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novelvisits's review against another edition
1.0
Original Source: https://novelvisits.com/mini-reviews-holiday-edition/
My Thoughts: I want to start out by apologizing to the writer and the publisher of Seven Days of Us, because I didn’t like anything about this book and I feel terrible about it. Obviously, I should have stopped reading early on, but it was sort of like a natural disaster – horribly fascinating. The premise of a British family being locked together for seven days over Christmas sounded intriguing, and with another family that might have been true, but not with this one.
I don’t even know how to review this one! Here’s a list of what didn’t work for me, and there WILL be spoilers.
Olivia, a doctor and the cause of the quarantine, doesn’t seem to like anything about her family, and yet there is never a case built for why. She’s condescending and unable to communicate.
Phoebe, her sister, has been dating a man for 6 years and hasn’t managed to figure out he’s gay even though I did in a few pages. She’s selfish and afraid of her sister (and I don’t blame her for that)!
Emma, the mom, seems to be nervous around everyone and came across as pathetic.
Andrew, the dad, just a blah guy who resents his life.
No one in the family cares enough about the others to even get angry.
Olivia (and everyone around her) needs to be quarantined, but she just flew across the world on a plane full of people traveling for the holiday?
Oops! Almost forgot, there’s a long lost American half-brother, who just happens to meet both Emma and Phoebe’s gay fiancé before managing to show up on the family’s doorstep. Did I mention he’s gay? (Hmmm….you connect the dots.)
Characters seemed like clichés and lacked dimension.
And, drum roll….the worst of all! Our heroine doctor, can’t figure out that the reason she hasn’t had a period in two months and keeps throwing up in the mornings, might be because she’s pregnant. She never even considers it. Instead, the morning sickness gets so bad that she has to be air-lifted out when everyone confuses her symptoms with the deadly Haag virus. Really!
Again, I’m sorry.
My Thoughts: I want to start out by apologizing to the writer and the publisher of Seven Days of Us, because I didn’t like anything about this book and I feel terrible about it. Obviously, I should have stopped reading early on, but it was sort of like a natural disaster – horribly fascinating. The premise of a British family being locked together for seven days over Christmas sounded intriguing, and with another family that might have been true, but not with this one.
I don’t even know how to review this one! Here’s a list of what didn’t work for me, and there WILL be spoilers.
Olivia, a doctor and the cause of the quarantine, doesn’t seem to like anything about her family, and yet there is never a case built for why. She’s condescending and unable to communicate.
Phoebe, her sister, has been dating a man for 6 years and hasn’t managed to figure out he’s gay even though I did in a few pages. She’s selfish and afraid of her sister (and I don’t blame her for that)!
Emma, the mom, seems to be nervous around everyone and came across as pathetic.
Andrew, the dad, just a blah guy who resents his life.
No one in the family cares enough about the others to even get angry.
Olivia (and everyone around her) needs to be quarantined, but she just flew across the world on a plane full of people traveling for the holiday?
Oops! Almost forgot, there’s a long lost American half-brother, who just happens to meet both Emma and Phoebe’s gay fiancé before managing to show up on the family’s doorstep. Did I mention he’s gay? (Hmmm….you connect the dots.)
Characters seemed like clichés and lacked dimension.
And, drum roll….the worst of all! Our heroine doctor, can’t figure out that the reason she hasn’t had a period in two months and keeps throwing up in the mornings, might be because she’s pregnant. She never even considers it. Instead, the morning sickness gets so bad that she has to be air-lifted out when everyone confuses her symptoms with the deadly Haag virus. Really!
