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hollydaze71's review against another edition
4.0
I had no idea what I was getting into.
Initially, I almost put this book down because it was TOO relatable, too much mom life
Then Quindlen shook me awake and wrung me out.
Initially, I almost put this book down because it was TOO relatable, too much mom life
Then Quindlen shook me awake and wrung me out.
abarkmeier's review against another edition
4.0
The writing is crisp and skillful, the plot even-handed and thorough. Quindlen masterfully handles the subject matter of both every day life in the upper middle class, refusing to ignore the intricacies, failings, and sadness of every day life and family turmoil; while also upholding with dignity the tragedy at the center of the novel. The protagonist is not a heroine, but is someone we believe. Quindlen profoundly and accurately places the reader and her mind's eye.
chayseturner's review against another edition
4.0
very well-written, but soooooo depressing. I don't know how anyone who has children can get through this book.
SUGGESTION: if you're going to read it, DO NOT read the book summary/back cover - just dive right in!
SUGGESTION: if you're going to read it, DO NOT read the book summary/back cover - just dive right in!
fjfjfjfjfjfj's review against another edition
4.0
Took me eons to finish this omg but was it worth it. Not for the faint of heart but the ending is so sweet and makes all the chaos in between worth it
toniclark's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed Anna Quindlen’s “Still Life with Bread Crumbs” enough to try another novel. This one’s good, too, though I think I preferred “Still Life with Bread Crumbs.” Just personal taste. She’s a good writer.
krisloveskihei's review against another edition
3.0
I love reading Anna Quindlen but I much prefer her essays to her fiction. I found this novel rather plotting. The big event occurs more than halfway through the book and as the narrator was delivering the set-up I found myself thinking "just get in with it!" Would I pass this book along to a friend? Probably not. That said, there were some gems of statements about love and mothering that I appreciated and resonated with Quindlen's essays.
jacki_f's review against another edition
4.0
Mary Beth Latham is married with three teenage children. Her life is basically happy but it's not perfect. She loves her husband, but she also has days when she wonders if the relationship is lacking something. Her daughter Ruby has overcome an eating disorder and is a bright, challenging teenager who is rapidly outgrowing her first boyfriend. Twins Alex and Max are as different from one another as chalk and cheese. Alex is outgoing, sporty and seems to sail through life while Max is introverted and suffering from depression. Mary Beth works as a landscape gardener and has occasional issues with her mostly immigrant employees.
It is difficult to say more about the plot because it centres on something which happens about halfway through the book and I don't want to give anything away about what that is. It came as a shock to me and it should come as a shock to you if you read it. It neatly segments the book into "before" and "after", and causes the reader to reassess what they have previously read. Do be aware though that it involves an event which some may find upsetting to read.
This is the first book that I have read by Anna Quindlen. She has a lovely writing style which reminded me of Anne Tyler and Carol Shields. Mary Beth narrates the book and she felt like such a real person to me. Some of her passing observations on marriage or parenting were so spot on - thoughts I've had myself, but never articulated or had anyone else articulate to me. The book starts slowly and you wonder for a while where it's going, but it's so beautifully written that I was happy to just go with it and let it unfold in its own time.
I was taken aback by the plot development and enjoyed the second half of the book less than the first. However I finished this a couple of weeks ago but I'm still thinking about it from time to time, which to me is the sign of a good book.
It is difficult to say more about the plot because it centres on something which happens about halfway through the book and I don't want to give anything away about what that is. It came as a shock to me and it should come as a shock to you if you read it. It neatly segments the book into "before" and "after", and causes the reader to reassess what they have previously read. Do be aware though that it involves an event which some may find upsetting to read.
This is the first book that I have read by Anna Quindlen. She has a lovely writing style which reminded me of Anne Tyler and Carol Shields. Mary Beth narrates the book and she felt like such a real person to me. Some of her passing observations on marriage or parenting were so spot on - thoughts I've had myself, but never articulated or had anyone else articulate to me. The book starts slowly and you wonder for a while where it's going, but it's so beautifully written that I was happy to just go with it and let it unfold in its own time.
I was taken aback by the plot development and enjoyed the second half of the book less than the first. However I finished this a couple of weeks ago but I'm still thinking about it from time to time, which to me is the sign of a good book.
barbaraskalberg's review against another edition
4.0
If I read summaries before reading, I wouldn't have been so caught off guard by the turn of events. I kept putting myself in this mom's shoes and that is a hard, uncomfortable place to imagine. Side note: I was REALLY bugged by the 18 year old senior in high school calling her mom "mommy."
cdale8's review against another edition
3.0
The main character was just so damned unlikeable in this book: before, during, and after. The overall writing was fine, but all the characters were shallow portrayals of stereotypical upper-middle class NorthEastern US suburbanite family members, although that did help create more of a jarring effect for the turning point event.