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samramsden's review against another edition
3.0
Listened to this as an audiobook and it was good! There was really only 1 or 2 times that I was really taken back by what was happening. I did love the way how all the storylines were portrayed and connected and it made it even better to have the different accents associated with each character LOL. But it definitely drug on a lot.
phantomgecko's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Love me a braided narrative. The stories intertwined well and had an ending that was predictable to a point but still managed to surprise a little.
I actually enjoyed the various strands of 'what if' that were thrown in. These were mostly at the end but there were a few throughout. It might be easy to think addressing a theoretical alternate universe would be pointless, this time it really twisted the knife.This book doesn't have a happy ending, but nor is it necessarily sad. A little ambiguous, a little hopeful maybe. But then the 'what ifs' are tossed in like a gut punch. (I support the gut punch)
I think my only disappointment is not liking any of the characters. Each had a bit a relatability, I guess, but I didn't like them. Maybe you're not supposed to like them? I didn't root for any of them, though I was outraged on their behalf a time or two.
All in all, better than I expected. Will probably read more by this author.
I actually enjoyed the various strands of 'what if' that were thrown in. These were mostly at the end but there were a few throughout. It might be easy to think addressing a theoretical alternate universe would be pointless, this time it really twisted the knife.
I think my only disappointment is not liking any of the characters. Each had a bit a relatability, I guess, but I didn't like them. Maybe you're not supposed to like them? I didn't root for any of them, though I was outraged on their behalf a time or two.
All in all, better than I expected. Will probably read more by this author.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia, Sexism, Car accident, Child death, Infidelity, Grief, Death, Body shaming, and Medical content
ereilly151's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
ninasbooks57's review against another edition
5.0
If I could give a book more than 5 stars - I would for this book!! It is a page turner. It is so awesome how all these different peoples life’s are so intertwined and how one decision can alter many many lives! Loved this book!!
scastricato1's review against another edition
3.0
More of a 3.5. I really really enjoyed this book for the most part, especially the build up. Liane Moriarty is such a clever writer. However, I felt a bit disappointed with the ending. I understand the sentiment that there are no “perfect, clear-cut” endings and everyone has secrets, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. Still, this was an enjoyable read.
monicakuryla's review against another edition
4.0
Wasn't what I expected. The title for me made it seem like a Jodi Picoult book, but in fact it was much more literary than I anticipated! Good read.
aameliawoodd's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
threegoodrats's review against another edition
3.0
My review is here.
"All these years there had been a Tupperware container of bad language sitting off to the side in her head, and now she'd opened it and all those crisp, crunchy words were lovely and fresh, ready to be used." p. 243
"Falling in love was easy. Anyone could fall. It was holding on that was tricky." p. 361
"All these years there had been a Tupperware container of bad language sitting off to the side in her head, and now she'd opened it and all those crisp, crunchy words were lovely and fresh, ready to be used." p. 243
"Falling in love was easy. Anyone could fall. It was holding on that was tricky." p. 361
thisisthelion's review against another edition
5.0
How rare is to read a book and be hooked from the beginning? Normally, you need some time to get to know the characters, get “inside the book”, share the pages with them as if you were part of that world. And when that comes, it’s a magical sensation. It happens with most books, but there are some of them in which that feeling it’s more intense than others. And there are even rarer books that from the very first sentence you already know you are going to love them. It’s a gut feeling, and the gut always knows best.
What I remember most about the first chapters of this book is how much I cared about characters I barely knew nothing about, characters I just “met”. It felt like I've known them all my life, like I was them and I was going through the same things they were going through. I specially remember reading chapter two and being devastated by what happened to Tess, like it was happening to me. It felt she was my best friend and I need to reassure her in some way. I could feel her pain and I wanted to punch Felicity and Will and hug her. Like I had known her all my life and this also affected me. And for a book to make you feel like that in the second chapter, just after it has presented you the character is just bloody f****** (Am I even allowed to write this word here? I'm not really up to date in Goodreads guidelines, so better to play it safe.) amazing.
And Tess’ story is the first story that totally grabbed me, but Rachel’s and Cecilia’s (yay, a character named like me!) also did. It’s truly wonderful how these three women can have such different problems, but I can care the same about all three of them. And suffer with them. And understand them. And now only them, also the supporting characters. Liane Moriarty has created these people that feel so real and she has made possible for me to know them, and for that I will always have to be grateful. Because, really, if I were a writer (that would mean I would have to sit down to write and I’m too lazy for that, so you will have to miss my amazing prose, what a pity xD), the greatest pleasure I could received would be having a reader tell me that he will never forget my characters, that they touched him, that he suffered, grieved and laughed with them. This is why I love reading, and why I have a lot a writers to give thanks to.
And part of what makes this characters so real is that their problems don’t have an easy solution. You read them worry about the trials and tribulations of the lives and you wonder what you would do if it were you and you can’t come up with a simple solution (like one of Cecilia’s friends would say). Life is sometimes messy and the blows come out of the blue. People aren’t black or white, nor problems. That’s what this book is about. Life, that is.
There are a lot of other things I could say, but I really can’t connect my thoughts right now. That happens when you read a book that leaves a mark, you need to process it, and even then, you can’t express why you love it so much. There’s always something left unsaid, but at least I will say that you shouldn’t miss this book for the world.
What I remember most about the first chapters of this book is how much I cared about characters I barely knew nothing about, characters I just “met”. It felt like I've known them all my life, like I was them and I was going through the same things they were going through. I specially remember reading chapter two and being devastated by what happened to Tess, like it was happening to me. It felt she was my best friend and I need to reassure her in some way. I could feel her pain and I wanted to punch Felicity and Will and hug her. Like I had known her all my life and this also affected me. And for a book to make you feel like that in the second chapter, just after it has presented you the character is just bloody f****** (Am I even allowed to write this word here? I'm not really up to date in Goodreads guidelines, so better to play it safe.) amazing.
And Tess’ story is the first story that totally grabbed me, but Rachel’s and Cecilia’s (yay, a character named like me!) also did. It’s truly wonderful how these three women can have such different problems, but I can care the same about all three of them. And suffer with them. And understand them. And now only them, also the supporting characters. Liane Moriarty has created these people that feel so real and she has made possible for me to know them, and for that I will always have to be grateful. Because, really, if I were a writer (that would mean I would have to sit down to write and I’m too lazy for that, so you will have to miss my amazing prose, what a pity xD), the greatest pleasure I could received would be having a reader tell me that he will never forget my characters, that they touched him, that he suffered, grieved and laughed with them. This is why I love reading, and why I have a lot a writers to give thanks to.
And part of what makes this characters so real is that their problems don’t have an easy solution. You read them worry about the trials and tribulations of the lives and you wonder what you would do if it were you and you can’t come up with a simple solution (like one of Cecilia’s friends would say). Life is sometimes messy and the blows come out of the blue. People aren’t black or white, nor problems. That’s what this book is about. Life, that is.
There are a lot of other things I could say, but I really can’t connect my thoughts right now. That happens when you read a book that leaves a mark, you need to process it, and even then, you can’t express why you love it so much. There’s always something left unsaid, but at least I will say that you shouldn’t miss this book for the world.
jensebring's review against another edition
3.0
I have mixed feelings. I liked the writing at times and then felt annoyed that it went back and forth. The story was interesting how everything dame together, but was a but unbelievable at times.