Scan barcode
jodubriel33's review
5.0
A quick read and a different style of writing to look into for all writers.
kjboldon's review
5.0
First read: A spare, lovely book that memorializes a second marriage.
Second read: this book contains multitudes. The short sections are marvels of economy and have so much depth of emotion. I am in awe of this book. Why did I only give it 4 stars the first time?
Second read: this book contains multitudes. The short sections are marvels of economy and have so much depth of emotion. I am in awe of this book. Why did I only give it 4 stars the first time?
geekgirl27514's review
4.0
Snippets from her life? Or the essential essences of her experiences? She allows us to read her mind. She is not concerned with a showy life. She hones in on human connection and the pitfalls she overcame, bumped in to and survived. Very well done.
anywiebs's review
4.0
This was amazing, the writing will drag you in. I like how much you learn about her, despite not going away having a picture of her life. You will have an idea of her.
ash_ton's review
2.0
I had to read this for my creative nonfiction writing class. I think I'm the only one who didn't really like it. They all thought the POV changes were brilliant, while I thought they were wildly inconsistent. I would have preferred this to all be in the first person, and chronologically. I do admire what Thomas did, though, which is writing a memoir. I feel like that takes guts, and I don't want to shit on that.
jenok's review
3.0
I enjoyed this book in the way I might enjoy a light (but not vacuous) conversation. I mean this kindly. While I didn't find the prose itself particularly remarkable, there is a sense in which this seems appropriate for the content. It feels unburdened. The form, which consists of a series of fragments, works well for a memoir - giving the sense that the author hasn't tried too hard to maintain a definitive narrative, and so, hasn't lost the truth in the telling. Moments can emerge more honestly without re-sculpting the sentiments involved in the interest of consistency.
mimi8school's review
3.0
I wasn't prepared for the creativity in the writing style. It reads like fragments, so at first I really felt I was reading a diary. It took me a while to adjust and get used to the style. Naturally, in order to understand what the book is really about, I asked myself not to pass any judgements until I have finished the whole book.
Yes, during some parts of the book I was distracted, and that was why I took some points off in my review. But I still think this style is so creative and the fragments are so real--how we remember our own life stories. More real than I felt about any memoirs or autobiography. For that, I really appreciated the book. It was beautiful.
This is a book I know I want to re-read, perhaps a few years later and I have a feeling that after a second read I would give a higher rating.
Yes, during some parts of the book I was distracted, and that was why I took some points off in my review. But I still think this style is so creative and the fragments are so real--how we remember our own life stories. More real than I felt about any memoirs or autobiography. For that, I really appreciated the book. It was beautiful.
This is a book I know I want to re-read, perhaps a few years later and I have a feeling that after a second read I would give a higher rating.
chelseycatterall's review
4.0
The last of my Abigail Thomas memoirs. With ease and beauty, Thomas turns simple thoughts and feelings into poetry. I truly hope she is curled up with her dogs right now, scribbling her thoughts on a notepad so that I have more of her work to look forward to.