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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
Lite svårt att komma in i på grund av allt hoppande mellan olika tidsperioder, men när jag väl kom in i det var det svårt att sluta läsa! Jag skulle nog säga att boken och filmen är nästan lika bra, trots vissa små skillnader!
Not the type of book I usually read but trying to go outside my comfort zone more and more these days. Definitely flowed well and made me miss old fashioned letters.
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Ugh, I’m so frustrated. You know when you write a review right after reading the book and you just nail it, well I did just that after reading this book and then it didn’t save. I was so frustrated I gave up and walked away, but I loved this book so much- I had to come back and write something. I know it won’t be as spot-on as it was the first time, but it deserves more than a blank review.
Ok, so I devoured this book. It was beautifully written. I think the most important point I wanted to make in my review is that Moyes owns you- heart and soul. You are literally her puppet and she holds your strings through this book. If she wants you to feel joy, you will feel it. If she wants you to feel despair, even the biggest optimist will feel outright despair. She is the master of emotions and she plays them like a virtuoso through her writing.
The roller coaster this story takes you on is literally-literally the ride of a lifetime. You will laugh, cry, hope and deny. You will feel all hope fade from the world and you will soar in the bluest skies.
The end is bittersweet and frustrating and hopeful and that is exactly how Moyes wants it.
But, it is so worth the ride- the journey.
I had more to say, but this will have to suffice.
Read.This.Book. Be changed by Moyes’ writing forever.
Ok, so I devoured this book. It was beautifully written. I think the most important point I wanted to make in my review is that Moyes owns you- heart and soul. You are literally her puppet and she holds your strings through this book. If she wants you to feel joy, you will feel it. If she wants you to feel despair, even the biggest optimist will feel outright despair. She is the master of emotions and she plays them like a virtuoso through her writing.
The roller coaster this story takes you on is literally-literally the ride of a lifetime. You will laugh, cry, hope and deny. You will feel all hope fade from the world and you will soar in the bluest skies.
The end is bittersweet and frustrating and hopeful and that is exactly how Moyes wants it.
But, it is so worth the ride- the journey.
I had more to say, but this will have to suffice.
Read.This.Book. Be changed by Moyes’ writing forever.
Onko kesä nyt ohi, kun olen lukenut tämän mökkikirjani? Ehkä. Ensimmäinen lukemani Jojo Moyes, enkä oikein tiedä oliko tämä nyt kolmen ja kolmen ja puolen tähden arvoinen. Juonenkuljetus kulki kaavaa mukaansatempaava - kuolettavan pitkäveteinen - sydäntä särkevän raastava. Puolivälissä tuntui uskomattomalta, että tällaisesta elämää suuremmasta rakkaustarinasta saattoi kirjoittaa niin uuvuttavasti. Loppupuoli onneksi korvasi kaiken ja saavutti miellyttävän katharsiksen. Henkilöhahmot olivat ihan miellyttäviä, mutta eivät tehneet erityisen suurta vaikutusta.
Every time I thought this book should’ve ended, Jojo continued on. I absolutely love her writing. What a sweet book
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
As usual what I love about Jojo Moyes is while is there are happy events in this book, there are also very sad events andthings don't turn out entirely how you think. Though warning if you liked Me Before You, this one is much more Chick Lit.
This book took me a bit longer to get into but once I was got into it I was hooked! As usual I loves stories with two related timelines. The narrative really makes you think how different things where, in this case for women, in the not so distant 60s. It is a stark contrast from the "present" day story and even in the past things are already changing from how Jennifer was brought up to live vs how young women start living as adults in the mid 60s.
I would have liked to hear more from Laurence's point of view , about his company and the impact mesothelioma on the asbestos / mining industry but as this book is more from the female perspective so makes sense that they aren't let in on that. Even Moira who is unique in that time period as a woman who is more focused on work, still obviously isn't in on everything. Would have loved more from Moira!! She was great.
I would give this 3.5 -4 , can't decide. Overall I enjoyed it!
This book took me a bit longer to get into but once I was got into it I was hooked! As usual I loves stories with two related timelines. The narrative really makes you think how different things where, in this case for women, in the not so distant 60s. It is a stark contrast from the "present" day story and even in the past things are already changing from how Jennifer was brought up to live vs how young women start living as adults in the mid 60s.
I would have liked to hear more from Laurence's point of view , about his company and the impact mesothelioma on the asbestos / mining industry but as this book is more from the female perspective so makes sense that they aren't let in on that. Even Moira who is unique in that time period as a woman who is more focused on work, still obviously isn't in on everything. Would have loved more from Moira!! She was great.
I would give this 3.5 -4 , can't decide. Overall I enjoyed it!
reflective
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
How is this book rated so high?? THIS IS NOT A LOVE STORY. Yeah it has melodramatic romance in it but no, would not call it a love story. I think it was trying to be Casablanca but instead we got the quality of All About Steve. Needless to say, unpopular review ahead...
