Reviews

Als ich erwachte by Cynthia Swanson

soliteyah's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Held my interest, but I didn't really love the resolution, and the writing was occasionally a little clunky.

stephaniesteen73's review against another edition

5.0

Great book, well-developed characters and a story that keeps you thinking long after the last page. Who hasn't wondered what life would be like if things had gone down a different path? Highly recommend!!

ordinarypickle's review against another edition

hopeful mysterious 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

4.5

smfrazer's review against another edition

3.0

If you liked The Family Man plot, or would enjoy a fun 1960s Denver setting, then I'd recommend it. Otherwise, it's not the best.

tashaseegmiller's review against another edition

5.0

This book explores what happens when real dreams, dreams that are so incredibly tangible, start becoming commonplace in a person's life. Kitty (Katharyn) starts to dream of a life totally different from the one she is living, but with nods to reality. As she drifts between the real world and her dream world, insights and questions grow.

This is a difficult concept to do well, but Swanson pulls it off masterfully. I did not want to stop reading this book because both the dream world and the real world had me completely engaged. The writing and characterization is great, the working of the mystery surrounding this trickled in with precision. I quite simply adored this book.

pam2375's review against another edition

5.0

This was such a surprise and such a gem! The story and Kitty’s life is nothing as it appears. This was a fantastic book.

mrs_bonaventure's review against another edition

3.0

Satisfying time-travel-alternative-life novel that is more It’s A Wonderful Life than Sliding Doors (as the cover blurb promises). Read it in 24 hrs, great holiday time read. Very much enjoyed the Mad Men-esque design details of the early 60s era too. Feminist sub text dealt with quite subtly, there’s a lot going on under the surface here.

teresaalice's review against another edition

3.0

3. 25 stars. Why the odd rating? Because, at first, the premise of this novel really sucked me in. Kitty is a single woman in the 60's who owns a bookstore with her best friend, but spends her nights dreaming about her other life, a life in which she's married with three children. As each chapter begins anew, you start to wonder which life is really real.

tawnieblue's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

lsparrow's review against another edition

4.0

I feel that this is a story we often go on in our lives, what life is ours? how did we get here? what points changed everything drastically just by a small difference - by staying on the phone for 2 minutes longer? what is expected of us? what do we expect from ourselves?
I always like books that bring me questions.