karieh13's review against another edition
4.0
So often, stories about time travel are all about the “What if?” and the many ways that people try and change events both past and present. Those are fascinating to me, and I enjoy all of the different possibilities. But in “The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells”, the author looks more at the different possibilities that arise in personality and temperament than in events. This proves, fascinating as well, and makes for a remarkable story about love and human emotion – and how each can be altered so much by the times and circumstances in which we live.
Greta Wells is deeply depressed, mourning the loss of her twin brother. She is unable to see a way forward in her life, unable to imagine what of her is left with the losses she has suffered. She is unable to draw enough of her own will, her own being, if you will, to make a life for herself. And so, through a series of treatments, this woman of 1985, AIDS epidemic New York, finds herself thrown into other versions of her. One in 1918, one in 1941. Both similar to her in family members, lovers, lifestyle…but utterly different at the same time. Given this escape from her current life, she (and the other Greta’s) learns a great deal about who they are and who they could be.
The writing is very well done and each era comes across very distinctly and very well drawn. As great reacts with a lover as the 1918 version of herself: “And he did not move, just stared at me, his eyes taking in each aspect of me, one by one, both hands and arms, every part of my face and hair. There was no part of me he was not seeing, now. I smiled, but he did not smile. Leo just stood there and took me in. Who knows what battle raged inside him? It went on, in outward silence, for only a few seconds, but I’m sure it was a long struggle as he inventoried the woman he loved, the bits of her he could not live without, the words she said, the promises and lies and truths, the hope she gave him before one side won at last.”
As Greta cycles through each of these time periods, she gains and loses those she loves. She learns more about them and more about herself. She has to make choices that she knows will affect not only her own life, but so many other lives. Her actions or inactions will cause a great ripple, and she grows to understand the impact of each of her decisions. Throughout the story, she knows that her time is limited in these worlds, and that there will be a final choice to be made. Some things she and the other Greta’s will be forced to give up, forced to endure once the cycle is over.
“Is it better to hear of death or witness it? For I had suffered both and could not tell you. To have a person vanish in your arms is too real for life, a blow to the bones, but to hear of it is to be utterly blind: reaching, stumbling about, hoping to touch the truth. Impossible, unbearable, what life has planned for each of us.”
This was a wonderful book – one that examines the heart of a woman and how who she is can be defined not only by the choices she makes, but by those she loves and those who love her. Once her choice is made, she asks, “For is my story really so unusual? To wake each morning as if things had gone differently – the dead come back, the lost returned, the beloved in our arms – is it any more magic than the ordinary madness of hope?”
I loved that phrase – “the ordinary madness of hope”. In the darkest of hours, it is that madness we feel as we wish fervently to change our lives or ourselves…but so rarely can we do so. This book gives the reader a brief glimpse of one woman who was able to do so – in an otherworldly and beautiful way.
Greta Wells is deeply depressed, mourning the loss of her twin brother. She is unable to see a way forward in her life, unable to imagine what of her is left with the losses she has suffered. She is unable to draw enough of her own will, her own being, if you will, to make a life for herself. And so, through a series of treatments, this woman of 1985, AIDS epidemic New York, finds herself thrown into other versions of her. One in 1918, one in 1941. Both similar to her in family members, lovers, lifestyle…but utterly different at the same time. Given this escape from her current life, she (and the other Greta’s) learns a great deal about who they are and who they could be.
The writing is very well done and each era comes across very distinctly and very well drawn. As great reacts with a lover as the 1918 version of herself: “And he did not move, just stared at me, his eyes taking in each aspect of me, one by one, both hands and arms, every part of my face and hair. There was no part of me he was not seeing, now. I smiled, but he did not smile. Leo just stood there and took me in. Who knows what battle raged inside him? It went on, in outward silence, for only a few seconds, but I’m sure it was a long struggle as he inventoried the woman he loved, the bits of her he could not live without, the words she said, the promises and lies and truths, the hope she gave him before one side won at last.”
As Greta cycles through each of these time periods, she gains and loses those she loves. She learns more about them and more about herself. She has to make choices that she knows will affect not only her own life, but so many other lives. Her actions or inactions will cause a great ripple, and she grows to understand the impact of each of her decisions. Throughout the story, she knows that her time is limited in these worlds, and that there will be a final choice to be made. Some things she and the other Greta’s will be forced to give up, forced to endure once the cycle is over.
“Is it better to hear of death or witness it? For I had suffered both and could not tell you. To have a person vanish in your arms is too real for life, a blow to the bones, but to hear of it is to be utterly blind: reaching, stumbling about, hoping to touch the truth. Impossible, unbearable, what life has planned for each of us.”
This was a wonderful book – one that examines the heart of a woman and how who she is can be defined not only by the choices she makes, but by those she loves and those who love her. Once her choice is made, she asks, “For is my story really so unusual? To wake each morning as if things had gone differently – the dead come back, the lost returned, the beloved in our arms – is it any more magic than the ordinary madness of hope?”
