Reviews

A Very Typical Family by Sierra Godfrey

brewsandbooks's review against another edition

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reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

wildlind's review

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Slow paced, boring

jaybelzebabe's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

ewickline's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

campbelltoner's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes

3.5

jessuponatime's review against another edition

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hopeful inspiring reflective

5.0

titi_'s review against another edition

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slow-paced

3.75

webberinr's review against another edition

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hopeful relaxing slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

sunnys_library's review against another edition

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3.5

This was a great debut! This is piece of life, family reunited after years of not seeing each other, and a book about grief and guilt. 

Some reviews say that this book was boring. I found this quite good, it talks about heavy subjects, family dynamics and grief and guilt. Yes, some of the characters were kind of dumb but I couldn't put the book down! I didn't find it boring, I found it warming. The three siblings coming back together after a lot of trauma. 

The end is a happy ending and it felt like a great cozy read. Noncrazy twists or dramatic ending, which was great. Predicatble but happy and cozy. 

Spoiler
Why did Jake go missing?? Like... why not contact your siblings let them know you need some time to process everything.  If he wasn't mad about the past why hide away? From his collegues too. Didn't seem too logical. 

cloudyqueer's review against another edition

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funny slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I marked the book solely as funny because it's hilariously bad and boring. I will make a note to not seek out any of this author's other works because I can't imagine putting myself through this again.

The main character is like a wet paper bag. She has no real personality and is written as such. She doesn't think critically, lacks capacity to think about others, and is just a drag. I take it back, she has a bit of personality - she's incredibly horny about one man that it makes her entirely stupid. Perhaps she was smarter before the book starts. I have my doubts 

The big reveal that the reason the police arrested her siblings is because they bought heroin and a friend of theirs (upon hearing the police were coming) decided to shoot up a full needle before being declared dead on the scene. It's not only completely unrealistic, but absolutely hilarious to think about.  Also, apparently her older sister gets mean when she gets high on weed (you know, the drug known for mellowing people out and making them hungry), which is also hilarious to think about and just shows the author's inexperience with drugs. Next time I go to the dispensary, I'll say, "Hello, I would like one mean weed, please."

The voice actress that read for the audiobook has exactly 3 male voices - a kid, a guy with an accent, and all other men. It's disappointing and makes it hard totrack which man is speaking.

The antagonists are caricatures of actual people. The inattentive finance boyfriend that completely ignores every word she says (and keeps hilariously texting her that they're not on a break), and a controlling, abusive man that doesn't have any redeemable qualities and doesn't try to hide his abuse.