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lefthandedlooney's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse and Drug use
tlctbr's review against another edition
3.0
The idea for this book was very interesting and it was a fun read. However, it was missing some depth in the story and characters.
guk's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to like this book but had several issues with it. I couldn't relate to the absent mother's choices so her joyful return fell flat for me. I also struggled with the choices of the teenage daughter. There were some good parts: I appreciated an older female protagonist and enjoyed the description of the book club.
Borrowed from PVLD, recommended through a comment on Modern Mrs Darcy (20 wonderful books about books and bookstores).
Borrowed from PVLD, recommended through a comment on Modern Mrs Darcy (20 wonderful books about books and bookstores).
barbaraskalberg's review against another edition
4.0
The idea of choosing a book for book club by having each member share the book that matters most to them really appeals to me. The way the author wove the pieces of the story together kept me engaged. The story line in Paris I found hard to totally buy into, but it did being all the pieces together.
mawalker1962's review against another edition
5.0
I've read Ann Hood's novels and essays before and I enjoyed them, but this book was An unexpected sublime read. Fascinating plot twists and complex character studies that lead to a satisfying but not trite or "happily ever after" ending--who could ask for anything more?
retiredlibrarylady's review against another edition
3.0
A book about book clubs... or at least one, sponsored by a library (and the librarian is AMAZING). Our heroine, Ava, is a new member, newly left by her husband for another woman. The theme this year is "the book that mattered most" to you. She chooses "From Clare to here", which was an important book for her after her sister fell out of a tree and died. She announces that the author will attend the meeting at which they discuss the book. Meanwhile, her daughter Maggie alternates chapters (not my favorite literary device). She has left her studies in Florence to follow a boy to Paris, where she meets an older man who makes her a drug addict to suit his sexual slavery. In a ridiculously improbably turn of events, Ava's aunt is running the book store in Paris where Maggie finds refuge, that Aunt Beatrice is hiding the reality that Ava's mom didn't commit suicide back in the day but is also living in Paris... AND she turns out to be the author of From Clare to here AND was having an affair with the policeman who was investigating her daughter's death AND shows up for the book club discussion. Readable but improbable.
ja3m3's review against another edition
4.0
Though the ending is a little far-fetched I really enjoyed this story about a woman who reviews her past by rereading the book that was pivotal in helping her survive a tragic event from her childhood.
brontejane's review against another edition
3.0
This book left me conflicted about what to rate it. I liked the book stuff (club, store, etc), but I guess I never totally connected to the characters. I did make me think about what books matter most to me (it is a very long list!).