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tanishah's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, and Death
mad_mady's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Warning this book will make you cry. I honestly don’t know the last time a book made me cry this hard or this long. I had tears in my eyes for the final few chapters, it also made me laugh out loud at multiple points.
I wouldn’t have picked this book if not for my book club but god damn I’m glad I read it.
I wouldn’t have picked this book if not for my book club but god damn I’m glad I read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia, Terminal illness, Death, Cancer, and Child death
Minor: Homophobia
If the death of an infant, long thoughts about death/ the afterlife, and the death of beloved ones is too much for you, this is not your kind of book. If the topic of death in general is not your thing steer very clear of this book.craftyanty's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I expected this book to make me cry, which it did... a few times. I was caught off-guard, however, when it made me crack up in laughter... more than a few times. Simply a beautiful story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Terminal illness
Minor: Child death
wellreadmegs's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I wish the first 290 pages of this book gave me the same feelings that the last 30 pages did. I had heard nothing but good things about this book and although I loved the last 30 pages, it didn't quite live up to the hype. I love a book with alternating storylines and this had it - but for most of the book, it felt as though Lenni and Margot were more parallel in the book than interacting.
I found Father Arthur's and Lenni's passages the most interesting and sometimes Margot's stories seemed too long and unnecessary. I would have rather kept enjoying the ease of conversation between Father Arthur and Lenni.
It wasn't until the end of the book that we saw Lenni & Margot's most heartfelt moments and you saw the story all come together. That was beautiful. That got me teary-eyed. I'd only wished the entire book felt like that. The ending felt complete and beautiful & I love the visuals it gave.
I found Father Arthur's and Lenni's passages the most interesting and sometimes Margot's stories seemed too long and unnecessary. I would have rather kept enjoying the ease of conversation between Father Arthur and Lenni.
It wasn't until the end of the book that we saw Lenni & Margot's most heartfelt moments and you saw the story all come together. That was beautiful. That got me teary-eyed. I'd only wished the entire book felt like that. The ending felt complete and beautiful & I love the visuals it gave.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, and Terminal illness
laschwe's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness
Moderate: Child death and Dementia
bethanyearle's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Grief, and Terminal illness
Minor: Dementia
mklodor's review against another edition
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Terminal illness
booking_along's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
When people say “terminal”, i think of the airport.
this book had such a fantastic start’!
lenni’s blunt voice and opinions, her honesty and “just say it as it ist attitude were really nice and different.
but after about 50 pages, it got repetitive for me and the very short and jumpy chapters, that make the novel feel more like a short story collection, made me feel disconnected and in many chapters uninterested.
which is sad, but it happens.
i think it was a good story but this is one of the few ones that i wish would have been a novella.
that would have been enough.
it would have give. the view into a young’s person perspective of having a deadly illness and how people treat them, and how they exit rice life knowing that they will not be a or to live it as so many others do.
but there is just so much a story of that kind can tell before it feels too stretched out.
i suppose she felt she ought to warn him, because he looked as excited as a child on christmas morning receiving a train set wrapped in a big bow, when in reality, the gift she was presenting him with was broken. he could get attached if he wanted, but the wheels were already coming off and the whole thing wasn’t likely to see another he r christmas.
my opinion could also be that way because while i found lenni interesting, i didn’t have any investment in margot at all . maybe because the as only brought into the book at a point where i already felt it became too long. or maybe her parts really didn’t bringt too much to the story itself. i don’t know.
“why am i dying?”
“because you are. think of it this way. why are you alive?
why do you exist at all? why are you alive? what is your life for?”
“i don’t know.”
“i think the same is true if dying. we can’t know why you are dying in the same way that we can’t know why you are living. Living and dying are both complete mysteries, and you can’t know either until you have done both.”
it had fantastic point about live and sickness, dying and surviving.
it was honest and real and in many ways unapologetic, which i enjoyed because it’s rare to see that especially regarding this kind of topic.
for me this book was more of a reflection and thought provoking story about reminding people that dead is just as live is - a mystery and something that we can’t chance but mostly have to take as it comes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Terminal illness
nothingforpomegranted's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Lenni is seventeen years old, dying from a terminal illness and living in a hospital in Glasgow. One day, on a whim, she wanders into the hospital chapel, where she challenges (and becomes fast friends with) Father Arthur, asking questions about God, faith, and why she is dying. Shortly later (or maybe not, depending on how you judge the passage of hospital time), Lenni encounters Margot in an art class. Immediately fascinated by her life and her stories, Lenni is struck by the fact that Margot is 83 years old, meaning that their lives, together, add up to 100 years.
The two embark on a project to paint 100 canvases, representing the 100 years of their lives, and, in alternating chapters, they reveal their stories to each other, opening up about divorce and death, love and loss.
This is a book with a sweet, heartwarming, sometimes devastating premise with two characters who led interesting lives. Yet, I just didn't feel connected to the story. I enjoyed reading about Lenni's relationship with Father Arthur and Margot's relationship with Howard--actually, I think Howard was my favorite character--but Lenni and Margot's friendship was unconvincing to me, which definitely reduced the overall impact of the book.
The two embark on a project to paint 100 canvases, representing the 100 years of their lives, and, in alternating chapters, they reveal their stories to each other, opening up about divorce and death, love and loss.
This is a book with a sweet, heartwarming, sometimes devastating premise with two characters who led interesting lives. Yet, I just didn't feel connected to the story. I enjoyed reading about Lenni's relationship with Father Arthur and Margot's relationship with Howard--actually, I think Howard was my favorite character--but Lenni and Margot's friendship was unconvincing to me, which definitely reduced the overall impact of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Grief, Abandonment, and Child death
onkenzisshelf's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
sad
fast-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? No
5.0
What I Liked:
- This book dealt with SO many things well: Death, sickness, grief, loss. This book made me FEEL a lot of really strong emotions surrounding death and grief specifically.
- The concept of this was so unique and so heartwrenching. I love how the story was told through literal storytelling, and I loved how big of a role art played.
- The characters were so real and their stories so genuine.
- I really felt like I was in Lenni's head. I loved her friendships with Fr. Arthur and New Nurse.
- I cried, really, really hard at the end.
I love how Margot continued to finish her stories even after Lenni died .
What I Disliked/Wanted More Of:
- Derek was unnecessary honestly.
- I have pretty bad death anxiety and this book really messed with that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Medical content