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livres_de_bloss's review against another edition
4.0
This was some very bleak reading. It’s very well-told and engaging but you’ll definitely want to be in the right headspace to read this book.
knitter22's review against another edition
3.0
The View On The Way Down is a solid 3 stars; Rebecca Wait was able to help me begin to understand depression and its many repercussions. The opening scene of a happy family enjoying a day at the beach shifts abruptly to what has become of that same fractured family five years after the suicide of older son Kit. Younger son Jamie was estranged from the family on the day of Kit's funeral; Emma, the youngest child, is left not knowing exactly what happened, but trying to cope with the losses of her brothers through Jesus and food, and parents Rose and Joe are understandably just barely hanging on. Jamie's ex-girlfriend has a chance meeting with him, and this encounter sets in motion the events that may begin to help these utterly broken people become less so.
I haven't had any personal experience with depression, so I know I don't fully understand it. I appreciate it is far beyond sadness, and I certainly recognize that "Don't worry, be happy" won't work with clinical depression, but through her character portrayals, Wait was able to give me at least an introduction to understanding the depths of depression, and how suicide could possibly become more attractive than living. The middle of the book details the back story through letters from Jamie to his father. These may not be entirely realistic, but they do provide necessary detail in a poignant way. I found Emma a bit too childlike in some instances, but she is forced to bear the brunt of absent brothers and uncommunicative, shattered parents, so immaturity may be the result of her circumstances. It's a bit ironic that many family members don't want to talk about things to avoid causing more pain for themselves or others, but by refusing to face the situation that is exactly what has happened. The ending is appropriate, especially for a book that deals with difficult subjects and can be uncomfortable to read at times. I love that Wait never resorts to platitudes or becomes maudlin in The View On The Way Down. This is a book that will make you think - about depression, loss, sibling relationships, and families.
I haven't had any personal experience with depression, so I know I don't fully understand it. I appreciate it is far beyond sadness, and I certainly recognize that "Don't worry, be happy" won't work with clinical depression, but through her character portrayals, Wait was able to give me at least an introduction to understanding the depths of depression, and how suicide could possibly become more attractive than living. The middle of the book details the back story through letters from Jamie to his father. These may not be entirely realistic, but they do provide necessary detail in a poignant way. I found Emma a bit too childlike in some instances, but she is forced to bear the brunt of absent brothers and uncommunicative, shattered parents, so immaturity may be the result of her circumstances. It's a bit ironic that many family members don't want to talk about things to avoid causing more pain for themselves or others, but by refusing to face the situation that is exactly what has happened. The ending is appropriate, especially for a book that deals with difficult subjects and can be uncomfortable to read at times. I love that Wait never resorts to platitudes or becomes maudlin in The View On The Way Down. This is a book that will make you think - about depression, loss, sibling relationships, and families.
aniek_e's review against another edition
4.0
Mooi geschreven verhaal over de wijze waarop de dood van een zoon ervoor zorgt dat een heel gezin van elkaar verwijderd raakt. Tussen de regels door is nog zoveel meer te lezen dan direct verteld wordt. Wel jammer dat zo'n intens en aangrijpend verhaal afgesloten wordt met een soort van eind-goed-al-goed.
kirapattenden's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
tinytoulmin32's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
emmajess's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
khairun_atika's review against another edition
3.0
This book is reminiscent of a book I had read earlier, The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand. The premise is similar - the suicide of a brother led to the guilt of his sibling, and the disintegration but ultimate union of his family. Heartbreaking yet shocking with twists layered in between the family drama, this is a book that was not easy to read. It is never easy to read about death in a family, especially when reading about the way a parent grieved for his dead child. It is a painful subject to read about. The character to sympathise with is Jamie, who leaves his family as he deals with the grief of losing his brother, ultimately revealing the guilt and the truth about the suicide. Beautifully written and poignant, it was a beautiful story to read after all.
lizl_b's review against another edition
4.0
Read this book in one afternoon. I loved the story and the message behind it, however, some character stories could have been delved into more and I felt that some of the threads were a bit thin and strayed a bit, but the feeling of each one going through their own separate pain and not really understanding the what someone else pain is even though they are family resonates true to life. So in short, loved it, but wanted more meat.
holliepop's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0