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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
I've been meaning to read this for years and I'm so glad I finally got around to it. I love stories about siblings, especially sisters, and I loved the multigenerational aspect of the sibling dynamics in this particular family. I'll be thinking about this one for a while.
I'm struggling with why this book wasn't categorized as YA. It's a coming-of-age story with no real objectionable content unless you count the protagonist's relationship with her uncle, which I don't, though I guess some people might be creeped out by it? I found it beautifully written. I loved the quirkiness of the main character, June. I loved the complexity of the sibling relationships. I loved the 1986 suburban Westchester setting. I loved what it says about friendship, relationships, growing up, and letting go. I'm going to recommend it to my teen.
4.5 ⭐
"Don't you know? That's the secret. If you always make sure you're exactly the person you hoped to be, if you always make sure you know only the very best people, then you won't care if you die tomorrow."
"Don't you know? That's the secret. If you always make sure you're exactly the person you hoped to be, if you always make sure you know only the very best people, then you won't care if you die tomorrow."
This was a very moving & touching book. Covering so many aspects of what love & family means to different people.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
An exceptional exploration of love and grief in their many forms.
Currently, I can't put my thoughts about this book into words. I'm going to sit with it for a while, and then attempt to write a review that will do it justice.
Heartbreaking yet beautiful. I loved the writing style. I didn't know much about this going in, I simple judged it by its cover and it didn't disappoint.
I loved this book. I doubt everyone will agree with me but it struck a definite nerve with me. The story of June, Greta, Toby, and Finn comes together in a very realistic way. Yes, this is a coming of age novel but I think Brunt did an excellent job in conveying the intricacies of love and relationships. I empathized with June, I know how it feels to not fit in, and as an older sister, I could completely related to Greta. Love is complicated and the familial love and romantic love were brilliantly conveyed. As well as the way we react to loss and death, all in our own separate ways. I think this may be one of my favorite books of the year.
The only issue I had was that I was waiting for Greta's alcohol problem to become apparent to the parents and I never really grasped what was actually going on with her and the teacher or what she was truly struggling with (whether it was just adolescence, etc.)
One of my favorite lines from the book is on page 195:
"It's the most unhappy people who want to stay alive, because they think they haven't done everything they want to do. They think they haven't had enough time. They feel like they've been shortchanged."
The only issue I had was that I was waiting for Greta's alcohol problem to become apparent to the parents and I never really grasped what was actually going on with her and the teacher or what she was truly struggling with (whether it was just adolescence, etc.)
One of my favorite lines from the book is on page 195:
"It's the most unhappy people who want to stay alive, because they think they haven't done everything they want to do. They think they haven't had enough time. They feel like they've been shortchanged."