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kelsharr's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Child death
Moderate: Sexual assault and Death
Minor: Suicide, Terminal illness, and Miscarriage
jessiehg's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
In a lot of ways it’s great
- the time cuts exploring a similar theme across generations are so close to being too obvious and trite, but there’s enough complexity and difference that they work well
- the characters verge on 1 dimensional, but they’re also not overwritten which I’m grateful for
- Elle’s motivations and the deep rippling effects of her childhood on her choices are very well done, as is the reasoning (absolution) behind the affair finally occurring
- the end will bother some, but I think it was the only option
- I saw most things coming, but you could take that as well constricted and neat rather than obvious
There’s something here about starting in a simplistic idea of lifelong longing finally acted upon, and then simultaneously strengthening the reader’s belief in that “cosmic connection” and (through an unreliable narrator) revealing flags of the flawed, bad (but not in the way they think they are!) people who would in reality not ride off into the sunset but likely hurt each other like all partners do. Jonas is a dick to his wife, Elle is obviously coping with her mistakes and explores those things (eg lying, distance to husband).
Once I hit about halfway I found it difficult to put down. I was deeply affected. But I didn’t LOVE it.
This may be better on screen than on paper - what verges on flat in the book could be fleshed out with great acting.
It helped me to keep reminding myself that this is my parent’s generation, and in a lot of ways her reactions are very well written for that.
Starting this book in the affair and love triangle is indicative of the target audience. The average airport/rom com reader wants empty longing and sex as a hook to then become invested in the real story. Personally, the real story is what it took for me to give any amount of shits about the affair. An understandable and commercially wise choice, but not to my liking.
- the time cuts exploring a similar theme across generations are so close to being too obvious and trite, but there’s enough complexity and difference that they work well
- the characters verge on 1 dimensional, but they’re also not overwritten which I’m grateful for
- Elle’s motivations and the deep rippling effects of her childhood on her choices are very well done, as is the reasoning (absolution) behind the affair finally occurring
- the end will bother some, but I think it was the only option
- I saw most things coming, but you could take that as well constricted and neat rather than obvious
There’s something here about starting in a simplistic idea of lifelong longing finally acted upon, and then simultaneously strengthening the reader’s belief in that “cosmic connection” and (through an unreliable narrator) revealing flags of the flawed, bad (but not in the way they think they are!) people who would in reality not ride off into the sunset but likely hurt each other like all partners do. Jonas is a dick to his wife, Elle is obviously coping with her mistakes and explores those things (eg lying, distance to husband).
Once I hit about halfway I found it difficult to put down. I was deeply affected. But I didn’t LOVE it.
This may be better on screen than on paper - what verges on flat in the book could be fleshed out with great acting.
It helped me to keep reminding myself that this is my parent’s generation, and in a lot of ways her reactions are very well written for that.
Starting this book in the affair and love triangle is indicative of the target audience. The average airport/rom com reader wants empty longing and sex as a hook to then become invested in the real story. Personally, the real story is what it took for me to give any amount of shits about the affair. An understandable and commercially wise choice, but not to my liking.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Vomit, Incest, Child abuse, Death, Sexual content, Cancer, Child death, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
Minor: Terminal illness and Animal cruelty
lairdemm's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Child death, Death, Rape, and Miscarriage
Minor: Terminal illness and Cancer
rwlongino's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This would have been so much better without the explicit child sex abuse scenes. It felt like trauma porn and took away from the narrative. Would have been four stars if those scenes would have been more subtle/nuanced.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Incest, Sexual harassment, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Child abuse, Bullying, Sexual content, Alcohol, Murder, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Infidelity
lsm's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This book is well written but I just wasn’t a fan. It’s tough subject which I can usually handle, but the author went out of her way to drop revolting, unnecessary details throughout the story. The MC said “That’s disgusting” at least a dozen times m, probably more, and she wasn’t wrong. Every possible bodily fluid was mentioned. Even that might be ignored but a cat licking blood off the floor? Why? Mouse urine? Ok, maybe I’ve read that detail somewhere but mouse afterbirth? Stfu. The gross details became a near constant distraction that I came to resent. I know they were all a choice and I’m sure they represented the decay of youth, innocence, and moral compass but in the end they were all too much. For that reason I can’t recommend this one. I doubt I’ll ever read this author again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Infidelity, Infertility, Violence, Terminal illness, Murder, Grief, Suicide, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage
