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theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition
3.0
The Day We Met by Rowan Coleman is a British novel. Claire Armstrong is an English teacher, has a husband, two daughters, and has been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s. Despite a new medication, Claire’s condition is rapidly deteriorating. Her mother, Ruth has moved into the house to help take care of Claire and her three year old daughter, Esther. Caitlin, Claire’s other daughter, is almost twenty-one, and is home from the university until the start of the new semester (or so everyone believes). Claire’s husband, Greg is younger than Claire (they never gave his exact age) and they have only been married a short time (over a year). Claire can no longer drive (since she forgot what a steering wheel was and plowed into a mailbox). Now she is having to give up teaching which she loved.
Ruth tries to keep an eye on Claire, but sometimes Claire is just determined and escapes. The first time she disappears in the rain and no one can find her. Claire ends up at a coffee shop and meets a nice man named Ryan. Ryan gives Claire his phone number. Claire gets back home, but she will soon find a way to break free again. Claire knows what she is doing is wrong, but she does it anyway (then she gets lost, forgets where she lives, who she is, and cannot find her way home). Greg feels the loss of Claire the most. Claire is withdrawing from Greg and acts like he is a stranger. Greg gives Claire a journal to use. Recommended by her counselor, Diane to use a journal as a memory book. For Claire and the family to write down things to remember, events, etc.
Caitlin is not sure how to tell her mother and the family her news. She knows she needs to tell them, but she keeps putting it off. Claire has finally told Caitlin about her biological father. Caitlin thought he didn’t want her, but it turns out he never knew about her. Little Esther is a drama queen (her way or temper tantrums) and does not quite understand what is happening to her mother. When Claire starts acting more childish, Esther is her co-conspirator (which leads to another escape to the park). Claire ends up meeting Ryan again. She really likes him and he cares for her. Will Caitlin meet her biological father? What is Caitlin hiding from everyone? Will Claire and Greg be okay? Who is Ryan?
The Day We Met is also has chapters where it goes back into the childhood of Claire and Caitlin as well as insight into how Ruth turned out the way she did (how she changed from a carefree hippie). I have to admit it took me three tries to get through this book (I have been trying to read this book since March). It does have a nice ending, but it is a depressing book. I give The Day We Met 3 out of 5 stars. It is an interesting story (about early onset Alzheimer’s and how it can affect a woman and her family). I just think it is lacking. I do not know if we needed all the drama with Caitlin added into the story as well as Esther and her over-the-top behavior. I did like the twist with Ryan (though I did figure it out early on in the book). There is some mild foul language in the book (thankfully, just a little) and it is written in the first person (from different character’s perspective).
I received a complimentary copy of The Day We Met from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The review and opinions expressed are my own.
http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-day-we-met.html
Ruth tries to keep an eye on Claire, but sometimes Claire is just determined and escapes. The first time she disappears in the rain and no one can find her. Claire ends up at a coffee shop and meets a nice man named Ryan. Ryan gives Claire his phone number. Claire gets back home, but she will soon find a way to break free again. Claire knows what she is doing is wrong, but she does it anyway (then she gets lost, forgets where she lives, who she is, and cannot find her way home). Greg feels the loss of Claire the most. Claire is withdrawing from Greg and acts like he is a stranger. Greg gives Claire a journal to use. Recommended by her counselor, Diane to use a journal as a memory book. For Claire and the family to write down things to remember, events, etc.
Caitlin is not sure how to tell her mother and the family her news. She knows she needs to tell them, but she keeps putting it off. Claire has finally told Caitlin about her biological father. Caitlin thought he didn’t want her, but it turns out he never knew about her. Little Esther is a drama queen (her way or temper tantrums) and does not quite understand what is happening to her mother. When Claire starts acting more childish, Esther is her co-conspirator (which leads to another escape to the park). Claire ends up meeting Ryan again. She really likes him and he cares for her. Will Caitlin meet her biological father? What is Caitlin hiding from everyone? Will Claire and Greg be okay? Who is Ryan?
