3.0
4 stars for the reality of the story. 3 stars for the writing. When you know what's coming at the end- it's hard to love a book with a sad ending. There's much to be learned from the characters for anyone who has walked a similar road.
jillhannaha's review against another edition
5.0
I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of this novel, which takes place in a 12 hour period. Ronnie is leaving her husband,Jeff, and most of the story unfolds through her eyes as she realizes his plan to commit suicide. They have two young sons, and the complex emotions of love, worry, fear, and possible loss are brilliantly portrayed.
We also read the POV of Jeff's mom, Janet, and Ronnie's mom, Beverly,- women who've been best friends for years. The depth of their emotional pasts (which, in a sense, affect their children's future) is unfolded in their short chapters.
Three women, all caring about each other and the man they may lose, and the tough decisions they've had to make along the way... and the decisions they'll have to make at the end, no matter what the outcome with Jeff.
Most authors pull a glimpse of their life into their stories in one way or another. Unfortunately, this author lived more than a sliver of this story, which is why, I feel, she was able to pull the reader into the emotional journey of the story so well.
We also read the POV of Jeff's mom, Janet, and Ronnie's mom, Beverly,- women who've been best friends for years. The depth of their emotional pasts (which, in a sense, affect their children's future) is unfolded in their short chapters.
Three women, all caring about each other and the man they may lose, and the tough decisions they've had to make along the way... and the decisions they'll have to make at the end, no matter what the outcome with Jeff.
Most authors pull a glimpse of their life into their stories in one way or another. Unfortunately, this author lived more than a sliver of this story, which is why, I feel, she was able to pull the reader into the emotional journey of the story so well.
angelkat556's review against another edition
5.0
This book got 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 five solid stars from me.
We meet our main narrator, Ronnie, at the beginning of this book on the day when her husband is supposed to move out. It's 6 AM, the kids are still asleep. She looks around the house; her husband, who has been sleeping in the spare bedroom, is gone. Okay, she thinks. It could be a good sign. Maybe he left early. He's not very good at goodbyes, after all.
And then he pulls into the driveway and suddenly life irrevocably changes
This book is actually semi-autobiographical; it's based on a true story from the author's life. She says that all of the police action is true, based on her best memory. I can't say much more about any of this book without giving it away; suffice it to say it was an intense read.
I didn't much like Janet; I saw a lot of her in her son also. I also don't think Beverly should have kept her secret for so long. I really liked and respected Ronnie and her actions; it takes a strong person to withstand that kind of marriage and that kind of day, and her strength came through crystal clear. Her attitude and her principles deserve a round of applause, as does Kathryn Craft for writing about such a personal issue with grace and humility. 5 stars, and I will definitely be reading more from this author.
We meet our main narrator, Ronnie, at the beginning of this book on the day when her husband is supposed to move out. It's 6 AM, the kids are still asleep. She looks around the house; her husband, who has been sleeping in the spare bedroom, is gone. Okay, she thinks. It could be a good sign. Maybe he left early. He's not very good at goodbyes, after all.
And then he pulls into the driveway and suddenly life irrevocably changes
This book is actually semi-autobiographical; it's based on a true story from the author's life. She says that all of the police action is true, based on her best memory. I can't say much more about any of this book without giving it away; suffice it to say it was an intense read.
I didn't much like Janet; I saw a lot of her in her son also. I also don't think Beverly should have kept her secret for so long. I really liked and respected Ronnie and her actions; it takes a strong person to withstand that kind of marriage and that kind of day, and her strength came through crystal clear. Her attitude and her principles deserve a round of applause, as does Kathryn Craft for writing about such a personal issue with grace and humility. 5 stars, and I will definitely be reading more from this author.
tanyarobinson's review against another edition
3.0
I anticipated this book to be more action-oriented, but the actual armed stand-off was very much in the background. The main storyline follows the wife, mother, and mother-in-law of the man with the gun as they try to come to terms with what has gotten them to this crisis. It was interesting to see how each woman viewed Jeff differently based on the information they had and the level of accountability each took upon herself.
Even though I stayed up late finishing the book, I doubt I'll remember it for long.
Even though I stayed up late finishing the book, I doubt I'll remember it for long.
maureenmccombs's review against another edition
1.0
Bad. Really really bad. No structure. No plot. Undeveloped and unlikable characters. A lot of noise but no one said anything. Ugh.
ARC from publisher.
ARC from publisher.
maedo's review against another edition
5.0
It is going to be impossible for me to make it through this review without revealing to you that I know the author in real life, because that adds a whole layer of significance to my experience of reading this very intimate book. The Kathryn Craft I know is a warm, generous person who gives off that vibe of deep groundedness that belongs to those who've experienced true pain and come out on the other side of it. The Far End of Happy is a fictionalized account of the day that her husband committed suicide (exactly 18 years ago today), the act itself preceded by a police standoff on their family farm, following her asking for divorce. I read this whole book in two dimensions -- as the story of Ronnie and Jeff, yes, but also trying to pick out which feelings and insights belonged to the author, wanting to follow her growth into the realized person she is today.
