A review by atreenamedjulia
If We Had Known by Elise Juska
4.0
I don’t read a lot of “grownup” or “serious literature.” I tend to stick to my genre fiction like sci-fi, horror, fantasy, and mysteries. I’m glad I actually stepped out of my wheelhouse for this one.
This book was captivating. I couldn’t put it down. I finished it in three days which sounds slow but for me is basically as fast as I can read a book lately.
I loved that it handled such a hard topic with grace. It gave me insight to so many things like what it must be like to have anxiety or an eating disorder or how the mother of a mass shooter might feel about their children. It doesn’t blame anyone even if characters blame themselves. It doesn’t make hard political judgments. It just paints an elegant picture of the aftermath of such events.
My one complaint was the ending. It felt a little abrupt but it’s a hard story to end. I understand. Still I’m glad I read it and was satisfied with my read. Maybe I’m biased because I met the author at a book signing or because like her and the main character I used to teach but I truly think this is a worthwhile read. This is good fiction, folks
This book was captivating. I couldn’t put it down. I finished it in three days which sounds slow but for me is basically as fast as I can read a book lately.
I loved that it handled such a hard topic with grace. It gave me insight to so many things like what it must be like to have anxiety or an eating disorder or how the mother of a mass shooter might feel about their children. It doesn’t blame anyone even if characters blame themselves. It doesn’t make hard political judgments. It just paints an elegant picture of the aftermath of such events.
My one complaint was the ending. It felt a little abrupt but it’s a hard story to end. I understand. Still I’m glad I read it and was satisfied with my read. Maybe I’m biased because I met the author at a book signing or because like her and the main character I used to teach but I truly think this is a worthwhile read. This is good fiction, folks