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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was an incredible book. The story is about a family whose father is starting to suffer from Parkinson's, among other things, and the mother in response, wants to have one last Christmas at their house before her husband is too far gone in disease. Most of the book however it's spent reflecting on the three children in the family as well as the parents. You get to know them on such a personal level, which found to be very relatable. They weren't just storybook characters, they were flawed human beings. Incredible journey getting to know the Lambert family. The writing in this book is a little dense, and took some getting used to. The only real issue had was a couple of scenes which, upon reflection, were about the dad and we're probably a little obtuse and unconventional to give you the feel of what he was going through. That portion was not my favourite though. This sort of slowed the pace for me a little bit, but once got over that speed bump, it was great again. Throughout the book, I couldn't help but think about how real this book felt. My family hasn't necessarily gone through the ringer in the same way the Lambert's did, but there were definitely hiccups. But drawing those parallels made this an emotional rollercoaster. One minute, you're excited to see success. Then you're worried about a siblings failure. The anger, and love that the kids have for their siblings or parents is exactly what you expect from a family, and you relate that to your own life, naturally. The book also did a very good job of balancing the stories of everyone in a functional way. Overarching, each chapter sort of covers a person in the family, but even within the chapter, you may see a jump to someone else. I didn't feel at any point was being left on a cliff hanger about anyone, at the same time, I was desperate to read more.
this book was a wild ride to be honest. but like props to me for having the strongest gaydar on the scene, cuz I clocked Denise in SECONDS diva.
Over all it’s so hard for me to say what I think about this book. There were parts of it I actually was really into, and then others that I found so utterly boring. Over all, do I get the hype? Do I understand why it won all the prizes it did? …not really. Do I think it’s too long? Yes. But still, the characters were fascinating to follow. Some certainly more than others (I fucking hate Chip’s sections)
Over all it’s so hard for me to say what I think about this book. There were parts of it I actually was really into, and then others that I found so utterly boring. Over all, do I get the hype? Do I understand why it won all the prizes it did? …not really. Do I think it’s too long? Yes. But still, the characters were fascinating to follow. Some certainly more than others (I fucking hate Chip’s sections)
absolutely one of the worst books that I have ever tried to read
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I consider myself fairly well read. I indulge in classics and modern works. I enjoy non fiction and fiction. I've read most of the "difficult" books. I have a decent knowledge of literature in general. All this is to say that when I don't enjoy a book that most other people love, it's not crazy to assume that it has nothing to do with whether I "understood" or "appreciated" it.
My point is: I did not enjoy this book. I "got" it. I just hated it. Every single character was worse than the next and not in the intriguing I-can't-wait-to-see-what-happens train wreck sort of way but in the if-I-have-to-read-one-more-sentence-of-this-batshit-jerk-I'm-going-to-scream way. They were whiny, they were ungrateful, they were offensive, and I basically did not care about what happened to them next. The most appealing character is treated so poorly it's actually sickening and the entire book was an example of how lazy, spoiled, and completely miserable Americans can be.
My point is: I did not enjoy this book. I "got" it. I just hated it. Every single character was worse than the next and not in the intriguing I-can't-wait-to-see-what-happens train wreck sort of way but in the if-I-have-to-read-one-more-sentence-of-this-batshit-jerk-I'm-going-to-scream way. They were whiny, they were ungrateful, they were offensive, and I basically did not care about what happened to them next. The most appealing character is treated so poorly it's actually sickening and the entire book was an example of how lazy, spoiled, and completely miserable Americans can be.
reflective
slow-paced
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes