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3.25 AVERAGE
3.25 AVERAGE
Like a Hallmark movie on steroids (in a good way). Did you think Kristin Hannah couldn’t rip out your heart in 240 pages? Think again.
tense
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I rounded up to 3 from 2.5 solely because I usually reserve 1s and 2s for books I strongly disliked. I did not strongly dislike this book, but it is not even on par with other (also earlier) Kristin Hannah books that I rated as 3s.
The book almost lost me right off the bat. I'm MORE than willing to suspend disbelief in the name of a good story, but the early chapters were just absurd. A woman survives a plane crash, obviously has some injuries, shows signs of a pretty good concision, and just walks off half barefoot and with no winter wear in Washington in December, treks miles to a hotel where she has no id or money but is checked in by a child with no fuss, and everything is perfectly fine the next morning. Oh, and the lost and found at the hotel magically has clothes to fit her. Yeah, ok... The ONLY reason I made it beyond this point is that I was reading it while stuck at the dealership waiting on my car to get work done and I didn't have anything else to do.
There is a plot twist a bit more than halfway through the book that kind of explains the insanity of the first bit, but I understand why so many readers DNF'd it long before reaching that point. After that, it was easy to predict where the story was going, and while it wasn't really the kind of story I typically go for, I felt like it was on the right track. Unfortunately, the ending was INCREDIBLY rushed and every bit as absurd as the beginning. There's a lot I'd like to say, but most of it would constitute major spoilers, so I'll refrain. The edited version though is that while I can kind of follow Bobby's (the child) reaction to how things panned out at the end, Daniel's (the "man", Bobby's father) part is ludicrous under even the craziest of circumstances, and for multiple reasons. I probably still could have gotten on board with how things wrapped up had the "wrap up" spread over multiple chapters where things were delved into and developed. Instead the big finale of the story comprised a few paragraphs that felt like the author got tired of writing and just threw something together to get the book sent out.
If you haven't read Kristin Hannah before, or have only read The Great Alone and/or The Nightingale, PLEASE pick something other than this one. KH is amazing, but she (like most) has developed and improved over time, and this earlier novel is not her best work by a longshot.
The book almost lost me right off the bat. I'm MORE than willing to suspend disbelief in the name of a good story, but the early chapters were just absurd. A woman survives a plane crash, obviously has some injuries, shows signs of a pretty good concision, and just walks off half barefoot and with no winter wear in Washington in December, treks miles to a hotel where she has no id or money but is checked in by a child with no fuss, and everything is perfectly fine the next morning. Oh, and the lost and found at the hotel magically has clothes to fit her. Yeah, ok... The ONLY reason I made it beyond this point is that I was reading it while stuck at the dealership waiting on my car to get work done and I didn't have anything else to do.
There is a plot twist a bit more than halfway through the book that kind of explains the insanity of the first bit, but I understand why so many readers DNF'd it long before reaching that point. After that, it was easy to predict where the story was going, and while it wasn't really the kind of story I typically go for, I felt like it was on the right track. Unfortunately, the ending was INCREDIBLY rushed and every bit as absurd as the beginning. There's a lot I'd like to say, but most of it would constitute major spoilers, so I'll refrain. The edited version though is that while I can kind of follow Bobby's (the child) reaction to how things panned out at the end, Daniel's (the "man", Bobby's father) part is ludicrous under even the craziest of circumstances, and for multiple reasons. I probably still could have gotten on board with how things wrapped up had the "wrap up" spread over multiple chapters where things were delved into and developed. Instead the big finale of the story comprised a few paragraphs that felt like the author got tired of writing and just threw something together to get the book sent out.
If you haven't read Kristin Hannah before, or have only read The Great Alone and/or The Nightingale, PLEASE pick something other than this one. KH is amazing, but she (like most) has developed and improved over time, and this earlier novel is not her best work by a longshot.
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I cried for the whole second half. I loved it. Lovely little Christmas tale.
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Book club made me read this. On the bright side, one more book closer to my reading challenge goal.