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emilywemily6's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-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
4.25
I really enjoyed this book! There is an emotionally diverse cast of characters in a sweet found family environment. Arthur’s banter was witty and the use of books/book quotes was really entertaining and insightful. This felt like a more lighthearted and shallower version of A Man Called Ove, but it wasn’t shallow by any means. So many moments made me laugh or smile, and it was such a joy to read. I liked having different perspectives/voices, though I wish that there was more depth of character in each of them; a lot of the character development felt rushed. The ending of the book also felt abrupt, but didn’t end on a cliffhanger that implies a future book, so it just felt a little incomplete.
This scapegoating or APS (Adult Protective Services) bothered me too, as someone who works in the medical field. Medical providers legally cannot force a patient to stay in the hospital/receive treatment so Arthur had every right to do as he wished. In all my healthcare experience with APS, APS only gets involved when someone is abusing/neglecting a vulnerable adult. As a competent human, Arthur can decide what he wants to do even if it is harmful for his health. So that part of the storyline irked me.
While a few of these characters have suffered death of loved ones, none of them has a truly troubled life. They are ordinary people with ordinary problems and ordinary loneliness, nothing super traumatic (like drug abuse, sexual assault, murder, extreme poverty, etc.) which made them relatable and easy to read about in a lighthearted way.
While a few of these characters have suffered death of loved ones, none of them has a truly troubled life. They are ordinary people with ordinary problems and ordinary loneliness, nothing super traumatic (like drug abuse, sexual assault, murder, extreme poverty, etc.) which made them relatable and easy to read about in a lighthearted way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Medical content, Cursing, Terminal illness, and Grief
Minor: Child death, Death, and Death of parent
sarah_thebooknerd's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
5.0
Thank you Libro FM and the publisher for a free audio copy in exchange for an honest review.
Okay listen, everyone who is an avid reader and loves books needs to read this book. It is such a beautiful tribute to why we love books and how they have the power to bring people together. This book discusses the depths of loneliness and the lengths that people will go for human connection when feeling starved.
I loved the discussions between the characters, the curmudgeon of the group and the banter that happened with all of the characters with him was just everything, parenting and how sometimes the more you want to hold on to your children you lose them more, grief, putting up walls to protect yourself, wanting to re-connect with family you want in your life and power of friendship and love just made me so happy.
I cannot emphasis enough to pick up this book.
Okay listen, everyone who is an avid reader and loves books needs to read this book. It is such a beautiful tribute to why we love books and how they have the power to bring people together. This book discusses the depths of loneliness and the lengths that people will go for human connection when feeling starved.
I loved the discussions between the characters, the curmudgeon of the group and the banter that happened with all of the characters with him was just everything, parenting and how sometimes the more you want to hold on to your children you lose them more, grief, putting up walls to protect yourself, wanting to re-connect with family you want in your life and power of friendship and love just made me so happy.
I cannot emphasis enough to pick up this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content
Moderate: Grief and Death
purplepenning's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
I was super close to DNFing in the first 50 pages, and I'm still wondering if that might've been the better choice. It's competently written, and I understand why others might like it, but there's something off and off-putting about this one, and I'm sorry to say I'm not going to devote any more time to it to try to figure it out. It's an "irascible/antisocial/curmudgeonly elder and other floundering figures connect and create a supportive community" story, of a sort I've certainly read and appreciated before — A Man Called Ove, The Authenticity Project, The Reading List, All the Lonely People, Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle. It's written in multiple points of view, which I also generally enjoy. The first section proved to be my least favorite POV, so I was hopeful that pushing through it would be worthwhile. It was... okay-ish. Interesting characters, whose back stories are basically the plot, and a moderately satisfying conclusion. I would've preferred fewer characters, more depth, more challenge to some of the casual cruelties and sexism, more humor, and a greater sense of sustainable growth and happiness at the end.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, Sexism, Grief, Medical content, Abandonment, Cancer, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Child death, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Alcohol, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
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