Wealthy, married 1960s woman Jennifer, who never reads newspapers, meets Anthony a journalist in the French Riviera and they allegedly fall in love. This affair is justified to the reader because Jennifer's husband doesn't appreciate her or her brain. He won't give her a divorce either unless she gives up their child Esme and he knows that will hurt her. He is unoriginally depicted as a mega beast who even pays off folks that have developed cancer from his asbestos work in exchange for their silence. Like seriously. Anthony on the other hand has had multiple affairs with married women but we are supposed to believe that now he has met Jennifer, that has stopped. Ahuh. Sure.
Anyhoo, so this is a story about societal constraints, expectations but ultimately about timing. Which for me, that is fine. However, I found the execution of this story supremely dull, repetitive and uninspired. Also, the coincidence that both Jennifer and Anthony would lose ex partners to cancer and find themselves both single parents at about THE SAME TIME was preposterous.
The first time Jennifer tries to run away, she is conveniently in a car accident and has amnesia so is unaware for months that she even had a lover. No one tells her. Oh and Laurence conveniently intercepts a letter from Anthony that would have cleared everything up. But you know I'll let that slide - he's pissed because his wife was cheating. And it seems he starts having affairs only after he finds out about Jen's infidelity. Two wrongs make a right in making it clear to us just how awful Laurence is and for the plot to move along. Anyhoo, was so irritating how long it took them to figure out it was Felipe who had died and not Anthony!! I was banging my head. The second time Jennifer she tries to make a life with Anthony, her letter is discarded by Anthony's boss; his boss feels he is protecting Anthony because Jennifer caused him to have a bender that nearly killed him so his boss was like "enough of this toxic woman". Fair enough I guess.
The last third of the book is set in 2003 and we meet Ellie, who has without a doubt got to be one of the most insufferable characters I have ever come across. After a few pages of her I nearly DNF this book. I only persevered because I wanted to know how the story of Jennifer and Anthony ended. Considering Ellie is a journalist and modern woman, it is hard to fathom, when we learn later on that she not once communicated to John how she felt or that she expected him to eventually leave his wife was beyond me. Really?? Also, when Rory finds out Ellie is in a relationship with John, a married man and accuses him of being judgemental and pompous, I had to remind myself this Ellie is just a character. But I got the impression the Ms Moyes again tried to justify Rory's opinion because he had been on the receiving end of infidelity and that is why he felt so strongly. Not because it is umm.... just a low grade, despicable thing to be part of. And no I am not talking about morals, I'm talking about having a basic conscience, you know, where you feel crummy when you realise your actions could hurt/ have hurt someone? A friend of mine was in similar situation to John and Ellie and she justified her adultery with the attitude of "the heart wants what the heart wants and that it was her "right to be happy". I get that. I do. But at the expense of someone else's truth, their happiness? I'm not so sure. And to only get a little of that person here and there and never fully? And how do you even trust a cheating married man? I don't get it. A married man pursuing me is a turn off. Says a lot about a man (or woman for that matter) to ignore right and wrong and take that extra step. Because you do have a choice. And no I don't think I am a saint. Far from it. I just struggle to get the appeal of dating someone who is already in a relationship - married or otherwise. I get why married people might do it - maybe for some excitement? An ego boost if they feel undervalued in their relationship? Not saying its ok either! But being someone's bit on the side is just not for me. I am most definitely alone in my opinion! To me, infidelity is not a love story.
The best part was getting to know Jennifer and Anthony in theirlater years; looking back on their life and experience with wisdom and perspective. Jojo Moyes did that part really well and with much truth. Unfortunately, it comes after having to read 75% of the book first. I would have LOVED to have heard more about their second chance and life thereafter for them.
Jennifer was trapped in her marriage in 1960s London; what was Ellie's excuse? God what had 40 years of struggle and womens' lib gained us? To s**t on their hard work and behave like selfish schmucks? Sorry I thought I was done with my hatred of Ellie ;) But maybe that is the point, that women now thankfully have the right to divorce and to choose whom they love without societal judgement and laws that prevent such things to happen. Either way, this book was not for me.
Wealthy, married 1960s woman Jennifer, who never reads newspapers, meets Anthony a journalist in the French Riviera and they allegedly fall in love. This affair is justified to the reader because
Anyhoo, so this is a story about societal constraints, expectations but ultimately about timing. Which for me, that is fine. However, I found the execution of this story supremely dull, repetitive and uninspired. Also, the coincidence that
The last third of the book is set in 2003 and we meet Ellie, who has without a doubt got to be one of the most insufferable characters I have ever come across. After a few pages of her I nearly DNF this book. I only persevered because I wanted to know how the story of Jennifer and Anthony ended. Considering Ellie is a journalist and modern woman, it is hard to fathom, when we learn later on that she not once
The best part was getting to know Jennifer and Anthony in their
Jennifer was trapped in her marriage in 1960s London; what was Ellie's excuse? God what had 40 years of struggle and womens' lib gained us? To s**t on their hard work and behave like selfish schmucks? Sorry I thought I was done with my hatred of Ellie ;) But maybe that is the point, that women now thankfully have the right to divorce and to choose whom they love without societal judgement and laws that prevent such things to happen. Either way, this book was not for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Car accident, War
Moderate: Cancer, Mental illness, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Classism