I loved that phrase – “the ordinary madness of hope”. In the darkest of hours, it is that madness we feel as we wish fervently to change our lives or ourselves…but so rarely can we do so. This book gives the reader a brief glimpse of one woman who was able to do so – in an otherworldly and beautiful way.
dcmr's review against another edition
3.0
Beautifully written. The time travel plot and character-switch was difficult to follow.
rooftop_rabbit's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
tjarmstrong's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-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
3.75
beccacraven's review against another edition
4.0
*** I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads. ***
I really enjoyed this novel. As with any piece of fantasy, there are some plot holes that can unravel the whole premise, but those are easy to overlook in this case because of well-developed characters and interesting writing. This is a great piece of whimsy that also manages to tackle some complex (and intense) real-world themes, drawing parallels between very different parts of the 20th century in the process.
I really enjoyed this novel. As with any piece of fantasy, there are some plot holes that can unravel the whole premise, but those are easy to overlook in this case because of well-developed characters and interesting writing. This is a great piece of whimsy that also manages to tackle some complex (and intense) real-world themes, drawing parallels between very different parts of the 20th century in the process.
janiev's review against another edition
3.0
I love the idea of this book, that a person could travel between their other selves in other times.
Here Greta Wells in undergoing a procedure that sends her and her others cycling between their present lives 1985, 1918 and 1941. Each of these Greta's are trying to perfect the mistakes that were made and to put things on what they consider the right track. The story is told from the view of 1985 Greta.
I find the use of the "life cycling" an interesting way to look at issues and social mores, and I think Mr Greer used this technique well. However, I am only giving it 3 stars as I was not as moved or felt the emotion that I would have liked to (but I know this can just be a subjective thing). In the end worth the read.
Here Greta Wells in undergoing a procedure that sends her and her others cycling between their present lives 1985, 1918 and 1941. Each of these Greta's are trying to perfect the mistakes that were made and to put things on what they consider the right track. The story is told from the view of 1985 Greta.
I find the use of the "life cycling" an interesting way to look at issues and social mores, and I think Mr Greer used this technique well. However, I am only giving it 3 stars as I was not as moved or felt the emotion that I would have liked to (but I know this can just be a subjective thing). In the end worth the read.
mandyherbet's review against another edition
3.0
Opening in 1985, Greta Wells is distraught over the death of her twin brother, Felix, from AIDS and the breakup of her 10-year relationship with Nathan. She begins a course of electroconvulsive therapy - otherwise known as electro-shock therapy - and suddenly finds herself transported to two alternative time periods (1918 and 1941), where she is married to Nathan and Felix is still alive. Each course of the therapy takes to her one of the time periods and switches her with the 'other' Gretas, who are also going through the therapy for different reasons.
I originally rated this as four stars but on further thought, I revised it down to three stars. I really enjoyed the concept but I thought it could have been dealt with a little less superficially. It deals with the idea of fate in many ways - Greta seems to be fated to be with Nathan and her aunt Ruth is an interesting plot device - someone she can share all the trials and tribulations of time travel with and who believes her wholeheartedly! It's a slim book and I think the author could have dealth a bit more with the emotional side of time travel - how is it that Greta (all three of them! accepts the situation without question? How do they all deal with the disorientation? How does 1985 Greta have to change her ideals to suit 1918 and 1941? We get none of this and I think the book suffers for it.
In the end, it's an easy read and enjoyable. I just think it could have been more.
I originally rated this as four stars but on further thought, I revised it down to three stars. I really enjoyed the concept but I thought it could have been dealt with a little less superficially. It deals with the idea of fate in many ways - Greta seems to be fated to be with Nathan and her aunt Ruth is an interesting plot device - someone she can share all the trials and tribulations of time travel with and who believes her wholeheartedly! It's a slim book and I think the author could have dealth a bit more with the emotional side of time travel - how is it that Greta (all three of them! accepts the situation without question? How do they all deal with the disorientation? How does 1985 Greta have to change her ideals to suit 1918 and 1941? We get none of this and I think the book suffers for it.
In the end, it's an easy read and enjoyable. I just think it could have been more.
lscheibal's review against another edition
5.0
I liked this book a lot more than I expected to! Electro-shock and time traveling.
"For, as I stood before that white-painted door and thought of ruining everything, I knew that not all lives are equal, that the time we live in affects the person we are, more than I had ever thought. Some have a harder chance. Some get no chance at all. With great sadness, I saw so many people born in the wrong time to be happy."
"For, as I stood before that white-painted door and thought of ruining everything, I knew that not all lives are equal, that the time we live in affects the person we are, more than I had ever thought. Some have a harder chance. Some get no chance at all. With great sadness, I saw so many people born in the wrong time to be happy."
moogen's review against another edition
3.0
A pleasant read for planes and beaches... And that's not a bad thing