Again, I’m sorry.
betsy22's review against another edition
2.0
This book just fell flat for me. It sounded like a good holiday read: a family is gathered together over the Christmas holiday and, because of a daughter's potential exposure to a deadly virus, they are forced to spend seven days in quarantine. Sounds kind of fun, right? Not so much. Almost every single character was annoying, and I would have liked to have slapped a few of them silly. Everyone was self-centered, there were some "oh, come on" coincidences, and as the book wore on, I just wanted it to end. It wasn't that I didn't get some of the British humor...I got it...but it still wasn't funny. So, only two stars for me on this one. Now, on to something better, I hope!
amandae129's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting look at a family that has issues communicating who are suddenly quarantined together for a week after on of the daughters comes back from a Doctors Without Borders-type experience in Liberia. I liked the various points of view, but the ending made me angry. October 17th, 2017.
Thank you to the publisher and Library Journal for this advanced reader copy.
Thank you to the publisher and Library Journal for this advanced reader copy.
jteddy90's review against another edition
2.0
This isn't a bad book.... But it isn't great either. The writing is easy to follow when bouncing between a handful of characters but I found the story to be a bit predictable.
shirleytupperfreeman's review against another edition
Whacky but tender. Older daughter Olivia has come back from treating an life-threatening epidemic in Liberia and needs to be in quarantine for 7 days over the Christmas holiday. Mom, Emma, is excited to finally have her family together for an extended period of time. Dad, Andrew, and younger daughter, Phoebe, have some qualms about this enforced togetherness. Each family member is secretly facing a crisis. All the crises intertwine in unlikely and whacky ways but the story is still tender and enjoyable to read.
basilkumquat's review against another edition
4.0
A story about a family in quarantine for a week...if only the author knew what the world would be like now.
chanster's review against another edition
3.0
Book started off as a page turner but dragged on towards the end. It doesn’t seem like it was ever going to end with the author throwing in another surprise.
mschrock8's review against another edition
3.0
A complicated family quarantined for seven days because of Haag disease. Seven days. Sounds easy now, doesn't it?
A mention of Nancy Mitford. I recently read a book with lots of research about this author.
"Why was it easier to talk to a cat than her sister?"
I loved that this family dug up and replanted their Christmas tree each year.
"His bladder overcame his need to stay horizontal." Made me laugh.
Jesse uses hotel stationery. Yes, please.
A mention of Nancy Mitford. I recently read a book with lots of research about this author.
"Why was it easier to talk to a cat than her sister?"
I loved that this family dug up and replanted their Christmas tree each year.
"His bladder overcame his need to stay horizontal." Made me laugh.
Jesse uses hotel stationery. Yes, please.
montigneyrules's review against another edition
2.0
#readingchallenge2022 (my book featuring a holiday)
Seven days- so much can happen- did happen- but wasn’t much to read about-
Each chapter advanced through a linear fashion, day by day, told through a varying character perspective.
Overall, each character had their fair share of random filler, not quite developing their character's background or storyline, with seemingly vague plotlines- I wanted more out of the dysfunctional-ness of the family, more heart to hearts and developmental, coming together discussions- but everything stayed pretty basic
I read the book in a day, kept with it because it was a quick read and filled a book club category, but not impressive or entertaining I wouldn’t suggest-
The most interesting aspect was really the fact this was written prior to COVID, so some aspects of the quarantine were entertaining to read about, being the author had no idea this would come to reality- more entertaining when reading goodreads reviews in which people were upset by the unrealistic-ness of the quarantine-
Seven days- so much can happen- did happen- but wasn’t much to read about-
Each chapter advanced through a linear fashion, day by day, told through a varying character perspective.
Overall, each character had their fair share of random filler, not quite developing their character's background or storyline, with seemingly vague plotlines- I wanted more out of the dysfunctional-ness of the family, more heart to hearts and developmental, coming together discussions- but everything stayed pretty basic
I read the book in a day, kept with it because it was a quick read and filled a book club category, but not impressive or entertaining I wouldn’t suggest-
The most interesting aspect was really the fact this was written prior to COVID, so some aspects of the quarantine were entertaining to read about, being the author had no idea this would come to reality- more entertaining when reading goodreads reviews in which people were upset by the unrealistic-ness of the quarantine-