The Day We Met is also has chapters where it goes back into the childhood of Claire and Caitlin as well as insight into how Ruth turned out the way she did (how she changed from a carefree hippie). I have to admit it took me three tries to get through this book (I have been trying to read this book since March). It does have a nice ending, but it is a depressing book. I give The Day We Met 3 out of 5 stars. It is an interesting story (about early onset Alzheimer’s and how it can affect a woman and her family). I just think it is lacking. I do not know if we needed all the drama with Caitlin added into the story as well as Esther and her over-the-top behavior. I did like the twist with Ryan (though I did figure it out early on in the book). There is some mild foul language in the book (thankfully, just a little) and it is written in the first person (from different character’s perspective).
I received a complimentary copy of The Day We Met from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The review and opinions expressed are my own.
http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-day-we-met.html
tigerxwasp's review against another edition
5.0
I beautifully written heartbreakingly story, makes you want to hug your loved ones that bit tighter and never take them for granted. Every single moment should a cherished.
philippakmoore's review
3.0
I love Rowan Coleman's writing and found the story compelling, some parts were extremely well drawn and poignant. But it didn't whack me round the face and leave me reeling the way Lisa Genova's Still Alice did. This is a perfect train read, which goes some way to painting a portrait of how cruel Alzheimer's disease is, for the sufferer and their loved ones, but of the two, I preferred Still Alice.
jacki_f's review against another edition
3.0
This is the story of Claire, a young mum who is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. As she deteriorates there is stress on everyone around her, but particularly on her husband Greg whom she suddenly doesn't recognise, and on her teenage daughter Caitlin who is going through a crisis of her own. Claire struggles to hold herself together long enough to preserve her life's memories for her family and to help her daughter cope with her issues.
The book is clearly intended to be a tearjerker and maybe I'm just a callous and hard-hearted witch, but it failed to have a significant impact on me. I felt that it was too predictable in what was going to happen and a couple of the storylines were resolved so simply that they felt completely unrealistic (seriously, were we meant to believe that Alice would immediately behave as she did?).
This is becoming a crowded genre and The Memory Book doesn't have any stand out qualities. If you want a touching read about a terminally ill woman preparing to let her partner go, a better choice is [b:Before I Go|20871704|Before I Go|Colleen Oakley|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397917357s/20871704.jpg|40210177]. If you want to understand the realities of how Alzheimer's eats away at someone's life, I recommend [b:Still Alice|2153405|Still Alice|Lisa Genova|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1236089972s/2153405.jpg|2158906]. If you just want a tearjerker, there's [b:Me Before You|15507958|Me Before You (Me Before You, #1)|Jojo Moyes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1357108762s/15507958.jpg|17763198]. The Memory Book tries to integrate elements of all of these books but it doesn't ever rise above average.
The book is clearly intended to be a tearjerker and maybe I'm just a callous and hard-hearted witch, but it failed to have a significant impact on me. I felt that it was too predictable in what was going to happen and a couple of the storylines were resolved so simply that they felt completely unrealistic (seriously, were we meant to believe that Alice would immediately behave as she did?).
This is becoming a crowded genre and The Memory Book doesn't have any stand out qualities. If you want a touching read about a terminally ill woman preparing to let her partner go, a better choice is [b:Before I Go|20871704|Before I Go|Colleen Oakley|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397917357s/20871704.jpg|40210177]. If you want to understand the realities of how Alzheimer's eats away at someone's life, I recommend [b:Still Alice|2153405|Still Alice|Lisa Genova|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1236089972s/2153405.jpg|2158906]. If you just want a tearjerker, there's [b:Me Before You|15507958|Me Before You (Me Before You, #1)|Jojo Moyes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1357108762s/15507958.jpg|17763198]. The Memory Book tries to integrate elements of all of these books but it doesn't ever rise above average.
nickymaund's review against another edition
5.0
Oh my word, I don’t know where to start. This is one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking books you’ll read. Rowan Coleman has me in big, fat, snotty tears pretty much on every page of this book. She really makes you feel for the characters and their stories as events unfold. And it’s done with such sensitivity and humour. I’d definitely recommend you read this book - but make sure you have a big supply of tissues!!
lotteversteegen's review against another edition
5.0
I read most of this book while waiting in the doctors waiting room and let me tell you, this is not the best book to read in public. I was ór laughing out loud ór (silently) crying. If a book can make me cry and laugh, it will probably become one of my favorites, like this one did!
lucycatten's review against another edition
5.0
Printed under a different title in the UK... Loved this. So. Many. Tears. Just bought as a present for my mum.