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lanareiss's review against another edition
3.0
I had to DNF it. It moved too slow, and I could not attach myself to the storyline.
samhoward's review against another edition
4.5 stars. Turner House meets The Mothers - a moving story about a messy family that's doing the best they can in the midst of one major crisis that spirals out into others, as they so often do.
bnryan95's review against another edition
4.0
This was one of those books that wasn’t so much plot driven as it was character driven. This was a pretty strong cast of complex characters struggling with their family dynamic in the wake of a prison sentence. Some parts were confusing or rushed, but overall I enjoyed this.
erinjp123's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this more than Goodreads implied I would. An interesting story of a family doing the best they can, with lots of interesting characters.
savdakov's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
frenchpb's review against another edition
4.0
Very complex dynamics between the characters in this book. Lots of layers that span generations. It’s a slow development and I spent a lot of time thinking “now, what the hell is the back story and how are we getting to here?”
Probably lots of other notes and comments about the writing and the character development that I don’t know how best to articulate so I’ll just say overall - good read. I’d recommend.
Probably lots of other notes and comments about the writing and the character development that I don’t know how best to articulate so I’ll just say overall - good read. I’d recommend.
electri7's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
alienclans's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this novel. It is told from the perspectives of different members of a family (all women) after the central couple, Althea and Proctor, are put in jail. We get to see how they all react to this change and explore their changing relationships.
I thought the characters were so engaging, flawed, and human. Viola was my favorite. I understood and related to her. I don’t think I’ve read any other books featuring adult characters struggling with disordered eating, and especially a non-white character. All the others I’ve read have focused on teen girls, which is certainly fine but I could relate more to Viola. I also liked that it wasn’t her defining trait. It was part of her and it impacted her decisions and actions but she was more than just that.
The relationships were also well done. Lillian and Nai Nai in particular. They really warmed my heart and I loved their dynamic. It was such a unique relationship.
Overall, it’s a really strong book that makes me read anything and everything Anissa Gray writes.
I thought the characters were so engaging, flawed, and human. Viola was my favorite. I understood and related to her. I don’t think I’ve read any other books featuring adult characters struggling with disordered eating, and especially a non-white character. All the others I’ve read have focused on teen girls, which is certainly fine but I could relate more to Viola. I also liked that it wasn’t her defining trait. It was part of her and it impacted her decisions and actions but she was more than just that.
The relationships were also well done. Lillian and Nai Nai in particular. They really warmed my heart and I loved their dynamic. It was such a unique relationship.
Overall, it’s a really strong book that makes me read anything and everything Anissa Gray writes.