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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
sad
My review feels unfair. I went from a fantasy genre where I was obsessed, to this. It was like a screeching stop and I found myself just getting through it and not fully enjoying it. Again, I did this to myself.
Julia was very hard to like in the beginning. But giving it time my empathy grew a smidge as well.
Julia was very hard to like in the beginning. But giving it time my empathy grew a smidge as well.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
SAME AS IT EVER WAS is either the most or least depressing title possible, depending on your reading of this book by Claire Lombardo, whose novel follows Julia and her family. The title raises the central questions: Do people really change? Is loving life a matter of deciding to appreciate what you have? Is loving and being loved enough? What do people need in order to live a fulfilling life? These evergreen questions felt somehow simultaneously well-trod and fresh in this story.
The book begins and ends with Julia’s life in the present, when her two children are about to graduate high school and are finishing college, but spends a lot of time in Julia’s life when she was new to being a mother and some time with Julia as a child. The parts about new motherhood were both the most affecting and realistic, though that could be more about me than about the writing. One thing I appreciated throughout was that there was drama and some action in this book, but it all felt true to life in that life goes on. Big choices were made and relationships stretched or evolved or paused, but the world kept turning. I think this book also did a nice job of showing a range of parent-child relationships without necessarily labeling some as good or bad (though there was a bit of that from the characters), but moreso exploring what characters wanted and could and could not get from the people around them.
This isn’t a very happy book overall- one of the happiest moments near the end even had me sobbing- but I would recommend it.
SAME AS IT EVER WAS is either the most or least depressing title possible, depending on your reading of this book by Claire Lombardo, whose novel follows Julia and her family. The title raises the central questions: Do people really change? Is loving life a matter of deciding to appreciate what you have? Is loving and being loved enough? What do people need in order to live a fulfilling life? These evergreen questions felt somehow simultaneously well-trod and fresh in this story.
The book begins and ends with Julia’s life in the present, when her two children are about to graduate high school and are finishing college, but spends a lot of time in Julia’s life when she was new to being a mother and some time with Julia as a child. The parts about new motherhood were both the most affecting and realistic, though that could be more about me than about the writing. One thing I appreciated throughout was that there was drama and some action in this book, but it all felt true to life in that life goes on. Big choices were made and relationships stretched or evolved or paused, but the world kept turning. I think this book also did a nice job of showing a range of parent-child relationships without necessarily labeling some as good or bad (though there was a bit of that from the characters), but moreso exploring what characters wanted and could and could not get from the people around them.
This isn’t a very happy book overall- one of the happiest moments near the end even had me sobbing- but I would recommend it.
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
I love a good slow burn.
I love character driven novels.
I can enjoy a book that doesn't rely on heavy plotlines.
But I can not read another book about the overdramatization of daily minutiae.
And what the hell is a "balletic wombat"??
Thin characters, slooooooowwww pacing, unlikeable MC, thesaurus heavy descriptions.....
DNF at 25%
I love character driven novels.
I can enjoy a book that doesn't rely on heavy plotlines.
But I can not read another book about the overdramatization of daily minutiae.
And what the hell is a "balletic wombat"??
Thin characters, slooooooowwww pacing, unlikeable MC, thesaurus heavy descriptions.....
DNF at 25%
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wasn't sure for the 1st bit, but this book really grew on me. Definitely worth reading.
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes