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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
My blog for Book Reviews!
When a loved one passes away, our hearts break. We are frustrated with memories that never happened, words that were never spoken, a connection that seems to be broken. But what if you had the chance to communicate with that person? In Goodbye for Now, main characters Sam and Meredith give the world that chance.
Sam is quite the creative one. Coming from an Internet matchmaking company, he knows the in's and out's of communication and technology. He knows that people's true personalities come through their Skypes, IM's, emails, facebook statuses. We tell the world what's going on in our heads all the time. By studying what we've already said, he comes up with a formula that predicts what would say in response to questions or situations. Why couldn't this information be helping when we're permanently gone?
That's the idea behind RePose (the program of "talking" to the dead) after Meredith's grandmother suddenly passes away. She is completely distraught since there was no warning. He decides to give Meredith one more chance to say goodbye to her grandmother. Since she communicated with her grandmother on a regular basis via email and web cam, Sam used that history to let Mereditch "talk" with her grandmother. Is she really talking to her grandmother? No. But she's talking to the memory of her, which really is the next best thing. Sam is quite the clever fellow since he has a program that will have the dearly departed write you emails and respond to you instantly during a web chat using the information that has already been communicated. It may sound creepy, but when it comes to mourning, anything is really acceptable.
Meredith is enthralled with the results. Who wouldn't want to hear a loved one's voice over and over again? How exciting would it be to see an email in your inbox from that special person? What would you say to that person now? How would a larger audience react this? Why shouldn't more people RePose?
As I read this story, it made me think about how this is not a far-fetched idea. With our ways of communicating through texts, emails, video chats, facebook... we're constantly getting messages to and from people. Why couldn't those be a running record of our personality and history?
Reading this story made me wish so badly that this were real.
Of course, RePose wouldn't be truly telling that person what you meant to say. But it would maybe give closure in a way.
The concept behind the story is wonderful. And obviously, it is something that all readers could relate to. The characters develop beautifully, and the storyline is captivating. I honestly could not put it down. And when I finally finished, I just let it sink in. There are just some books that will stick with you for a long time.
This is one of them.
Even though it's been close to a month since I read this book, I keep thinking to myself, Okay, write another email. Send that text. Maybe one day there will be RePose. But of course the novel shows that not everything communicated in a RePose session will be positive. And perhaps who is gone is meant to be gone and not communicated with.
But it's something to think about.
When a loved one passes away, our hearts break. We are frustrated with memories that never happened, words that were never spoken, a connection that seems to be broken. But what if you had the chance to communicate with that person? In Goodbye for Now, main characters Sam and Meredith give the world that chance.
Sam is quite the creative one. Coming from an Internet matchmaking company, he knows the in's and out's of communication and technology. He knows that people's true personalities come through their Skypes, IM's, emails, facebook statuses. We tell the world what's going on in our heads all the time. By studying what we've already said, he comes up with a formula that predicts what would say in response to questions or situations. Why couldn't this information be helping when we're permanently gone?
That's the idea behind RePose (the program of "talking" to the dead) after Meredith's grandmother suddenly passes away. She is completely distraught since there was no warning. He decides to give Meredith one more chance to say goodbye to her grandmother. Since she communicated with her grandmother on a regular basis via email and web cam, Sam used that history to let Mereditch "talk" with her grandmother. Is she really talking to her grandmother? No. But she's talking to the memory of her, which really is the next best thing. Sam is quite the clever fellow since he has a program that will have the dearly departed write you emails and respond to you instantly during a web chat using the information that has already been communicated. It may sound creepy, but when it comes to mourning, anything is really acceptable.
Meredith is enthralled with the results. Who wouldn't want to hear a loved one's voice over and over again? How exciting would it be to see an email in your inbox from that special person? What would you say to that person now? How would a larger audience react this? Why shouldn't more people RePose?
As I read this story, it made me think about how this is not a far-fetched idea. With our ways of communicating through texts, emails, video chats, facebook... we're constantly getting messages to and from people. Why couldn't those be a running record of our personality and history?
Reading this story made me wish so badly that this were real.
Of course, RePose wouldn't be truly telling that person what you meant to say. But it would maybe give closure in a way.
The concept behind the story is wonderful. And obviously, it is something that all readers could relate to. The characters develop beautifully, and the storyline is captivating. I honestly could not put it down. And when I finally finished, I just let it sink in. There are just some books that will stick with you for a long time.
This is one of them.
Even though it's been close to a month since I read this book, I keep thinking to myself, Okay, write another email. Send that text. Maybe one day there will be RePose. But of course the novel shows that not everything communicated in a RePose session will be positive. And perhaps who is gone is meant to be gone and not communicated with.
But it's something to think about.
I was not sure what to expect, not sure how I felt through 3/4ths of the book, but then...it all came together in such a beautifully written way. Very interesting read.
This book is both hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time. Frankel has a crisp writing style and wonderful sense of humor and irony. If it wasn't for the dark, dry humor this would be an awfully depressing book. It is pretty much all about death and grieving after all.
