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shawnacrompton's review against another edition
4.0
At first I was worried it was going to be boring and overly emotional. But it redeemed itself and I became quite interested in some characters. Especially the grandfather and his new protege. Also very nicely written. Good lil read!
eerupps's review against another edition
4.0
A very moving book about a tragic event and how the family members of those lost are able to cope in the three years after the accident. I cried at the end because the author does a great job of getting the reader emotionally invested in the characters. I thought the ending was too abrupt and wide open, so I didn't give it 5 stars.
xylem's review against another edition
3.0
Slow and poignant, Red Hook Road examines the lives of the Tetherly and Copaken families after the joint death of their two children - Becca and John, moments after their wedding. The remaining siblings, Matt and Ruthie, from the Tetherly and Copaken family respectively, are left grieving and take comfort in one another. At the same time, the parents of each families and the remaining relatives must find a way to cope with their grief, and fill the void of their deceased children. With a new adopted child, new relationships, and a new perspective on life, the characters of Red Hook Road strive to find solace in the world and preserve the memory of their beloved.
Red Hook Road, takes it slow - it takes patience to dissect this book, and enjoy it. The beginning is heavy and grief-stricken, as expected from the tragedy stemming early. It is exhaustingly painful to read the starting, and to immerse yourself in the atmosphere. The immediate beginning may be a turnoff to many, including myself which is way it took me so long to finish this novel. But if you are a patient reader, and stick it out with this novel, there are moments of brilliance in its pages.
The biggest problem I see with this novel, is definitely the aforementioned pace of it. It's a bit too charmingly slow for my tastes, and I'm not all that patient. The characters, are very human, yet unlikeable. Iris, Becca's mother, is a vicarious mother, pushing on her ideas to her remaining child Ruthie. Yet, Jane, John's mother is no different. She levels her household with a strict hand, outwardly mocking and criticizing Matt's decisions. Interaction among the two mother's is particularly tense, as they are so different, and so fiery at their losses. Living vicariously through their children, both seem to lose their grip on reality and seek another solace from their memories.
But, in another view, Red Hook Road is such a beautiful creator of triumph over hardship, happiness over grief. With Samantha, the adopted Cambodian girl's arrival, the book instantly brightens, offering readers hope for the first time. Matt and Ruthie's reliance on one another, is another testament of hope in the face of tragedy. The trend of moving on and accepting losses is slow, but present nonetheless in Red Hook Road. It crafts a heartbreaking look at two hurt families, yet it leads us to a realization and respect of what we have left, and how the human heart is stronger together than alone.
Red Hook Road is tiresome at points, yet shines beautifully at its height. Melancholy and poignant, Red Hook Road delivers on its promised ideals of surviving against tragedies with bonding and solace, yet it requires an open and passionate, if not patient, mind. At the same time, it is a novel that requires full attention and love, it is so brilliant in the ending, so wonderful that it makes the ride there worth it.
Red Hook Road, takes it slow - it takes patience to dissect this book, and enjoy it. The beginning is heavy and grief-stricken, as expected from the tragedy stemming early. It is exhaustingly painful to read the starting, and to immerse yourself in the atmosphere. The immediate beginning may be a turnoff to many, including myself which is way it took me so long to finish this novel. But if you are a patient reader, and stick it out with this novel, there are moments of brilliance in its pages.
The biggest problem I see with this novel, is definitely the aforementioned pace of it. It's a bit too charmingly slow for my tastes, and I'm not all that patient. The characters, are very human, yet unlikeable. Iris, Becca's mother, is a vicarious mother, pushing on her ideas to her remaining child Ruthie. Yet, Jane, John's mother is no different. She levels her household with a strict hand, outwardly mocking and criticizing Matt's decisions. Interaction among the two mother's is particularly tense, as they are so different, and so fiery at their losses. Living vicariously through their children, both seem to lose their grip on reality and seek another solace from their memories.
But, in another view, Red Hook Road is such a beautiful creator of triumph over hardship, happiness over grief. With Samantha, the adopted Cambodian girl's arrival, the book instantly brightens, offering readers hope for the first time. Matt and Ruthie's reliance on one another, is another testament of hope in the face of tragedy. The trend of moving on and accepting losses is slow, but present nonetheless in Red Hook Road. It crafts a heartbreaking look at two hurt families, yet it leads us to a realization and respect of what we have left, and how the human heart is stronger together than alone.
