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candytyrell's review against another edition
3.0
It was fine. It was not believable but it's fiction so it's fine.
chrissigermann's review against another edition
2.0
For some reason that I can't pinpoint, I flew through this. I was really invested in Natalie's life in the first 30% of this book because everyone around her completely sucks, and the more I read the more I realized that Natalie just sort of floated through life wallowing in regret & never doing anything about it. You only get shitty people in your life by allowing them to stick around (family excluded).
The middle of this kind of dragged & the end was the definition of anti-climactic for me. Jake was missing the entire book & then we find out that Natalie could've just called their step-father who's not their step-father, and would've found Jake right away, the entire book! THEY WERE 5 MINUTES AWAY! Who she never wanted to call because... she didn't want to inconvenience him? She ASSUMED he still hated her. Basically this book wouldn't be a book at all if Natalie wasn't such a meek, scared child at thirty something years old.
Another thing that doesn't add up was how distant Jake was to his family, his colleagues, and his friends the entire book just to pop in at the last 3 (or 4?) chapters. Also, her sister still harboring the anger over 3 years of jail time when a man was literally dead was quite stupid to me. Your scared, teenager sister was tired of being surround by drugs all the time & she did something about it. Boo hoo.
So many eye rolls in this book, but I didn't DNF, so there had to something good about it. I just haven't pinpointed it.
The middle of this kind of dragged & the end was the definition of anti-climactic for me. Jake was missing the entire book & then we find out that Natalie could've just called their step-father who's not their step-father, and would've found Jake right away, the entire book! THEY WERE 5 MINUTES AWAY! Who she never wanted to call because... she didn't want to inconvenience him? She ASSUMED he still hated her. Basically this book wouldn't be a book at all if Natalie wasn't such a meek, scared child at thirty something years old.
Another thing that doesn't add up was how distant Jake was to his family, his colleagues, and his friends the entire book just to pop in at the last 3 (or 4?) chapters. Also, her sister still harboring the anger over 3 years of jail time when a man was literally dead was quite stupid to me. Your scared, teenager sister was tired of being surround by drugs all the time & she did something about it. Boo hoo.
So many eye rolls in this book, but I didn't DNF, so there had to something good about it. I just haven't pinpointed it.
shonisauro's review against another edition
1.0
The whole premise for the plot makes absolutely no sense, the romance is painfully cringeworthy, and the novel is about a third longer than it needs to be.
heyyyitsjp's review against another edition
4.0
This was enjoyable! This author is excellent at writing both self-growth and gaslighty-men
msherwood128's review against another edition
3.0
Listened on audio book. This was alright, very predictable and a little boring and at times Natalie frustrated me a lot but it was nice to listen to
emoshtay's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I wish there had been some sort of flashback chapter to what the mother was thinking regarding her children, but I guess that also wasn’t really the point of the book since the focus was on the siblings relationship.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Drug use and Emotional abuse
luvmybooktime's review against another edition
4.0
Not your typical whimsical read. I liked that it dealt with hard things I didn’t mind that expectations were skewed (and Natalie’s view of her role in the family history was just wrong from a psychological standpoint). Families are messy and people who haven’t taken counsel to deal with their baggage will spiral in unhealthy thoughts and feelings. That the characters grew and were reflective was great. I’d recommend.
sabrynn_olvera's review against another edition
2.0
I listened to it while driving and finished in about 4 days. It was okay, not my favorite. I wish someone would have acknowledged the fact it was not Natalie’s fault her siblings went to prison. Nobody ever acknowledged that, which I found annoying. It was an easy listen though.
sheldar's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyable listen/read, but not entirely well fleshed out.
michelereader's review against another edition
4.0
Natalie Walker is estranged from her family. Fifteen years ago, her actions resulted in older brother Jake and her sister Lynn being sent to jail. She left Santa Cruz and made a life in Boston working for an architectural firm. When she is notified that her mother has died, Natalie learns that the inheritance of the family's historic Victorian mansion has a stipulation. All three siblings have to reunite in their former home to claim it. With recent job and romance disappointments, Natalie heads to California assuming her siblings still hate her for being the one responsible for their incarceration. Lynn, escaping an abusive husband, has also headed to the family home with her teenage son. But brother Jake, who is a scientist at the University of California Santa Cruz's Long Marine Lab, has disappeared. The Walkers are certainly not a typical family.
I fully enjoyed author Sierra Godfrey's impressive debut. Natalie is such an appealing character. She is someone who has lived with an incredible amount of guilt and sadness. So, when she finally has the chance to reconnect with the siblings she loves and misses, it is impossible not to root for her happiness. And while this is a family drama, it is often very witty and upbeat. I enjoy books about forgiveness and second chances. This one was very well done. And be sure to read the interview with the author at the end.
Many thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read A Very Typical Family in advance of its publication.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
I fully enjoyed author Sierra Godfrey's impressive debut. Natalie is such an appealing character. She is someone who has lived with an incredible amount of guilt and sadness. So, when she finally has the chance to reconnect with the siblings she loves and misses, it is impossible not to root for her happiness. And while this is a family drama, it is often very witty and upbeat. I enjoy books about forgiveness and second chances. This one was very well done. And be sure to read the interview with the author at the end.
Many thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read A Very Typical Family in advance of its publication.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.