mountain_adventures's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Excellent story with many flash backs.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Cursing, Cancer, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Rape, and Pedophilia
hanngigi's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual content, Death, Grief, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Terminal illness, Miscarriage, Cancer, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Drug use, Alcohol, and Animal death
rubberrosebooks's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, and Alcohol
Moderate: Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Suicide, Death, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Cancer
tiffany_stevenson's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Rape, and Terminal illness
livlosiewicz's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Pros:
•The writing is beautiful! This book has a strong sense of place
•I liked the structure and the different timelines, and how they weaved back and forth, a lot. It added a really well-crafted air of mystery to the novel and kept me captivated
•I also really liked how we could understand the characters’ (mostly Elle’s) decisions, even if we didn’t agree with them. Elle is a VERY flawed character, but we come to understand how she got there, which makes her more fascinating than frustrating to me
•Overall, this book is a creative and well-written exploration of the lasting impact of trauma, and how it can impact its victims not always in one big way, but a million small ways. I disagree with GR users saying the trauma was gratuitous. I think it was hard to read (and totally okay to not want to read it or not like it) but essential for the story Heller was trying to tell
Cons:
•okay, I didn’t like Jonas. I kept thinking I was going to grow to like him, but we didn’t get much characterization from him besides lovesick/horny. I know why she liked him as a kid, but why now?
•Normally, I’m a sucker for an ambiguous ending, but this was one that needed a more decisive ending for me to stick its point. Apparently, Heller didn’t think it was ambiguous, but after reading a bit more background, I think my original interpretation of the end was the opposite of what she’d intended. Basically, there’s an interpretation of the ending that works really well for me when considering the book and its themes, and if that’s not the ending that you interpret, I think it kind of weakens the book and leaves me less satisfied
Recommendation: I recommend for readers who like books with a strong sense of place, books that travel through dual timelines, and books with complicated characters making complicated decisions. This book is really well-written and deliberate, and I was really drawn into it, despite some nitpicky reservations. Please beware before picking this up, there are SIGNIFICANT content warnings. If you’re not in a place to read about trauma/don’t want to, skip this!!
•The writing is beautiful! This book has a strong sense of place
•I liked the structure and the different timelines, and how they weaved back and forth, a lot. It added a really well-crafted air of mystery to the novel and kept me captivated
•I also really liked how we could understand the characters’ (mostly Elle’s) decisions, even if we didn’t agree with them. Elle is a VERY flawed character, but we come to understand how she got there, which makes her more fascinating than frustrating to me
•Overall, this book is a creative and well-written exploration of the lasting impact of trauma, and how it can impact its victims not always in one big way, but a million small ways. I disagree with GR users saying the trauma was gratuitous. I think it was hard to read (and totally okay to not want to read it or not like it) but essential for the story Heller was trying to tell
Cons:
•okay, I didn’t like Jonas. I kept thinking I was going to grow to like him, but we didn’t get much characterization from him besides lovesick/horny. I know why she liked him as a kid, but why now?
•Normally, I’m a sucker for an ambiguous ending, but this was one that needed a more decisive ending for me to stick its point. Apparently, Heller didn’t think it was ambiguous, but after reading a bit more background, I think my original interpretation of the end was the opposite of what she’d intended. Basically, there’s an interpretation of the ending that works really well for me when considering the book and its themes, and if that’s not the ending that you interpret, I think it kind of weakens the book and leaves me less satisfied
Recommendation: I recommend for readers who like books with a strong sense of place, books that travel through dual timelines, and books with complicated characters making complicated decisions. This book is really well-written and deliberate, and I was really drawn into it, despite some nitpicky reservations. Please beware before picking this up, there are SIGNIFICANT content warnings. If you’re not in a place to read about trauma/don’t want to, skip this!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Terminal illness