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mhall's review
3.0
Mia's mother enters the hospital complaining of a stomachache and dies eleven days later after being diagnosed with cancer. Set in 1991, this book is sad and realistic in its portrayal of how Mia and her father cope with her mother's death. Well-written with a bit of a 'literary fiction' feeling to it, misrepresented by the cover art. An afterword by the author reveals how the book was based on her own life story.
kebojo's review
3.0
I really loved this funny, poignant reflection on grief. But I fully admit it's mostly because it reminded me of how I felt when I first met my husband and made me fall for him all over again.
wordnerdy's review against another edition
4.0
This semi-autobiographical novel (Rabb's first after her Missing Persons series) focuses on a teenage girl whose mother suddenly dies of cancer. As she and her family struggle to cope with their loss, along with her father's failing health, she deals with the typical teenage dramas involving friends and boys. I really enjoyed this, and actually wish there had been more of it; it could easily have been a grown-up coming-of-age novel instead of a YA one. Still, it was a nicely bittersweet read. A-.
rovertoak's review against another edition
4.0
This is very much a novel centering on how one copes with the loss of a parent or a loved one. It speaks very much to the idea of resiliency - the spongy defense mechanism that bounces us back from the edge of despair in the face of some heavy, life changing episode. What it doesn’t do is overwhelm the reader with a message, or through the use of literary devices map out a path to inner peace. Mia’s voice and the other characters are genuine, and readers will hopefully trust their narrator.
geminipenguin's review against another edition
3.0
The first time I tried to read this book I lost interest not too far into it. Then recently I picked it back up and finished it. It has funny parts and some insightful stuff go on, but other parts drag and just aren't that interesting.
imbookingit's review against another edition
4.0
I found this book to be very well written and touching.
When Mia is 15, her mother is diagnosed with melanoma, then dies 12 days later. Mia had been very close to her mother. They understood each other, in the same way Mia's sister Alex and their father understand each other. Just as the family is figuring out their new roles, Mia's father has a heart attack, followed by Alex leaving for college.
The book is about Mia, her growing up and her healing. Along the way, we see some of her father's story and her sister's story as well. Each of them is an interesting character, but only Mia is truly compelling. Mia meets some very intriguing people along the way, usually through her father's hospital stays. We see all the other characters through Mia's teenage eyes, and it is quite a sight.
The author does a wonderful job of showing us Mia's grief without wallowing in it. We see her explosion at school, and her sorting through her memories of her mother. We see her translate her concern for her health as well as her father's into an obsession with healthy eating, and a panic over her own mole. We also see a number of normal teenage moments in a not-so-normal situation. We see Mia's search for a new best friend, and her quest for a boyfriend, which swings between funny, touching, and (at one point) terrifying.
This was a book club read for me, and not one I'd have picked up on my own (I hadn't even heard of it). Everyone in the book club enjoyed it. We didn't have a very in-depth discussion. We each pointed out parts that we'd enjoyed, had discussions about some of the characters, and talked about the link between the book and the author's life. The discussion then drifted to other subjects.
I think we could have had more of a discussion, and we might have on a different month. I'd evaluate this as an OK book club book, with material worth discussing, but you have to work at finding it.
This book was a very quick read, seeming even shorter than its 238 pages. I read it in one sitting, and we all found it moved quickly. The book delivers what it promises, so if the description appeals to you, give the book a try.
When Mia is 15, her mother is diagnosed with melanoma, then dies 12 days later. Mia had been very close to her mother. They understood each other, in the same way Mia's sister Alex and their father understand each other. Just as the family is figuring out their new roles, Mia's father has a heart attack, followed by Alex leaving for college.
The book is about Mia, her growing up and her healing. Along the way, we see some of her father's story and her sister's story as well. Each of them is an interesting character, but only Mia is truly compelling. Mia meets some very intriguing people along the way, usually through her father's hospital stays. We see all the other characters through Mia's teenage eyes, and it is quite a sight.
The author does a wonderful job of showing us Mia's grief without wallowing in it. We see her explosion at school, and her sorting through her memories of her mother. We see her translate her concern for her health as well as her father's into an obsession with healthy eating, and a panic over her own mole. We also see a number of normal teenage moments in a not-so-normal situation. We see Mia's search for a new best friend, and her quest for a boyfriend, which swings between funny, touching, and (at one point) terrifying.
This was a book club read for me, and not one I'd have picked up on my own (I hadn't even heard of it). Everyone in the book club enjoyed it. We didn't have a very in-depth discussion. We each pointed out parts that we'd enjoyed, had discussions about some of the characters, and talked about the link between the book and the author's life. The discussion then drifted to other subjects.
I think we could have had more of a discussion, and we might have on a different month. I'd evaluate this as an OK book club book, with material worth discussing, but you have to work at finding it.
This book was a very quick read, seeming even shorter than its 238 pages. I read it in one sitting, and we all found it moved quickly. The book delivers what it promises, so if the description appeals to you, give the book a try.
frustratedangel's review against another edition
3.0
15 year old Mia Pearlman had to deal with the sudden death of her mother from cancer. We see her struggling between grieving and moving on, staying upright and strong for her father, acting cool and collected among her peers, being a sweet teenage girl with boys, surviving school and just going through life chin up despite the looming uncertainties. Very transparent, at times funny and ultimately sincere. Liked it, didn't love it as I found where the plot took off at some points were bothersome and probably unnecessary.
elisquared's review
4.0
Cures for Heartbreak follows the story of 15-year-old Mia Perlman as she deals with the repercussions from her mother’s death. Reeling from the sudden loss, Mia, her older sister Alex, and their father try to gather the pieces of their lives. Mia is stuck in place, trying to figure out who her mother was and what kind of life her parents shared together. From the ups and downs of puberty, to the constant meetings with death, Mia must pull her tattered life together in order to survive.
This book focuses on the serious issues of a parent’s death and how that affects the entire scope of a child’s life. Based on Rabb’s own life, the book delves into the tangled emotional journey that takes place. The writing is raw, not holding anything back, allowing the reader to directly experience the journey with Mia.
This book focuses on the serious issues of a parent’s death and how that affects the entire scope of a child’s life. Based on Rabb’s own life, the book delves into the tangled emotional journey that takes place. The writing is raw, not holding anything back, allowing the reader to directly experience the journey with Mia.