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margaretmechinus's review against another edition
4.0
I am a fan of Elizabeth Berg's writing and identify with most of her characters. Some of her books I have bought to keep on my shelf to reread or share with others. This isn't one I will be reading again, but I thought it was an honest portrayal of the subject matter- three siblings, each with different memories of their childhood in the same home. Some reviewers found that unrealistic, but it made perfect sense to me.
easy2find's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
amanda_rousu's review against another edition
2.0
I usually love Elizabeth Berg, but this wasn't my favorite. Too overwrought for my taste
sarayo2001's review against another edition
5.0
Thoughtful read
This book gave me a lot to think about. Families are complicated. And I say that as someone who had a mom similar to the mom in this book and a sister similar to Caroline.
This book gave me a lot to think about. Families are complicated. And I say that as someone who had a mom similar to the mom in this book and a sister similar to Caroline.
hoserlauren's review against another edition
3.0
Each year, Laura's family gathers at her parent's place to go to the town fair. It's been a family tradition forever and one that can't be missed. Before she heads there with her husband and two teens, she gets a call from her sister saying that she has something very important to discuss with Laura and their brother. The conversation doesn't get very far before their father has a stroke and heads to the hospital. Laura's sister Caroline can't wait. She has been seeing a therapist and the therapist has recommended she talks to her sibling about what happened in their childhood. Caroline states how her mother never gave her any love and treated her completely different from the other children. When Caroline was supposedly in summer camp, she was actually at a hospital recovering from her mother attacking her with a knife. Laura has a hard time reconciling this with the childhood she remembers.
I got sucked in to this book very quickly. None of the characters are perfect and I was questioning truth along with Laura as she was hearing Caroline's story. There's also guilt of not believing a victim's story. Oddly enough, most of the male characters in this book were pretty much absent from the story because they couldn't handle the discussion, which I found a bit odd. I was a bit disappointed at the ending but still not a bad read.
I got sucked in to this book very quickly. None of the characters are perfect and I was questioning truth along with Laura as she was hearing Caroline's story. There's also guilt of not believing a victim's story. Oddly enough, most of the male characters in this book were pretty much absent from the story because they couldn't handle the discussion, which I found a bit odd. I was a bit disappointed at the ending but still not a bad read.
woomom's review against another edition
3.0
3.5. An interesting look into the life of a family with issues. As the story develops you come to learn the cause of those issues and how the adult children are now trying to deal with them. The characters seemed real, although not real likable. A couple f-bombs and references to sex, but otherwise clean.
88ashleymae88's review against another edition
4.0
Beautiful, heartfelt easy read
This was a gem of a little story. A touching story of family, and all that that entails. You follow the main character through a time period of, maybe two weeks? Two of the hardest, emotionally exhausting and yet liberating weeks of a persons life. You get to know her really well.
I felt like the author could have spent more time giving depth to Caroline, the sister and their brother. (His name is escaping me at the moment). Given the story line I feel like more from Caroline was nessecery
I do wish that there weren't so many unanswered questions. Through out the book you see some of the main characters flash backs and memories and some provided more questions than answers.
The ending kind of stunned me however. I can see why Caroline resolved that way, buy then the book just ends. I feel like given the amount of hurt and heartache I would have liked to hear more from the mothers perspective at the end, at the very least.
During the plot line, the patriarch of the family dies. I don't get why this was added in the story. In the grand scheme of the story its a useless bit of information, other than it created a issue with trying to confirm accusations. The death, which anyone who has lost a parent knows is a major ordeal, isn't the catalyst to the real issue at hand in the plot line. It just felt unnecessary.
Despite that, I did enjoy the book, it was a quick one afternoon read. Nothing too intense or uncomfortable but nothing really with resolution other than confirmation.
This was a gem of a little story. A touching story of family, and all that that entails. You follow the main character through a time period of, maybe two weeks? Two of the hardest, emotionally exhausting and yet liberating weeks of a persons life. You get to know her really well.
I felt like the author could have spent more time giving depth to Caroline, the sister and their brother. (His name is escaping me at the moment). Given the story line I feel like more from Caroline was nessecery
I do wish that there weren't so many unanswered questions. Through out the book you see some of the main characters flash backs and memories and some provided more questions than answers.
The ending kind of stunned me however. I can see why Caroline resolved that way, buy then the book just ends. I feel like given the amount of hurt and heartache I would have liked to hear more from the mothers perspective at the end, at the very least.
During the plot line, the patriarch of the family dies. I don't get why this was added in the story. In the grand scheme of the story its a useless bit of information, other than it created a issue with trying to confirm accusations. The death, which anyone who has lost a parent knows is a major ordeal, isn't the catalyst to the real issue at hand in the plot line. It just felt unnecessary.
Despite that, I did enjoy the book, it was a quick one afternoon read. Nothing too intense or uncomfortable but nothing really with resolution other than confirmation.
novelesque_life's review against another edition
4.0
4 STARS
This novel looks at how far families will go to keep secrets to protect what they have built. What happens when you never heal? And when it all comes out how do you mend it all together?
Another one of my Berg favourites. Great writing with realistic characters with realistically heartbreaking stories.
This novel looks at how far families will go to keep secrets to protect what they have built. What happens when you never heal? And when it all comes out how do you mend it all together?
Another one of my Berg favourites. Great writing with realistic characters with realistically heartbreaking stories.
betsfio's review against another edition
3.0
I adore many of the author’s other books but I didn’t care for this at all. The main character is so unkind and so self-absorbed. It was an interesting read but it’s not a book that I would recommend.