Red Hook Road is tiresome at points, yet shines beautifully at its height. Melancholy and poignant, Red Hook Road delivers on its promised ideals of surviving against tragedies with bonding and solace, yet it requires an open and passionate, if not patient, mind. At the same time, it is a novel that requires full attention and love, it is so brilliant in the ending, so wonderful that it makes the ride there worth it.
spiderfelt's review against another edition
3.0
This book was depressing from the first chapter, though the last chapter redeemed the story in many ways. While not offering a happy ending, the characters expressed insights which made the point of the book explicit. The character's ability to express the ideas Ms. Waldman was trying to convey is not something I generally look for, but in this case I was looking for something.
mcipher's review against another edition
4.0
A book you go into knowing it will be tragic and sad - but it was also beautiful and full of quiet moments, little slices of life written in a lovely clear way. Even the difficult characters had depth that made them redeemable and truly human.
perry417's review against another edition
3.0
I have to say that I'm really surprised this was the first book I've read by Ayelet Waldman, because her writing style is exactly what I enjoy reading (what? another family tragedy? another untimely death? why yes, of course, sign me up!). The number of books I read about grief is perhaps odd, don't you think? Still, I appreciated reading the inner workings of the many characters and how they dealt with the ramifications of the deaths of John and Becca over a number of summers. But, to me, the final pages just seemed so over-the-top with making sure the reader understood the Moral of the Story. I found myself skimming the words on the page, thinking "I get it, I get it" -- which was a little disappointing in what was otherwise a great book. I will seek out more by this author.
shelfimprovement's review against another edition
4.0
Apparently I prefer the less-acclaimed wives of critical darling male authors. Nicola Krauss? Waaaaay better than Jonathan Safran Foer. And now? Ayelet Waldman wins out over her pretentious other half Michael Chabon.
This one gets three and a half stars, really. Good but won't leave a lasting impression.
The lives of two families are torn apart when their son and daughter are killed en route from their wedding ceremony to their reception. The book is divided into sections describing the first, second, and third summers following the accident that claimed the lives of Becca and John. Becca's parents are Jewish New York intellectuals who spend their summers in the Maine town her ancestors helped establish. Still, Iris is seen as an outsider by John's mother Jane who lives and works as a cleaning lady in the town year-round. Iris takes Jane's adopted niece under her wing because she needs to feel like she is in control of something, and this serves only to further strain Iris's already delicate marriage. To complicate matters, Becca's sister and John's brother begin to date in secret.
Waldman's prose is manageable and full of emotion, her characters feel lifelike and complex. There's not a lot of new ground covered here, but it's an enjoyable read and I loved the way it was structured - the prologue introduced the major characters and foreshadowed how they'd unravel without feeling forced. The ending was ultimately a little too convenient, and it never does feel like there's any true consequence to anything that happened in the first 90% of the book.
This one gets three and a half stars, really. Good but won't leave a lasting impression.
The lives of two families are torn apart when their son and daughter are killed en route from their wedding ceremony to their reception. The book is divided into sections describing the first, second, and third summers following the accident that claimed the lives of Becca and John. Becca's parents are Jewish New York intellectuals who spend their summers in the Maine town her ancestors helped establish. Still, Iris is seen as an outsider by John's mother Jane who lives and works as a cleaning lady in the town year-round. Iris takes Jane's adopted niece under her wing because she needs to feel like she is in control of something, and this serves only to further strain Iris's already delicate marriage. To complicate matters, Becca's sister and John's brother begin to date in secret.
Waldman's prose is manageable and full of emotion, her characters feel lifelike and complex. There's not a lot of new ground covered here, but it's an enjoyable read and I loved the way it was structured - the prologue introduced the major characters and foreshadowed how they'd unravel without feeling forced. The ending was ultimately a little too convenient, and it never does feel like there's any true consequence to anything that happened in the first 90% of the book.
emiliesommer's review against another edition
2.0
I feel slightly guilty giving this book only 2.5 stars, but it just never grabbed me. It was well-written and the plot is compelling, but it lacked some focus or heart. I think it is because it attempted to focus on six different characters and should have chosen just one or two. Unfortunately the two most prominent characters seemed like caricatures.
cbstewart14's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to love this book. It has been on my to read list for so long. I felt the beginning was written very well with the pain and grief for these families coming through the pages. However, the plot became very predictable and the ending nearly ruined the whole book. She tied up the relationship of Mr. Kimmelbrod and Samantha so well exactly as she should and as I predicted. With the rest of the characters the reader is left to guess how things come together. And the Coda at the end was more disturbing than anything. Very disappointed!
stenaros's review against another edition
4.0
So Bildungsroman is a novel which focuses on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist from youth to adulthood, but what is the term (and it must have a somewhat Germanic sounding name) for a novel that examines the thoughts and motivations of a family, or group of characters, usually after some major event has happened. English majors, help me out here.
This is my favorite kind of novel. I get to drop in on a family, see what's going on, make judgements about their motivations, become attached to them and see how it all works out in approximately 500 pages or so. For a long time, I resisted reading Ayelet Waldmen because she's married to my Amazing 21st Century Novelist/Essayist Boyfriend (Michael Chabon) and I was worried that reading her might mess up my relationship with him, but it turns out we can all happily exist together and I have another good author to catch up with.
This is my favorite kind of novel. I get to drop in on a family, see what's going on, make judgements about their motivations, become attached to them and see how it all works out in approximately 500 pages or so. For a long time, I resisted reading Ayelet Waldmen because she's married to my Amazing 21st Century Novelist/Essayist Boyfriend (Michael Chabon) and I was worried that reading her might mess up my relationship with him, but it turns out we can all happily exist together and I have another good author to catch up with.