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amyvl93's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
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
This novel felt like a mash-up of Lessons in Chemistry and all those novels about messy heroines, only this one is in her 40s. Grace was a languages prodigy, winning national competitions and finding herself propelled into quiz show presenter fame. Now, she's 45 and desperately trying to get her 16-year-old daughter to connect with her again.
We are told this story in three timelines; we have the 'now', the day of Lottie her daughter's 16th birthday, a few months earlier where we start to get insights as to why the relationships on the page are in the state that they are now, and going way back to the start of Grace's career and when she meets Ben, Lottie's father. These timelines are generally effectively used; though there were times when I wanted to go back to understanding the relationships, rather than reading about Grace's present day 'snap' which mostly consisted of her shouting at people as she walked through a heatwave to Lottie's birthday.
I did appreciate Littlewood discussing the impact of aging on women's lives within this novel, and who is and isn't seen, and who gets to hold space publicly as they age - particularly when children are added into the picture. I felt that the depictions of the mother/daughter relationship often felt very real. I felt the event that sat behind Lottie and Grace's estrangement was dealt with well - even if I'm not sure other character's reactions felt particularly understandable.
There is, however, at times almost too much going on in this novel and some of those layers weren't always effective. I had to re-read a couple of sections to understand the source of tension between Grace and Ben. I'm also tiring slightly of female characters in novels being open about not wanting children and then the plot being that they have them anyway.
We are told this story in three timelines; we have the 'now', the day of Lottie her daughter's 16th birthday, a few months earlier where we start to get insights as to why the relationships on the page are in the state that they are now, and going way back to the start of Grace's career and when she meets Ben, Lottie's father. These timelines are generally effectively used; though there were times when I wanted to go back to understanding the relationships, rather than reading about Grace's present day 'snap' which mostly consisted of her shouting at people as she walked through a heatwave to Lottie's birthday.
I did appreciate Littlewood discussing the impact of aging on women's lives within this novel, and who is and isn't seen, and who gets to hold space publicly as they age - particularly when children are added into the picture. I felt that the depictions of the mother/daughter relationship often felt very real. I felt the event that sat behind Lottie and Grace's estrangement was dealt with well - even if I'm not sure other character's reactions felt particularly understandable.
There is, however, at times almost too much going on in this novel and some of those layers weren't always effective. I had to re-read a couple of sections to understand the source of tension between Grace and Ben. I'm also tiring slightly of female characters in novels being open about not wanting children and then the plot being that they have them anyway.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Miscarriage
jan_db's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-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
4.75
i really enjoyed this book, it took me a while to get through it though but I couldn’t put it down in the last third. i really like her writing style and the characters were very interesting, albeit flawed. there were a few plot twists that i didn’t see coming, and definitely would urge people to check up on some of the content warnings because they kinda come out of nowhere
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Child death
Moderate: Infidelity and Infertility
Minor: Death of parent
jillwedemeier's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
Grace Adams is having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Her husband has left her. Her beloved daughter, Lotte, has chosen to live with her father and won’t speak to her. She has lost both of her jobs. Today is Lotte’s 16th birthday, and Grace has one goal: to make it to Lotte’s birthday party and deliver the Love Island cake she specially ordered for her in the hopes of healing the rift between them. Stuck in traffic in London, Grace is late to pick up the cake. When she suddenly can’t take it any longer, she gets out of her car and walks to the bakery. As she makes her way across London, with some unusual and interesting encounters, Grace flashes back to the pivotal times in her life that have led her to this very moment. Her story is gradually revealed, beginning with the early days of her relationship with her husband, Ben, and leading up to the falling out with Lotte. How did the once amazing Grace Adams get to this point?
Compared to the likes of Eleanor, Rosie, Ove, and Bernadette, I was expecting a lighthearted comedy, but what I got was a gripping, emotional story about joy, love, grief, and hope. Yes, there were some very funny moments, but this novel was incredibly moving and, at times, heartbreaking. I found myself laughing out loud and also wiping away tears. This was an unforgettable read that had me captivated until the very end. Just a beautiful debut novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Compared to the likes of Eleanor, Rosie, Ove, and Bernadette, I was expecting a lighthearted comedy, but what I got was a gripping, emotional story about joy, love, grief, and hope. Yes, there were some very funny moments, but this novel was incredibly moving and, at times, heartbreaking. I found myself laughing out loud and also wiping away tears. This was an unforgettable read that had me captivated until the very end. Just a beautiful debut novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Child death, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Misogyny
Minor: Miscarriage
rachel_from_avid_bookshop's review against another edition
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The main character in Fran Littlewood's debut Amazing Grace Adams is a woman at her very wit's end. Her marriage is over, her teenage daughter hates her, and her perimenopausal brain has had enough. Grace's life needs a complete overhaul if she can just get things together. This is a book about being in the middle of your life and figuring out the second half must be done differently. For fans of Where'd You Go, Bernadette? and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Sexual harassment, and Abandonment
readwithsabs's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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
2.5
Sadly this one was not for me. It was a slow long drawn out read. I had committed to 50% read before I knew I was not going to love it. I think the main reason it didn't work for me is because the author simply tried to tackle far too many sensitive themes ans in my opinion not in any great detail, therefore did not do any of them well. It was incredibly melodramatic with an unlikeable protagonist in Grace Adams and her teenage daughter Lotte. Told in present day with flashbacks to storytell how the events of Grace's past have effected her and bringing it around to her current situation.
I guess the author was trying to explore the importance of womanhood and all the nuances around being a strong woman.
I guess the author was trying to explore the importance of womanhood and all the nuances around being a strong woman.
Content Warnings
Minor: Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Infidelity, Child death, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, and Grief
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