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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
Told over the course of decades, we follow the Padovano sisters and those who fall into their orbit. Julia, determined to have the perfect life, plucks William from his isolated life to be her husband. Sylvie is a librarian dreaming of a sweeping romance. Along with the twins, they're each others whole worlds. A send-up to Little Women, we see the women love and hurt each other.
I read this in my latest vlog, where I read the favorite 2024 books of the booktubers with the most taste in common with me. Watch the video here: Reading Booktubers Best Books of 2024
It's been a while since a book has, from cover to cover, so sucked me in. This book is filled with such vivid characters that sometimes I forgot I was reading. I was so immersed in this family making tough decisions for themselves, always choosing the brave option if not always the one kindest to others. Everyone makes decisions that hurt other people, but we always see them do what they think is best - whether you agree with them or not. I thought that the structure and pacing of this story did itself a service. The structure of having longer chapters of each perspective that end up overlapping, telling the reader something that happens and then going back to explain it, was well-constructed and increased intrigue. I'm not usually a fan of books that skip through time a lot, but this felt perfectly paced; not a scene was out of place or felt missing. The representation of depression in this was one of my favorite parts. Hopelessness and listlessness consumes the perspective in a way that felt very true to life, and it was great to see someone come away from that but know it's going to be a part of their life forever. I think my only real want from this would've been seeing more from the twins rather than most of the focus being solely on the two eldest sisters.
As far as its inspiration, I think calling this a "tribute" / "send up" to Little Women (rather than a retelling, etc.) is a very accurate depiction of the work, so good on the publisher. It was fun to pick out where bits and pieces of the story came from - one's an artist, writing about the family's story, the shifting love interest, how intertwined the sisters are - but this is definitely its own work. There's not a one-to-one sister comparison, and the book even points that out when the girls discuss Little Women. There's obviously the modern-day update, which changes the plot and stakes for the characters, but there's a lot that is original here. I think it was just the right amount of Little Women and its own thing.
Overall, this was a book that really captured me. Loved all the personal arcs and the way it pays tribute to Little Women while still standing on its own!
I read this in my latest vlog, where I read the favorite 2024 books of the booktubers with the most taste in common with me. Watch the video here: Reading Booktubers Best Books of 2024
It's been a while since a book has, from cover to cover, so sucked me in. This book is filled with such vivid characters that sometimes I forgot I was reading. I was so immersed in this family making tough decisions for themselves, always choosing the brave option if not always the one kindest to others. Everyone makes decisions that hurt other people, but we always see them do what they think is best - whether you agree with them or not. I thought that the structure and pacing of this story did itself a service. The structure of having longer chapters of each perspective that end up overlapping, telling the reader something that happens and then going back to explain it, was well-constructed and increased intrigue. I'm not usually a fan of books that skip through time a lot, but this felt perfectly paced; not a scene was out of place or felt missing. The representation of depression in this was one of my favorite parts. Hopelessness and listlessness consumes the perspective in a way that felt very true to life, and it was great to see someone come away from that but know it's going to be a part of their life forever. I think my only real want from this would've been seeing more from the twins rather than most of the focus being solely on the two eldest sisters.
As far as its inspiration, I think calling this a "tribute" / "send up" to Little Women (rather than a retelling, etc.) is a very accurate depiction of the work, so good on the publisher. It was fun to pick out where bits and pieces of the story came from - one's an artist, writing about the family's story, the shifting love interest, how intertwined the sisters are - but this is definitely its own work. There's not a one-to-one sister comparison, and the book even points that out when the girls discuss Little Women. There's obviously the modern-day update, which changes the plot and stakes for the characters, but there's a lot that is original here. I think it was just the right amount of Little Women and its own thing.
Overall, this was a book that really captured me. Loved all the personal arcs and the way it pays tribute to Little Women while still standing on its own!
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Notata fra lesing:
Spennende at synspunktet skifte og at man får perspektiv utenfra de karakteran man har møtt og blitt kjent med.
Veldig søstrete i starten med jenten som ligg i senga i lag og spis kaka. Little Women.
Spent på ka som skal dukke opp fra fortida og snu alt på hodet.
Åja, søt og litt subtil referanse til Little Women, men så litt krampaktig med at dem sammenligne sæ, eller?
Veldig varierende tidsperspektiv i fortelling. Et langt kapittel e en dag eller to, og så går det plutselig mange, mange år.
Best når man får innblikk i følelsa og tanka. Blir mye etter hvert som bare e ytre handling.
Mye om døre og åpninge.
