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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
The way Westhead weaves a story together is amazing. I have really visceral reactions to her writing And while I find some pieces of this book lacking, i hi k the overall effect is a winner. It’s dark and uncomfortable and makes me hold my breath deep in my chest.
3.5
It did have a tense feeling to it all the way through, so it made it's point that way.
Interesting read, not pleasant, but well written.
It did have a tense feeling to it all the way through, so it made it's point that way.
Interesting read, not pleasant, but well written.
Yay a new Jessica Westhead novel!!
I was so stressed out the entire time while reading this! What was going to happen? Why was the relationship between Ruth and Stef so tense? Where was Marvin's wife? Where was James? Was something bad going to happen to the kids?
This is an interesting examination of the types of motherhood that we can inherit and perpetuate, and how a life-long friendship could carry more weight than wonder.
It was tense but I flew through it, needing to know what was going to happen, waiting for someone to snap.
Yes it's about a cottage weekend but no, it's not a relaxing one :p
Can't wait to see what Jessica does next!
I was so stressed out the entire time while reading this! What was going to happen? Why was the relationship between Ruth and Stef so tense? Where was Marvin's wife? Where was James? Was something bad going to happen to the kids?
This is an interesting examination of the types of motherhood that we can inherit and perpetuate, and how a life-long friendship could carry more weight than wonder.
It was tense but I flew through it, needing to know what was going to happen, waiting for someone to snap.
Yes it's about a cottage weekend but no, it's not a relaxing one :p
Can't wait to see what Jessica does next!
This is a tense book which moves between memories and current. It is the story of Stef and Ruth, lifelong friends who's children play together and can be cruel to one another. A cabin party is happening with Ruth, Stef, her husband, the kids, and a cabin neighbor Marvin. Marvin tells the story of his wife and his inability to have kids. The drinks flow, the kids play, and Ruth constantly worries. Memories flow as Stef and Ruth's story together gives light to their relationship.
It is a slow moving book which reads with great tension throughout. The memories just appear breaking into the narrative without warning. It is a slow moving read, but worth it to get to the end.
It is a slow moving book which reads with great tension throughout. The memories just appear breaking into the narrative without warning. It is a slow moving read, but worth it to get to the end.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
I read and read waiting for something major to happen, but it just never really got there for me. Not what I was expecting I guess anyways.
I wasn’t a fan of the way the author bounced from current to past without ever informing the reader; it was confusing at times.
I wasn’t a fan of the way the author bounced from current to past without ever informing the reader; it was confusing at times.
The dialogue in this book felt a bit stilted and I didn’t love how it would jump from past to present from one paragraph to the next. You could feel the tension building throughout the story but honestly the ending was a bit disappointing.
The tension in this story reminded me of Elisabeth de Mariaffi's books, and reading it during the pandemic meant I often picked it up just to put it down again because it was too much. Complicated relationships here, and I'm not certain the plot worked for me in the end, but the strength of the book is in its tautness and exploration of emotions like grief and jealousy.
3.5*. Super fast read. I really liked the writing — more than the content, if that makes sense. I found the toxic friendship a bit heavy handed. So much of the book made me feel sad, and some parts really made me squirm (so, it was effective). I’m not sure what I think about the ending, but the fact that I’m thinking about it after finishing the book is a strength. This won’t be for everyone. But I’ll read more of this author’s work.