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dizzybell06's review against another edition
2.0
I'm not really sure how I feel about this book. The main character was very self-centered and annoying. The story became more interesting in part 3 and 4, but all in all the book was just okay.
maryehavens's review against another edition
5.0
My first Jennifer Weiner and if every book is as well written as this one, I've just found a new favorite author!!!
I have a soft spot for addiction memoirs and this fiction work was like an addiction memoir a bit. Same kind of arc but you got more of the "in the moment feel" versus the "looking back, piecing together" aspect like a memoir.
I talked to my husband about the main character: Allison. I don't live in a world of Jimmy Choo shoes, McMansions, and name dropping brands or that social hierarchy that people use to measure themselves with the amount of money they spend on athletic wear. It's hard for me to relate to that. I wondered what would have happened if Weiner had set this book in the middle class or in a lower socioeconomic level. But then, it goes from being a "Allison can't get her life together" book to a sad book and social commentary. It can still be used as social commentary but it's less tragic in a way if the main character can buy her way out of her addiction??? If rehab was $1,000/day without the extras, Allison was expected to be spend at least $28,000 for treatment. That thought alone was quite sobering and not something that most people can afford.
It would be easy to hate on Allison but I actually liked her, especially as she started stripping off her mask layers and dug down deep. I HATED her daughter at the beginning but actually grew to like Ellie towards the end. Some of the things that I thought were a little over the top at the beginning really wrapped up well in the end, which is probably why I loved this book.
I hope this work of fiction is a wake up call to readers. If nothing else, to know that you don't have to do everything yourself.
I have a soft spot for addiction memoirs and this fiction work was like an addiction memoir a bit. Same kind of arc but you got more of the "in the moment feel" versus the "looking back, piecing together" aspect like a memoir.
I talked to my husband about the main character: Allison. I don't live in a world of Jimmy Choo shoes, McMansions, and name dropping brands or that social hierarchy that people use to measure themselves with the amount of money they spend on athletic wear. It's hard for me to relate to that. I wondered what would have happened if Weiner had set this book in the middle class or in a lower socioeconomic level. But then, it goes from being a "Allison can't get her life together" book to a sad book and social commentary. It can still be used as social commentary but it's less tragic in a way if the main character can buy her way out of her addiction??? If rehab was $1,000/day without the extras, Allison was expected to be spend at least $28,000 for treatment. That thought alone was quite sobering and not something that most people can afford.
It would be easy to hate on Allison but I actually liked her, especially as she started stripping off her mask layers and dug down deep. I HATED her daughter at the beginning but actually grew to like Ellie towards the end. Some of the things that I thought were a little over the top at the beginning really wrapped up well in the end, which is probably why I loved this book.
I hope this work of fiction is a wake up call to readers. If nothing else, to know that you don't have to do everything yourself.
allibruns's review against another edition
1.0
For the first 50 pages of this I wanted to DNF, after that I got into the story and then for the last 150 pages I wanted to throw this book against the wall. This book had potential, espically when delving into modern motherhood and how ex career women deal with the guilt of feeling unhappy when they get what they had always wanted. I wished thar Weiner had spent more time examing how women can feel isolated, empty, lonely, and lost in the monotony of motherhood while attempting to protray a perfect image. I understand that Weiner was trying to show how addiction can happen to the upper middle class but to me it came off very "white privileged \first world problems". I was left not feeling any connection to Allison or her addiction.
stephheartsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
This is the first book that I've read about addiction. It gave me a glimpse of what addicts go through. Great characters and storyline.
melissadelongcox's review against another edition
5.0
this book is absolutely one that I will be purchasing for my bookshelf and reading again and again. I loved everything about this book; from the emotional part to the way the story wound through Allison's life. What really got me was how easy it was to see the way her mind was working as you follow the story; it wasn't that difficult to see the logic behind her choices. Very interesting, indeed. I sat down with this one morning and didn't move until I finished. Highly, highly recommend.
marisa39's review against another edition
3.0
Not sure if it was because I could not relate or if I was just not interested in the subject matter but I never could seem to get too into this one. I usually love a quick and easy 'chick lit' beach read but this one did not do it for me. Never got too attached to the main character, I would have liked the relationships in her life to have been explored in more detail.
fwlichstein's review against another edition
1.0
Chick lit, much like YA isn't my thing but seriously why would anyone care about a mommyblogger that can't handle blogging 5 days a week (oh the horror)? Both the main character and her child are beyond annoying, and I don't understand the plot device of making motherhood seem like the most miserable life choice ever. Clearly, I'm not the target demographic but everything about this book annoyed me.
lexiegodown's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Drug abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, and Sexual assault
mesy_mark's review against another edition
3.0
Damn one thing that keeps me from rating this higher is that damn annoyance of the child. Ellie is just, well acting like a spoiled two-year-old! And that's my first thought about this book. All that child does is going into SPEAKING MODE like this and THEN ALL over AGAIN. Its just so annoying I can see why someone would want to sleep away their days away to avoid the kid. The eternal screaming at these pages I did do cause of this character.
For writing style and ability, I will give where credit is due. Ditto on the idea of the book. But there were just some issues (besides a brat of a child) One of which is the Allison's own mothers addiction to alcohol that after a car accident let her stop driving because Allison was in the car with her at a tender age of 4 but Allision has no memory of it It goes nowhere and adds nothing to the story. And then there is the mysterious L character that gets a brief mention of Dave's what? Is she an affair? Or what? Nothing is made out of it. Another thing that seems to be tropes of residence/inpatient hospital stay stories is that the main character is bound to escape or leave before the hospital wants to discharge them. I've read at least three books last year alone that deal with that aspect of a character fleeing and that's when the big change in the character occurs. Is this just to move the plot along in a faster pathway than a typical recovery? I didn't know. All I know it happens.
Overall, I love the idea. I love the writing but had problems with certain (brat of a child) characters and some points of the book that goes nowhere
For writing style and ability, I will give where credit is due. Ditto on the idea of the book. But there were just some issues (besides a brat of a child) One of which is the Allison's own mothers addiction to alcohol that after a car accident let her stop driving because Allison was in the car with her at a tender age of 4 but Allision has no memory of it It goes nowhere and adds nothing to the story. And then there is the mysterious L character that gets a brief mention of Dave's what? Is she an affair? Or what? Nothing is made out of it. Another thing that seems to be tropes of residence/inpatient hospital stay stories is that the main character is bound to escape or leave before the hospital wants to discharge them. I've read at least three books last year alone that deal with that aspect of a character fleeing and that's when the big change in the character occurs. Is this just to move the plot along in a faster pathway than a typical recovery? I didn't know. All I know it happens.
Overall, I love the idea. I love the writing but had problems with certain (brat of a child) characters and some points of the book that goes nowhere