Goodbye For Now raises so many thought-provoking questions in today's social media age. Is chatting and emailing with a DLO (Departed Loved One) that much different from having purely electronic relationships with living people? Should RePose be used just for the short-term as a crutch in the grieving process? Or should it be used long-term as a means of honoring the DLO's memory? Is using it long-term just prolonging the denial stage of grief - perhaps forever?
I'm not sure of the answer to any of these questions but I do know that I enjoyed this book immensely.
Goodbye For Now raises so many thought-provoking questions in today's social media age. Is chatting and emailing with a DLO (Departed Loved One) that much different from having purely electronic relationships with living people? Should RePose be used just for the short-term as a crutch in the grieving process? Or should it be used long-term as a means of honoring the DLO's memory? Is using it long-term just prolonging the denial stage of grief - perhaps forever?
I'm not sure of the answer to any of these questions but I do know that I enjoyed this book immensely.
I'd have given this three stars, but two thirds into the book it changed its tone a bit. I don't have an elaborate review. It made me very sad and a little frustrated, and I didn't really need more of that but didn't want to leave it unfinished, either.
Mostly it leaves me scared of suddenly losing my loved ones.
Mostly it leaves me scared of suddenly losing my loved ones.
I don’t know why I thought now was a good time to read a really long book about death but spoilers it wasn’t a good idea! Love her writing though and the characters grew on me but it just went on and on and on
I both loved and hated this book. Frankel does a phenomenal job of walking the uninformed reader through examples of what AI can and cannot do. She is also powerfully successful in showing the many faces of grief--different ways that it's experienced by different people after different types of death (if death can have a "type"). Death is a difficult topic to tackle, in part because it occurs and is experienced in diverse ways, and also because it is profoundly personal. The book can be painful for readers who are still experiencing the savage loss of a loved one. At the same time, Frankel's insight into human relationships and behavior and her quirky humor provide levity, especially in the first half of the book. The second half--not so much.
Author: Laurie Frankel
Title: Goodbye for Now
Description: Sam is a computer genius. He works for an online dating company and comes up with the perfect algorithm to allow people to find their soulmates. He uses it to find his—Meredith, who works in the same company. When he gets fired for costing his company business, he uses his skills to help Meredith get over the grief of losing her grandmother by writing an algorithm that will duplicate her online presence. When they decide to offer this service to others with dead loved ones (DLOs), Sam learns a lot about life.
Review source: Library Thing Early Reviewers
Plot: This seems like the kind of book where the author asked a “what if” question, then answered it. In Frankel’s case, though, she keeps coming up with more what ifs. What if your DLO was not who you thought they were? What if the DLO had spent their whole life being sick? What if you told your DLO that she was dead?
Characters: Frankel has a wonderful way with her characters. I loved them all.
Writing style: This book is primarily about death and grief, but it was really funny and a fun read.
Audience: It’s tough to know how to classify this book. I suppose literary fiction, where stuff goes when you don’t know what to call it. I think just about anyone would like it.
Wrap-up: I loved reading this book even when the end made me cry. It will be a keeper for me. 5/5*
Title: Goodbye for Now
Description: Sam is a computer genius. He works for an online dating company and comes up with the perfect algorithm to allow people to find their soulmates. He uses it to find his—Meredith, who works in the same company. When he gets fired for costing his company business, he uses his skills to help Meredith get over the grief of losing her grandmother by writing an algorithm that will duplicate her online presence. When they decide to offer this service to others with dead loved ones (DLOs), Sam learns a lot about life.
Review source: Library Thing Early Reviewers
Plot: This seems like the kind of book where the author asked a “what if” question, then answered it. In Frankel’s case, though, she keeps coming up with more what ifs. What if your DLO was not who you thought they were? What if the DLO had spent their whole life being sick? What if you told your DLO that she was dead?
Characters: Frankel has a wonderful way with her characters. I loved them all.
Writing style: This book is primarily about death and grief, but it was really funny and a fun read.
Audience: It’s tough to know how to classify this book. I suppose literary fiction, where stuff goes when you don’t know what to call it. I think just about anyone would like it.
Wrap-up: I loved reading this book even when the end made me cry. It will be a keeper for me. 5/5*
Laurie Frankel is such a beautiful author. I put all her books on my To Read list after her lovely book on raising a trans child, which was so good I bought it as a present for my grandparents.
I cried a few times and ran through this one in half a week. It’s really deep, powerful and warming, handling grief in such a careful and human way.
I cried a few times and ran through this one in half a week. It’s really deep, powerful and warming, handling grief in such a careful and human way.
This was a really enjoyable book! The relationship between Sam and Meredith is just so wonderful. The book raises such interesting questions. The story arc seems predictable but just keeps going and is fascinating. While the premise seems a bit creepy, it is no creepier than seances and is premised on the love of family and friends. I enjoyed the writing as well. It really makes me think more about what to say when i sign sympathy cards now instead of "Sorry for your loss." Also makes me want to video chat with my Mom and kids more. Please go read this book if you have ever lost a loved one. It will move you.