Reviews

Life is too short to read a book that starts with a couple talking about how much they want a baby, goes back in time to when they get pregnant and have a baby, just so that the baby can die tragically at the age of like 2, and then return to present day. I’m sorry that’s a no from me. Even though it’s set in Minnesota.

chasejon's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.5

I love the depictions of the Midwest in this book. Stradal is unflinchingly fair, showing us how welcoming and kind but also how stagnant and stubborn these places and people can be. I liked a lot of this book, but the ending did not land for me and was quite frustrating at points. I also didn't feel as connected to these characters as I would have wanted, and I think there was just a bit too much going on (and too much jumping between timelines) for it to really come together. That said, I liked the book on the whole but would recommend his others more highly.

katiemack's review

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emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

I didn't love all the gut-punches, but I greatly appreciate the intimate view of family and small-town Midwestern life J. Ryan Stradal has created.

Content Warnings

mannnishboy's review against another edition

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Just stumbled along and was not very interesting. It moves around a lot between characters and since I kept putting it down for long periods of times (days not weeks) it made it hard to remember who was who.

szdalessa's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective 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

katieinca's review against another edition

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3.0

I read this because a) Roxane Gay's review called it "perfect" and b) I was headed to northern Minnesota on vacation. It was fine. I didn't find the switching between characters and timelines confusing - I thought that aspect worked really well, especially for Florence. I would love to have a supper club to go to. I think the reason it left me lukewarm is that the author had this cast of characters and the events in their lives and he chose to show us that world through the characters I found less interesting. I would read the heck out of Floyd's story, or Carla's. Or even more of Florence in different years. But I just didn't find Ned that compelling. His and Mariel's story is sad (I almost put the book down once I figured out what the "devastating tragedy" was going to be), and the way they deal with it is realistic, but living through that with them was just... fine.

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