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readhikerepeat's review against another edition
4.0
From The Book Wheel:
Before I jump into this review of The Why of Things by Elizabeth Hartley Winthrop, I want to point out that while it’s a great story, it’s not a good galley to request. I say this because the NetGalley copy is a PDF file that such tiny print that it was really hard to read and I almost put it down in the first few chapters because I was tired of squinting. I may have to start paying more attention to the file types that I am requesting in the future!
Despite my husband’s observations that I should put on my glasses and me pointing out that wasn’t the problem, I put on my patience pants and kept on reading. Now that my eyesight is going back to normal, I can happily report that this is a great book. Set in Cape Ann, MA, the story opens with a tragedy that takes place on their summer property, reopening wounds that haven’t yet healed from the oldest daughter’s fairly recent suicide. As is common in real life, each family member is dealing with the tragedies in their own way and together, they feel isolated. The bulk of the story focuses on Eve, who is a precocious and curious 17 year old trying to avoid “dead sister pity” while on a mission to find answers to the tragedy in Jacobs’ backyard. Although their reactions are different, the common thread between all of the characters is their journey to learn the why of things.
I liked this book because I am originally from Massachusetts, so I could identify with the over-abundance of CVS stores and I’ve spent summer days at Canobie Lake Park. Oh, and I know how to pronounce Gloucester!
For the full review, click here.
Before I jump into this review of The Why of Things by Elizabeth Hartley Winthrop, I want to point out that while it’s a great story, it’s not a good galley to request. I say this because the NetGalley copy is a PDF file that such tiny print that it was really hard to read and I almost put it down in the first few chapters because I was tired of squinting. I may have to start paying more attention to the file types that I am requesting in the future!
Despite my husband’s observations that I should put on my glasses and me pointing out that wasn’t the problem, I put on my patience pants and kept on reading. Now that my eyesight is going back to normal, I can happily report that this is a great book. Set in Cape Ann, MA, the story opens with a tragedy that takes place on their summer property, reopening wounds that haven’t yet healed from the oldest daughter’s fairly recent suicide. As is common in real life, each family member is dealing with the tragedies in their own way and together, they feel isolated. The bulk of the story focuses on Eve, who is a precocious and curious 17 year old trying to avoid “dead sister pity” while on a mission to find answers to the tragedy in Jacobs’ backyard. Although their reactions are different, the common thread between all of the characters is their journey to learn the why of things.
I liked this book because I am originally from Massachusetts, so I could identify with the over-abundance of CVS stores and I’ve spent summer days at Canobie Lake Park. Oh, and I know how to pronounce Gloucester!
For the full review, click here.
_oliviaslibrary_'s review against another edition
had to constantly re-read sentences to make sense of them. Also was a comment about a "very large woman" that was unnecessary.
jaclynday's review against another edition
4.0
This book is a quiet gut punch I wasn’t expecting. It’s a novel about a family—father, mother, two daughters—going back to their summer house in Massachusetts to try and put their lives back to normal. Their oldest daughter died tragically about a year prior and the family is still uncertain about how to move forward and interact with one another. The book follows each family member in different ways, but it mostly shows each of them reacting to the death of a man in the quarry behind their summer house just after they arrive for the summer. After spotting tire tracks leading into the quarry, they call the authorities and a truck—and the dead driver, James Favazza—are pulled from the water. Each family member uses this event as a catalyst for examining their own feelings about their personal family tragedy. There are a few moments that were really raw and beautiful—the writing is fantastic. One part made me cry. If you read it, we’ll compare notes.
ljpatton's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book! We look into the way the Jacobs family handles the suicide of their oldest daughter and how their summer unfolds with mystery. The parallels between the two stories help the family grow and accept what they are now forced to face.
ajlenertz's review against another edition
2.0
I think I like to read because in books, I usually get a 'why'. In real life, not so much. This book doesn't give me a why. It's a nice slice of life story, but I want more.
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