The most notably excellent quality of this book is Craft's handling of Ronnie's feelings towards her husband Jeff, from infatuation at the beginning of their relationship to wary (but game) companionship through their financial troubles, to understanding that she could do no more for him towards the end of the standoff and up to his suicide. Anyone who has ever loved an addict or a very depressed person and healed from the complete (unhealthy) sacrifice of self that goes into wanting them to get better (more than they do) will see familiar feelings in Ronnie. Craft writes in very emotional language as a matter of style, and I believe that if readers who haven't had the experience of loving an addict read this book with openness, they may really understand the need for the former giver to build walls. I sometimes felt the truth of Ronnie's feelings deep in my bones.
I'll confess that when I read work by a friend, I don't expect to get swept away in the writing like I would if I didn't know the author. Knowing the author creates a permanent fourth wall, where I see the process and the whole rest of the person while reading just about as much as I see the work; meanwhile, other authors' work could have been written by brains in jars, for all I know. I own this as a personal flaw as a reader. The Far End of Happy, on the other hand, had me completely wrapped up in it at points. I found myself thinking about Ronnie and Jeff at my job, looking forward to getting home so I could keep reading. (This is funny when you consider that I already knew what was going to happen, and had heard or read parts of the story before in other forms.) I wanted for all of the intricacies of their relationship to be revealed and enjoyed settling in with the book at the end of the day. Craft's writing is very welcoming, homey, articulate, and gentle.
The one critical thought that I did have came after Jeff's suicide, as I felt the transition at the end from Ronnie and the rest of the family's feelings of shock and grief to hope was sudden. I'm not sure that a whole family would be already thinking in terms of hope for the future on the same day that their loved one committed suicide. It seemed more like an occasion for deep exhaustion and numbness and the early stages of grief. However, I do understand why Craft wanted to end on this note; she explains it in the supplemental material. Her ex-husband's name was Ron and she wanted someone with a variation of that name to be able to walk away from this experience, and with hope in their heart at that. I totally appreciate that sentiment and accepted that transition as part of this being a work of fiction, and a work on which the primary emphasis is healing.
(ETA: I forget that people respond to shock in different ways, and reasonable thinking about the future may be one of them.)
That The Far End of Happy was in fact written as a healing experience at whole is very clear. And the world could always use more reminders that love is complex and life will press on. I am so glad you shared this story, Kathryn! It's the one you were meant to write.
The most notably excellent quality of this book is Craft's handling of Ronnie's feelings towards her husband Jeff, from infatuation at the beginning of their relationship to wary (but game) companionship through their financial troubles, to understanding that she could do no more for him towards the end of the standoff and up to his suicide. Anyone who has ever loved an addict or a very depressed person and healed from the complete (unhealthy) sacrifice of self that goes into wanting them to get better (more than they do) will see familiar feelings in Ronnie. Craft writes in very emotional language as a matter of style, and I believe that if readers who haven't had the experience of loving an addict read this book with openness, they may really understand the need for the former giver to build walls. I sometimes felt the truth of Ronnie's feelings deep in my bones.
I'll confess that when I read work by a friend, I don't expect to get swept away in the writing like I would if I didn't know the author. Knowing the author creates a permanent fourth wall, where I see the process and the whole rest of the person while reading just about as much as I see the work; meanwhile, other authors' work could have been written by brains in jars, for all I know. I own this as a personal flaw as a reader. The Far End of Happy, on the other hand, had me completely wrapped up in it at points. I found myself thinking about Ronnie and Jeff at my job, looking forward to getting home so I could keep reading. (This is funny when you consider that I already knew what was going to happen, and had heard or read parts of the story before in other forms.) I wanted for all of the intricacies of their relationship to be revealed and enjoyed settling in with the book at the end of the day. Craft's writing is very welcoming, homey, articulate, and gentle.
The one critical thought that I did have came after Jeff's suicide, as I felt the transition at the end from Ronnie and the rest of the family's feelings of shock and grief to hope was sudden. I'm not sure that a whole family would be already thinking in terms of hope for the future on the same day that their loved one committed suicide. It seemed more like an occasion for deep exhaustion and numbness and the early stages of grief. However, I do understand why Craft wanted to end on this note; she explains it in the supplemental material. Her ex-husband's name was Ron and she wanted someone with a variation of that name to be able to walk away from this experience, and with hope in their heart at that. I totally appreciate that sentiment and accepted that transition as part of this being a work of fiction, and a work on which the primary emphasis is healing.
(ETA: I forget that people respond to shock in different ways, and reasonable thinking about the future may be one of them.)
That The Far End of Happy was in fact written as a healing experience at whole is very clear. And the world could always use more reminders that love is complex and life will press on. I am so glad you shared this story, Kathryn! It's the one you were meant to write.
pdsak's review against another edition
3.0
About 3.5 stars: I liked it better toward the end when the story was coming to a close.