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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
least favorite of gudenkauf's books. well written, but even more matter of fact than normal and not as wrenching.
"Gudenkauf manages to approach an emotional and difficult topic with a sensitivity and care that places her at the top of her game and you would be remiss to skip this one." Review at The Book Wheel
Ellen is married with three young children and a demanding career as a social worker. Her waking hours are often consumed by a job that refuses to be left at the office. Her husband is a teacher and coach. A quick read about a family caught up in the ordinary but absolute busy-ness of day to life where a single distracted moment can lead to tragedy.
An okay read. I was touched by the reality of a single moment or lack of attention that could upend your world. However, I found it to be a little unbelievable. Charges are filed and wheels set in motion before anyone actually actually interviews Ellen to find out what happened or the chain of events that led up to the accident. She goes immediately to the hot seat. In order for there to be a story, however, this had to be the case. One thing Piccoult does in her novels, is cast the protagonist in a suspicious light, however subtly. Black and white become muddled and you as the reader begin to examine the story from different perspectives, questioning your own beliefs. Had Gudenkauf employed this technique, it would have made the story more compelling and given it some depth. There are a couple of moments where she aims for this but falls short. Adam, the husband, holds onto blame in the form of veiled comments, Joe, the officer, could be more than a friend, and her colleagues don't rally to her defense, distant after a high profile case which she lost but can't let go of her doubts and suspicions. But aside from these slight aspersions, there's nothing to cast any substantial reasonable doubt that Ellen really is what she appears to be: a loving wife, a devoted mother, and a caring, compassionate do-gooder and the accident is just that, a tragic accident not caused by indifference, abuse, nor neglect. I never had a sense that the outcome would be anything but happy for Ellen, her family, and Jenny, who was definitely my favorite character in the book.
An okay read. I was touched by the reality of a single moment or lack of attention that could upend your world. However, I found it to be a little unbelievable. Charges are filed and wheels set in motion before anyone actually actually interviews Ellen to find out what happened or the chain of events that led up to the accident. She goes immediately to the hot seat. In order for there to be a story, however, this had to be the case. One thing Piccoult does in her novels, is cast the protagonist in a suspicious light, however subtly. Black and white become muddled and you as the reader begin to examine the story from different perspectives, questioning your own beliefs. Had Gudenkauf employed this technique, it would have made the story more compelling and given it some depth. There are a couple of moments where she aims for this but falls short. Adam, the husband, holds onto blame in the form of veiled comments, Joe, the officer, could be more than a friend, and her colleagues don't rally to her defense, distant after a high profile case which she lost but can't let go of her doubts and suspicions. But aside from these slight aspersions, there's nothing to cast any substantial reasonable doubt that Ellen really is what she appears to be: a loving wife, a devoted mother, and a caring, compassionate do-gooder and the accident is just that, a tragic accident not caused by indifference, abuse, nor neglect. I never had a sense that the outcome would be anything but happy for Ellen, her family, and Jenny, who was definitely my favorite character in the book.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read this book in one seating although I found the themes really difficult to cope with. Anything that even hints at harming children is something verging on a trigger for me so if you are like me, you are warned.
One of the main characters being a social worker, what she encounters in her line of work is simply not for those with a sensitive soul. Add to that, an unthinkable event happening in the blink of an eye in her personal life and this simply makes it an almost unbearable read.
The other main character's hardships are no less stressful but the author brings it all together with aplomb and sensibility that simply made this book impossible to put down.
One of the main characters being a social worker, what she encounters in her line of work is simply not for those with a sensitive soul. Add to that, an unthinkable event happening in the blink of an eye in her personal life and this simply makes it an almost unbearable read.
The other main character's hardships are no less stressful but the author brings it all together with aplomb and sensibility that simply made this book impossible to put down.
A great book to get one thinking about accidents really do happen to everyone. Nobody is exempt from tragedy.
While it was a good book, I felt it wrapped up a little too nicely in the end (except for a couple of characters that felt a little too under developed).
Heather has done it again. Absolutely the best storyteller next to Jodi Piccoult. She does research about what she writes about. She understands motherhood SO SO WELL. Her ability to put into words what we, as mothers and fathers feel about our kids is just UNREAL. So amazing. She is an author whose books I buy after I listen to the audiobook- she is THAT GOOD. If you haven't read her work or listened to it, you are missing out on such a talented writer. Kate Rudd did an amazing job of narrating for the main character, Ellen.