Skjønte dessverre veldig fort at ho Sylvie skulle dø når hennes kapittel plutselig bare va en mnd.
Tempo blir tatt veldig ned igjen mot slutten.
Fortsatt mye tell istedenfor show. Kunne vist scena fra f.eks. William sin barndom eller ekteskapet som illustrerte alt det som blir beskrevet og fortalt om.
Savne litt mer om klær og interiør. Veldig tydelig tidfesta, men ingenting om ka dem har på sæ som e tidstypisk. Maleklær og power dressing, ja, men ellers lite handfast.
Syns kanskje halvveis uti boka at veldig mye hadde skjedd og at resten mangla litt intensitet?
Hadde det vært bedre med flere synsvinkla?
Little Women - Rose e ikke akkurat en Marmee.
Bokklubb januar 2025.
Spennende at synspunktet skifte og at man får perspektiv utenfra de karakteran man har møtt og blitt kjent med.
Veldig søstrete i starten med jenten som ligg i senga i lag og spis kaka. Little Women.
Spent på ka som skal dukke opp fra fortida og snu alt på hodet.
Åja, søt og litt subtil referanse til Little Women, men så litt krampaktig med at dem sammenligne sæ, eller?
Veldig varierende tidsperspektiv i fortelling. Et langt kapittel e en dag eller to, og så går det plutselig mange, mange år.
Best når man får innblikk i følelsa og tanka. Blir mye etter hvert som bare e ytre handling.
Mye om døre og åpninge.
Skjønte dessverre veldig fort at ho Sylvie skulle dø når hennes kapittel plutselig bare va en mnd.
Tempo blir tatt veldig ned igjen mot slutten.
Fortsatt mye tell istedenfor show. Kunne vist scena fra f.eks. William sin barndom eller ekteskapet som illustrerte alt det som blir beskrevet og fortalt om.
Savne litt mer om klær og interiør. Veldig tydelig tidfesta, men ingenting om ka dem har på sæ som e tidstypisk. Maleklær og power dressing, ja, men ellers lite handfast.
Syns kanskje halvveis uti boka at veldig mye hadde skjedd og at resten mangla litt intensitet?
Hadde det vært bedre med flere synsvinkla?
Little Women - Rose e ikke akkurat en Marmee.
Bokklubb januar 2025.
difficult to connect with the characters bc they did not have much depth and found myself trying to speed read till I got to the end
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
this was so sweet :,,,) thank you god for a sister and mother and father and brother and all else in between
okay also I DO like these characters. it’s just the way people are !!
okay also I DO like these characters. it’s just the way people are !!
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I thought Julia and William’s relationship was really sweet at first and that they complimented each other, which is what they thought too. Weirdly William attempting suicide was the best hing to happen to him. I like the shit in focus of main female from Julia to Sylvie. I love how honest Sylvie and William are, it’s so refreshing. Books are always full of unspoken words and unfair miscommunications.
Author did a good job showing how similar Julia and Rose are, and Sylvie and Charlie. Rose is so bitter and stubborn and unhappy, hopefully Julia doesn’t turn out like that. And Charlie became resigned to a life that didn’t make him happy and he had to hide himself.
Update, Julia does turn out like Rose. I can’t believe she cut everyone off and didn’t see them again for 25 years. Her daughter grew up never knowing them despite them being inseparable, so sad. And Alice is similar to William, so aware of Julia and keeping her happy by pretending she doesn’t feel her feelings.
William got everything Julia used to have, while she felt she had to leave everyone behind. I feel bad for her.
Finished - I loved it, cried several times. Of course she had to kill off Sylvie literally the day Alice comes back into their lives. I feel so bad for all the time lost, I feel bad for Alice. But she’s still young and she’s finally found her family outside of her mom.
Author did a good job showing how similar Julia and Rose are, and Sylvie and Charlie. Rose is so bitter and stubborn and unhappy, hopefully Julia doesn’t turn out like that. And Charlie became resigned to a life that didn’t make him happy and he had to hide himself.
Update, Julia does turn out like Rose. I can’t believe she cut everyone off and didn’t see them again for 25 years. Her daughter grew up never knowing them despite them being inseparable, so sad. And Alice is similar to William, so aware of Julia and keeping her happy by pretending she doesn’t feel her feelings.
William got everything Julia used to have, while she felt she had to leave everyone behind. I feel bad for her.
Finished - I loved it, cried several times. Of course she had to kill off Sylvie literally the day Alice comes back into their lives. I feel so bad for all the time lost, I feel bad for Alice. But she’s still young and she’s finally found her family outside of her mom.
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes