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notinjersey's review
5.0
This book took me by surprise. I have seen some mixed reviews and it’s rare for me to like a book that others did not – usually I don’t like books that everyone else does! This book is about three middle aged sisters – Maggie, the youngest, is separated from her husband and is raising two sons, plus a dog and a cat. Ginny, the middle sister, is intellectually disabled and after a health scare must now use a wheelchair and requires much assistance. Maggie moves Ginny and her dog Rascal to the Hudson Valley, where she lives. Meanwhile, their oldest sister Bets lives in CA. The story flashes back to the sisters’ childhood and addresses the difficulties of being a caretaker. Even though Ginny was privileged to have been left money to help with her care, you could see how difficult it was for her sisters to know the right things to do. There were some lovely, sweet, and funny parts to the story. It does include animal deaths, which made me cry!
purrfectpages's review
4.0
Maggie Frederick might be the youngest of three sisters, but going against the sibling stereotype, she’s also the most responsible. Her eldest sister, Betsy, conveniently lives on the other side of the country. There she’s seemingly sitting pretty- making a name for herself as a professional surfer and flirting with a Dancing With the Stars stint-all while successfully shirking any familial responsibilities, that is.
Meanwhile their other sister, Ginny, has intellectual disabilities that Maggie has tended to (on some level) all of her adult life. Then one day, Maggie gets a call that the diabetic Ginny is in the ER. Realizing Ginny is no longer capable of living completely on her own, Maggie moves her to be closer to her. Initially Ginny is placed in a care facility, but she quickly overstays her welcome. Before long Maggie makes the difficult decision to hire home care, allowing the fiercely independent Ginny to be as self sufficient as possible.
The complicated sister dynamic is the root of this story, but this book is also a unique blend of humor and heartbreak. Although it’s told solely from Maggie’s perspective, both Ginny, and even to a certain extent, Betsy’s wants and needs shine through. Walking the fine line, writer Jeannie Zusy painfully outlines what it’s like to be the care taker for a mentally challenged sibling, all while managing to inject some much needed laughs to diffuse the situation. After all, they don’t say you laugh so you don’t cry for nothing!
In some ways this book reminded me of the movie Rainman in its descriptive depiction of the difficult power struggle that can occur when one sibling is aware they have to me the taker and never the giver. The ironic title is not lost on this reader, how its poignant message is what will really stick with me.
Meanwhile their other sister, Ginny, has intellectual disabilities that Maggie has tended to (on some level) all of her adult life. Then one day, Maggie gets a call that the diabetic Ginny is in the ER. Realizing Ginny is no longer capable of living completely on her own, Maggie moves her to be closer to her. Initially Ginny is placed in a care facility, but she quickly overstays her welcome. Before long Maggie makes the difficult decision to hire home care, allowing the fiercely independent Ginny to be as self sufficient as possible.
The complicated sister dynamic is the root of this story, but this book is also a unique blend of humor and heartbreak. Although it’s told solely from Maggie’s perspective, both Ginny, and even to a certain extent, Betsy’s wants and needs shine through. Walking the fine line, writer Jeannie Zusy painfully outlines what it’s like to be the care taker for a mentally challenged sibling, all while managing to inject some much needed laughs to diffuse the situation. After all, they don’t say you laugh so you don’t cry for nothing!
In some ways this book reminded me of the movie Rainman in its descriptive depiction of the difficult power struggle that can occur when one sibling is aware they have to me the taker and never the giver. The ironic title is not lost on this reader, how its poignant message is what will really stick with me.
marshaskrypuch's review
3.0
Heartwarming and cheerful. A good antidote to reading the news.
Thank you to netgalley for the e-review copy of this book.
Thank you to netgalley for the e-review copy of this book.
meldav4's review
4.0
The summary of this book says it all and I found it to be spot on accurate. It truly was funny yet moving, and I love the focus on family dynamics and relationships. I adore Ginny. I love how she is straightforward and frank, and combined with her quirky likes and addictions, she is just so compelling to read about. She made me chuckle and I got such a kick out of her. The novel was not all humor, the frustrations that Maggie experienced was also a key focus, and it was easy to feel her emotions while reading about her new demands on top of everything else she had going on. I can see how being a caretaker for Ginny was frustrating at times, but the true bond between the sisters was evident, especially as the book progressed. I really enjoyed reading this one. It had a little bit of everything in it and was a very easy and quick read for me.
danapr's review against another edition
4.0
Maggie is recently separated from her husband, her sons are almost adults and she is looking for romance while maintaining her career when she becomes a caretaker for her special needs older sister, Ginny. In spite of opposition from the oldest sister, Betsy who is a surfer leading a glamorous but not so grown up life in California, Maggie moves Ginny near her and hires caregivers who hopelessly try and keep Ginny healthy. In spite of all the trials the sisters face, they manage to find some fun and humor in their relationships.
I enjoyed this book and felt like the author did an excellent job of describing what it’s like to care for a special needs family member, complete with all the ups and downs. As a reader, I felt Maggie’s emotions and was frustrated by her inability to set limits with Ginny and try to involve Betsy more but I think Maggie’s were very realistic and her frustrations portrayed very well to readers. It takes a talented author to put the reader in the protagonist’s place and this book really accomplished that. And the humorous anecdotes were well done and added welcome relief to what is a serious storyline. I would have liked more character development around Betsy but overall, really enjoyed the book and recommend reading it.
I enjoyed this book and felt like the author did an excellent job of describing what it’s like to care for a special needs family member, complete with all the ups and downs. As a reader, I felt Maggie’s emotions and was frustrated by her inability to set limits with Ginny and try to involve Betsy more but I think Maggie’s were very realistic and her frustrations portrayed very well to readers. It takes a talented author to put the reader in the protagonist’s place and this book really accomplished that. And the humorous anecdotes were well done and added welcome relief to what is a serious storyline. I would have liked more character development around Betsy but overall, really enjoyed the book and recommend reading it.
bookishlifeofabbyh's review
Deciding to DNF this one. Maybe I will revisit, but it isn't keeping me hooked and I don't like the way that some characters interact with others. I also don't love the R word being in the book (I know that it was a scene set in the past and that was "acceptable" to say in those times, I just think that there could've been another way to describe Ginny, idk maybe that's just me.) I didn't really like any of the characters.
I do think that the author portrayed taking care of someone with different needs and how challenging that can be for someone who isn't licensed (a.k.a a family member) and the tough decisions that one must make, especially when other family members don't agree.
I guess I need someone to really hype this book up for me to finish? I just can't get into it (stopping at 51%)
I do think that the author portrayed taking care of someone with different needs and how challenging that can be for someone who isn't licensed (a.k.a a family member) and the tough decisions that one must make, especially when other family members don't agree.
I guess I need someone to really hype this book up for me to finish? I just can't get into it (stopping at 51%)
mindfullibrarian's review
5.0
(free review copy) I absolutely LOVED this quirky story! It’s refreshingly original, hilarious, heartfelt and just so damn real. It’s for anyone who has parented teens or young adults, for anyone who has been a caretaker of an adult, for sisters, and for anyone who has experienced the roller coaster that is a long marriage. Readers in middle age and older will probably appreciate this most but I highly recommend that everyone give it a try with an open mind because there just aren’t enough stories about adults with intellectual disabilities and the families who love them ❤️
princessfabulous's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jaded618's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this family focused novel. I connected with Maggie and felt that her POV would be similar to how I might have handled similar situations.
I loves the ending and the clear way the characters were able to grow.
I loves the ending and the clear way the characters were able to grow.