Reviews

All We Can Do Is Wait by Richard Lawson

ilikecows321's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful reflective sad

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

bestdressedbookworm's review against another edition

4.0

This was a really quick read, full of emotion with multiple stories running at the same time which sounds confusing but was done very seamlessly. I enjoyed it a lot, the chatacyets, the stories and thank you so much Richard Lawson for not keeping everyone alive!

lifesaverscandyofficial's review against another edition

4.0

very good debut! some POVs worked better for me than others, but ain't that the way with these types of things? a solid meditation on grief and community we find in the aftermath of the former.

cemsreadingcorner's review against another edition

5.0

This book is about a group of teens who are lost in life and are in the waiting room awaiting the news about their loved ones in the aftermath of the bridge collapse. They all seem to be trying to find their way. The book is written through the author’s point of view. With each chapter we learn about each of the individual’s past. We learn more about each character within each chapter. At the end, they all learn their loved ones’ fate.

I enjoyed the story. I chuckled at times and I shed some tears while reading this book. The only thing I didn’t like about it was when the characters found out that one of the other characters, Scott, has lied to them about his ex, they got mad and treated him like shit, even though they didn’t know why he lied. They weren’t understanding of his situation. I felt bad for him when they were all yelling at him and being harsh. Other than that, it was a nice story. I was captivated by what was going on. And there were a lot of great quotes. I love a great book with some good quotes! If this sounds appealing to you, then by all means, read the book. I recommend it. Happy Reading! ❤️

lazygal's review against another edition

3.0

Too many POVs and far too predictable. The grief and fear that the characters are supposed to feel wasn't well described, and their voices were relatively similar. Given the importance suggested by the location (the Tobin Bridge in Boston) it was surprising that there wasn't more sense of the city and people.

fantaghiro23's review against another edition

5.0

Wow. Just wow.

catladyreba's review against another edition

3.0

This grabbed my attention, especially because of the setting. Living right near Boston, it was interesting to see so many places that I recognized mentioned. There was a lot of emotion in this book, which seemed appropriate, but the main disaster seemed mitigated by the character's backstories. Overall, I did like it, but I didn't love it.

booksandpops4000's review against another edition

5.0

This book blew me away. I adore stories about strangers meeting and and a story based around that. I thought this book not only had a cool concept but also such a cool narrative and way of telling the story. I loved how past and present was used to to tell these five characters stories. I was equally invested in all the various POV and raced through it. It was a more emotional read and def tugged on my heart strings. I really enjoyed it and would rec. you get this book when it comes out in Feb. It was the prefect book to end 2017 with.

allebasi80's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

good concept, characters, and writing. main flaw was some of the conflict, esp at the end, which felt contrived/weird/unfair. liked the multiple characters and perspectives, and seeing their backgrounds come out slowly over the course of the story. sad but thought-provoking.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Alcohol

Moderate: Child death and Death of parent

Minor: Suicide

kba76's review against another edition

4.0

Sometimes a book just comes along at the right time. Perhaps on another occasion I’d have been irritated by the pacing of this or the endings for some of the strands, but at this point it felt like a rather cathartic experience.
Five teenagers end up in hospital in Boston after a major disaster. Nobody can do anything but wait. And as they wait, they talk and share stories about their lives. Each is caught up in their own story - with their own suffering - but there is a commonality to their experience that bonds them as the hours tick by.
The most obviously interesting characters were Alexa and Jason because of their shared past. Their story really examined loss and how we each deal with tragedy. Yet it was Megan who I was most intrigued by, and there was something fitting about her story ending.
In all, a raw and strangely uplifting book about loss in its many forms.