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llamallama527's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
The narrator is incredible- if you're going to read this book, I highly recommend the audio. That being said - before you decide to read this book, seriously consider the content warnings. This book is incredibly well written.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Cursing and Child death
Minor: Forced institutionalization and Violence
This is a very simple spoiler about whether or not the book has a happy ending, in case you need to know before you begin.liz4242's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Violence, Suicide, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
brontet97's review
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts
sabrinames's review
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide
Moderate: Miscarriage
kelly_e's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Title: When All is Said
Author: Anne Griffin
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 5.00
Pub Date: March 5, 2019
T H R E E • W O R D S
Profound • Reflective • Human
📖 S Y N O P S I S
At the bar of a grand hotel in a small Irish town sits 84-year-old Maurice Hannigan. He’s alone, as usual - though tonight is anything but. Pull up a stool and charge your glass, because Maurice is finally ready to tell his story.
Over the course of this evening, he will raise five toasts to the five people who have meant the most to him. Through these stories - of unspoken joy and regret, a secret tragedy kept hidden, a fierce love that never found its voice - the life of one man will be powerful and poignantly laid bare.
💭 T H O U G H T S
When All Is Said was one of my 12 recommendations from 12 friends this year, and I must say probably the one I was most anticipating. It's a subtly beautiful novel that celebrates life, loss, and most importantly, love.
I absolutely loved getting to know Maurice, and reading his account of his own life, along with his tributes to each of the five individuals he toasts. He's a complex and charming individual, while also remaining authentic and relatable. Of course, his stories and heartbreak left me wanting to wrap him in a warm embrace and give him a pat on the back.
Beyond Maurice, Anne Griffin has delivered a beautifully written and incredibly well constructed plot. It left me reflecting on and contemplating life in general, but particular the following: if I had to pick five people to sum up my life, who would they be? If I were to raise a glass to each of them, what would I say? And what would I learn about myself during this process?
There is also a bit of a side mystery I wasn't expecting, yet appreciated, weaved into Maurice's narrative which certainly kept me guessing. I think it added a lot of value to helping Maurice explore his life's story. And one of the biggest takeaways, was how aspects of our lives can look incredibly different in hindsight.
Reb absolutely knocked it out of the park with this life-affirming novel! #Grumplit has quickly become a favourite trope of mine, and Maurice's character will stay with me for years to come. The audio helped add an additional layer of relatable emotion to this heartfelt story with themes of love, loss, grief, guilt, regret, revenge, family and loneliness. Certain elements reminded me of A Man Called Ove, and All the Lonely People, two of my all-time favourites. I'll definitely be exploring more of Anne Griffin's work down the road.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers who like an older protagonist
• fans of #grumplit
• anyone who enjoyed A Man Called Ove and/or All the Lonely People
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"No one, no one really knows loss until it’s someone you love. The deep-down kind of love that holds on to your bones and digs itself right in under your fingernails, as hard to budge as the years of compacted earth. And when it’s gone … it’s as if it’s been ripped from you. Raw and exposed, you stand dripping blood all over the good feckin’ carpet. Half-human, half-dead, one foot already in the grave."
"I’m here to remember -- all that I have been and all that I will never be again."
Author: Anne Griffin
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 5.00
Pub Date: March 5, 2019
T H R E E • W O R D S
Profound • Reflective • Human
📖 S Y N O P S I S
At the bar of a grand hotel in a small Irish town sits 84-year-old Maurice Hannigan. He’s alone, as usual - though tonight is anything but. Pull up a stool and charge your glass, because Maurice is finally ready to tell his story.
Over the course of this evening, he will raise five toasts to the five people who have meant the most to him. Through these stories - of unspoken joy and regret, a secret tragedy kept hidden, a fierce love that never found its voice - the life of one man will be powerful and poignantly laid bare.
💭 T H O U G H T S
When All Is Said was one of my 12 recommendations from 12 friends this year, and I must say probably the one I was most anticipating. It's a subtly beautiful novel that celebrates life, loss, and most importantly, love.
I absolutely loved getting to know Maurice, and reading his account of his own life, along with his tributes to each of the five individuals he toasts. He's a complex and charming individual, while also remaining authentic and relatable. Of course, his stories and heartbreak left me wanting to wrap him in a warm embrace and give him a pat on the back.
Beyond Maurice, Anne Griffin has delivered a beautifully written and incredibly well constructed plot. It left me reflecting on and contemplating life in general, but particular the following: if I had to pick five people to sum up my life, who would they be? If I were to raise a glass to each of them, what would I say? And what would I learn about myself during this process?
There is also a bit of a side mystery I wasn't expecting, yet appreciated, weaved into Maurice's narrative which certainly kept me guessing. I think it added a lot of value to helping Maurice explore his life's story. And one of the biggest takeaways, was how aspects of our lives can look incredibly different in hindsight.
Reb absolutely knocked it out of the park with this life-affirming novel! #Grumplit has quickly become a favourite trope of mine, and Maurice's character will stay with me for years to come. The audio helped add an additional layer of relatable emotion to this heartfelt story with themes of love, loss, grief, guilt, regret, revenge, family and loneliness. Certain elements reminded me of A Man Called Ove, and All the Lonely People, two of my all-time favourites. I'll definitely be exploring more of Anne Griffin's work down the road.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers who like an older protagonist
• fans of #grumplit
• anyone who enjoyed A Man Called Ove and/or All the Lonely People
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"No one, no one really knows loss until it’s someone you love. The deep-down kind of love that holds on to your bones and digs itself right in under your fingernails, as hard to budge as the years of compacted earth. And when it’s gone … it’s as if it’s been ripped from you. Raw and exposed, you stand dripping blood all over the good feckin’ carpet. Half-human, half-dead, one foot already in the grave."
"I’m here to remember -- all that I have been and all that I will never be again."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death
Moderate: Drug use, Death of parent, Child death, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, and Cursing
Minor: Infertility, Terminal illness, Pregnancy, Cancer, Chronic illness, and Alcohol
overdose, death of partner, sibling death,mrs_b_reads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Grief
Moderate: Miscarriage, Child death, and Physical abuse
niallgoulding1's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Well written. You can nearly hear the main character as he holds court at the bar and by the end he is a very fleshed out character. The 5 stories he tells vary in quality but they all capture a real sense of Irish life, warts and all. I thought the first part of the book about his brother was really strong and was worth reading on its own.
But I must admit I hated the ending of the book. It just felt so wrong to me and the pall it cast over the book as you began to suspect what was coming, didn't work for me. But I know that's a very personal opinion
But I must admit I hated the ending of the book. It just felt so wrong to me and the pall it cast over the book as you began to suspect what was coming, didn't work for me. But I know that's a very personal opinion
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Mental illness
ampinfrance's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
An enjoyable book, and an interesting writing style. I liked the way I learnt about the life of the main character as I read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Death
Moderate: Violence
srilekha's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Death, Bullying, Mental illness, and Emotional abuse
sophiegallagher98's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide