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taurustorus's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
applegnreads's review against another edition
2.0
I was extremely ambivalent about this book. Whiny main character.
thukpa's review against another edition
4.0
One word: serendipity. Long story! Will have to tell it later.
sarahenn's review against another edition
2.0
ugh.... this book is pretty crappy :/ i couldn't even finish it. i'm particularly disappointed because i looove anne lamott. she should stay away from fiction.....
julieb118's review against another edition
3.0
This was probably 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 for me. This was such a weird book. Total identity crisis. Didn’t know if it was a book about getting life back
Together after divorce, dealing with an aging parent or weird family mysteries. It had so many plot lines. There were a few things that really bothered me. The kids were not very realistically presented. The mom not putting the daughter in therapy for her self harm stuff and then the mom starts talking about poking her scalp until it bleeds. That was all just weird. There were parts of the book I liked but overall not a great read.
Oh and the blue shoe itself. Never any understanding at all how it really tied in. I mean, it is explained in a sense but no real justification of why this dime store toy is this crazy important item.
Together after divorce, dealing with an aging parent or weird family mysteries. It had so many plot lines. There were a few things that really bothered me. The kids were not very realistically presented. The mom not putting the daughter in therapy for her self harm stuff and then the mom starts talking about poking her scalp until it bleeds. That was all just weird. There were parts of the book I liked but overall not a great read.
Oh and the blue shoe itself. Never any understanding at all how it really tied in. I mean, it is explained in a sense but no real justification of why this dime store toy is this crazy important item.
asurges's review against another edition
4.0
Sometimes I love Anne Lamott more than others. I gotta testify that I'm uneasy with religion in general, and my uneasiness with Lamott's writing is directly in proportion to her ease with Christianity, which seems to be increasing over the years.
However. When I first read this book--about a woman raising her two kids and her mom, who has dementia (which is what Lamott's mother had)--I kinda hated the characters. The kids are especially galling. But I've been kind of stressed out, and when I'm stressed out and am tired of eating junk food, I turn to books I've read before, and this was certainly the case with this one.
To my surprise, on this reading, I ended up loving Lamott's writing. The writing is beautiful and succinct: "He seemed so constrained, so neatly trimmed, someone who'd been doing topiary with his soul all his life." On describing an iguana the main character hates: "He's like an elegant and vaguely hostile scrap of leather."
It's also very funny, like, make you laugh out loud. The characters are wholly imperfect people, which is very soothing.
However. When I first read this book--about a woman raising her two kids and her mom, who has dementia (which is what Lamott's mother had)--I kinda hated the characters. The kids are especially galling. But I've been kind of stressed out, and when I'm stressed out and am tired of eating junk food, I turn to books I've read before, and this was certainly the case with this one.
To my surprise, on this reading, I ended up loving Lamott's writing. The writing is beautiful and succinct: "He seemed so constrained, so neatly trimmed, someone who'd been doing topiary with his soul all his life." On describing an iguana the main character hates: "He's like an elegant and vaguely hostile scrap of leather."
It's also very funny, like, make you laugh out loud. The characters are wholly imperfect people, which is very soothing.
princessgranola's review
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
4.25
I adore Lamott. This isn’t my favorite of hers but she could have plucked so many of these words straight from my thoughts. I feel seen when I read her work.
amymo73's review against another edition
3.0
The annual Lockport Public Library book sale always yields some interesting finds. Like this one.
I have only read non-fiction by Anne Lamott and "Bird by Bird" is one of my all-time, absolute, love it to death, you might as well burry it with me, books. This was an opportunity to read one of her novels. So I dove in.
The story centers on Mattie, newly divorced with two kids. She has a mother whose health is failing. She has Daniel, a great friend who becomes her love interest. Oh, and then she learns her dad had a sexual relationship with one of her friends when they were teenagers and fathered a child with her.
Wait, what?
Most of the book deals with Mattie trying to find her ground after the divorce and her growing closeness with Daniel. The storyline with her deceased father and his past relationships outside of the family is also strong, but one I wanted a bit more of. I'm surprised by Mattie's response a bit, how she basically stalks her half-brother and his mom (and her childhood friend) Abby. How she is desperately looking for answers and connection and doesn't seem to have much anger. Then again, she is kind of shedding her skin, like the pet iguana her son ends up with.
At times it was hard to like Mattie, but in the end I was rooting for her. And I still wonder who Tillie is that her mom, Isa, was crying for at the end of the book. If I was supposed to be able to figure that out, I failed.
I have only read non-fiction by Anne Lamott and "Bird by Bird" is one of my all-time, absolute, love it to death, you might as well burry it with me, books. This was an opportunity to read one of her novels. So I dove in.
The story centers on Mattie, newly divorced with two kids. She has a mother whose health is failing. She has Daniel, a great friend who becomes her love interest. Oh, and then she learns her dad had a sexual relationship with one of her friends when they were teenagers and fathered a child with her.
Wait, what?
Most of the book deals with Mattie trying to find her ground after the divorce and her growing closeness with Daniel. The storyline with her deceased father and his past relationships outside of the family is also strong, but one I wanted a bit more of. I'm surprised by Mattie's response a bit, how she basically stalks her half-brother and his mom (and her childhood friend) Abby. How she is desperately looking for answers and connection and doesn't seem to have much anger. Then again, she is kind of shedding her skin, like the pet iguana her son ends up with.
At times it was hard to like Mattie, but in the end I was rooting for her. And I still wonder who Tillie is that her mom, Isa, was crying for at the end of the book. If I was supposed to be able to figure that out, I failed.
crystal_reading's review against another edition
2.0
This book was okay. I felt that Mattie was an Everywoman. She really didn't seem to grow or change though just the things around her changed. She did make some life choices though that were out if her comfort zone. I wanted to like the book more because I have loved Lamott's nonfiction.
sambooklove's review against another edition
4.0
Another re-read. Was in the mood for more Annie after her new book!