Scan barcode
velmad's review against another edition
4.5
Very surprisingly , the main characters experiences with family mirror a lot of mine, right from the grandmother to the mother .
The author , still have a pass more than I think she should have to Elle's mother. She wasn’t a good mother . She was neglectful and selfish and narcissistic. She allowed her men to abuse her daughters emotionally and put her daughters in harms way. It still sounded a bit like her mom was a wonderful person but maybe , true to my life , that next generation will come out even cleaner than Elle and Anna.
I can see how she ended up having an affair. I don’t like it but I see how it happened .
Most definitely this was a difficult read to get through but it was very well wrote.
The only marks I took off were because I often couldn’t keep track of the characters and jumping back and forth was done differently than I had ever read before.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Cancer, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Vomit, Grief, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
jessiehg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
- the time cuts exploring a similar theme across generations are so close to being too obvious and trite, but there’s enough complexity and difference that they work well
- the characters verge on 1 dimensional, but they’re also not overwritten which I’m grateful for
- Elle’s motivations and the deep rippling effects of her childhood on her choices are very well done, as is the reasoning (absolution) behind the affair finally occurring
- the end will bother some, but I think it was the only option
- I saw most things coming, but you could take that as well constricted and neat rather than obvious
There’s something here about starting in a simplistic idea of lifelong longing finally acted upon, and then simultaneously strengthening the reader’s belief in that “cosmic connection” and (through an unreliable narrator) revealing flags of the flawed, bad (but not in the way they think they are!) people who would in reality not ride off into the sunset but likely hurt each other like all partners do. Jonas is a dick to his wife, Elle is obviously coping with her mistakes and explores those things (eg lying, distance to husband).
Once I hit about halfway I found it difficult to put down. I was deeply affected. But I didn’t LOVE it.
This may be better on screen than on paper - what verges on flat in the book could be fleshed out with great acting.
It helped me to keep reminding myself that this is my parent’s generation, and in a lot of ways her reactions are very well written for that.
Starting this book in the affair and love triangle is indicative of the target audience. The average airport/rom com reader wants empty longing and sex as a hook to then become invested in the real story. Personally, the real story is what it took for me to give any amount of shits about the affair. An understandable and commercially wise choice, but not to my liking.
Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Incest, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Vomit, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Animal cruelty and Terminal illness
lbh_0327's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Pregnancy
Minor: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cancer, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Vomit, Grief, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
skibbonboulash's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism
thoreaus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Incest, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Cancer
Minor: Suicide, Vomit, and Alcohol
kimveach's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This book may not be for everyone. The non-linear storyline can be confusing. I'm not sure it would work as an audiobook.
Graphic: Death, Incest, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Vomit, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Cancer, Child death, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
coralie_michon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Grief
Moderate: Terminal illness
Minor: Vomit