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3.38 AVERAGE
3.38 AVERAGE
slow-paced
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm trying to remember my pithy thoughts on this book, as I finished it a week ago, right before leaving for the airport (for the flight that ended up cancelled). And then we ended up driving to Florida (from Minnesota) to attend my brother's wedding, so that was an epic drive, and we've had sketchy Wi-Fi and very little computer access for the past week. I kept adding new books to my "currently reading" list without taking anything off as I didn't have the time or resources to write recaps. Anyway, this long winded preamble is my explanation for why I can't remember everything I wanted to say about this book, but I do remember it decently well. And my explanation for why there was like 10 books on my currently reading list for a while, as that was rather nuts.
A second preamble, really? Why yes, because I want to explain why I selected this book. I'm doing a reading challenge list this year, and one of the categories is "something written when the author is over age 60". In my own dottering old age (of 46), I managed to transcribe that into my head as "author over age 70" which is an even smaller category. I immediately thought - great, I'll find a Margaret Atwood that I haven't read. Then I realized I've read she's written since turning 70, a most of her other stuff, and her website doesn't indicate that she's got anything coming out this year, so I started googling really unflattering searches like "old authors" and I'm hoping the NSA isn't monitoring those google searches, wondering why I'm stalking mature writers. In all fairness, this reading challenge also requires reading a book written by someone under age 25, and I'm going to read The Outsiders because it was either that or Eragon, which is also not a bad choice. So anyway, after doing some research decided on this book.
The only Anne Tyler book I'd read before this was Vinegar Girl, which I read because it was part of the Hogarth Shakespeare project, Taming of the Shrew, and not anything to do with the author. I know people who love Anne Tyler. I'm not sure if I'm going to join them. After promising my friend that I'd also read The Accidental Tourist, and not just this one, I'm now halfway through that book too. Things are getting a little jumbled, especially because I didn't have a chance to recap this one prior to starting the other one. Oh well, this is my burden to carry, it's not that heavy.
On to the book: It was ok, but not great. There were things I liked, and people I didn't actually care for that much:
1. I liked the structure and the jumping around in time to look at different generations of the same family. It reminded me of Commonwealth by Anne Patchett, but I preferred that book to this one. It was nicely done how people are referred to as elderly and passed away in some sections, but totally brought to life in their youth in other segments of the book, shedding new light on the references to Red's father's workmanship and his relationship with Red's mom. I actually preferred the focus on Red's childhood with his horrible sister and also the "how they met and married" story for Red's parents. They sounded like a hoot. Which bring me to my second point . . .
2. Some characters are really annoying. The greatest amount of time is spent on Abby, and that is a crying shame is she is my least favorite character. She's self-absorbed and bossy and annoying, so self-righteous and sanctimonious, but for some reason no-one calls her on her bullshit, and that is more annoying than anything. Except maybe their prodigal son Denny, who doesn't stick around for her micromanaging passive aggression. Denny is his own parade of self-entitled brat-dom though, so he's hardly a character foil for Abby. The most likeable character is the unfortunately named youngest son of Abby and Red, "Stem" whom we don't find out for most of the book is actually named Douglas, but self-important Abby decided to call him "Stem" for his awkwardly long neck. So Stem it is, and this poor soul is only referred to by his actual name by his wife, the second most likeable person in the book. It didn't know it was possible, but this book actually made me dislike social workers. Ok, not really, but it certainly didn't do any favors for that profession in my mind if Abby is the embodiment of their "we know best, do what we say, everyone" worldview.
3. The cover, and the blue thread, is beautiful. You don't find out until more than halfway through where the thread comes into play, but that was also decently done. I enjoyed looking at it more than I enjoyed other aspects, such as, Abby's entire family pretending like she doesn't have serious dementia and doing something about it. I've read Still Alice. It freaked me out. I swore to never read anything else by Lisa Genova, as I managed to develop every single symptom of Alzheimer's while reading that book because I'm wildly suggestible and it was very unpleasant. So, this wasn't fun, but it is real. But the family's reaction, Red's included, was ludicrous. I guess that is because everyone is so terrified to tell Abby "no" that they'd rather just move the universe around to suit her. Yuck.
Well, that is about it. It was ok, I can tell the author has talent, and there were interesting aspects, but I wasn't a huge fan.
A second preamble, really? Why yes, because I want to explain why I selected this book. I'm doing a reading challenge list this year, and one of the categories is "something written when the author is over age 60". In my own dottering old age (of 46), I managed to transcribe that into my head as "author over age 70" which is an even smaller category. I immediately thought - great, I'll find a Margaret Atwood that I haven't read. Then I realized I've read she's written since turning 70, a most of her other stuff, and her website doesn't indicate that she's got anything coming out this year, so I started googling really unflattering searches like "old authors" and I'm hoping the NSA isn't monitoring those google searches, wondering why I'm stalking mature writers. In all fairness, this reading challenge also requires reading a book written by someone under age 25, and I'm going to read The Outsiders because it was either that or Eragon, which is also not a bad choice. So anyway, after doing some research decided on this book.
The only Anne Tyler book I'd read before this was Vinegar Girl, which I read because it was part of the Hogarth Shakespeare project, Taming of the Shrew, and not anything to do with the author. I know people who love Anne Tyler. I'm not sure if I'm going to join them. After promising my friend that I'd also read The Accidental Tourist, and not just this one, I'm now halfway through that book too. Things are getting a little jumbled, especially because I didn't have a chance to recap this one prior to starting the other one. Oh well, this is my burden to carry, it's not that heavy.
On to the book: It was ok, but not great. There were things I liked, and people I didn't actually care for that much:
1. I liked the structure and the jumping around in time to look at different generations of the same family. It reminded me of Commonwealth by Anne Patchett, but I preferred that book to this one. It was nicely done how people are referred to as elderly and passed away in some sections, but totally brought to life in their youth in other segments of the book, shedding new light on the references to Red's father's workmanship and his relationship with Red's mom. I actually preferred the focus on Red's childhood with his horrible sister and also the "how they met and married" story for Red's parents. They sounded like a hoot. Which bring me to my second point . . .
2. Some characters are really annoying. The greatest amount of time is spent on Abby, and that is a crying shame is she is my least favorite character. She's self-absorbed and bossy and annoying, so self-righteous and sanctimonious, but for some reason no-one calls her on her bullshit, and that is more annoying than anything. Except maybe their prodigal son Denny, who doesn't stick around for her micromanaging passive aggression. Denny is his own parade of self-entitled brat-dom though, so he's hardly a character foil for Abby. The most likeable character is the unfortunately named youngest son of Abby and Red, "Stem" whom we don't find out for most of the book is actually named Douglas, but self-important Abby decided to call him "Stem" for his awkwardly long neck. So Stem it is, and this poor soul is only referred to by his actual name by his wife, the second most likeable person in the book. It didn't know it was possible, but this book actually made me dislike social workers. Ok, not really, but it certainly didn't do any favors for that profession in my mind if Abby is the embodiment of their "we know best, do what we say, everyone" worldview.
3. The cover, and the blue thread, is beautiful. You don't find out until more than halfway through where the thread comes into play, but that was also decently done. I enjoyed looking at it more than I enjoyed other aspects, such as, Abby's entire family pretending like she doesn't have serious dementia and doing something about it. I've read Still Alice. It freaked me out. I swore to never read anything else by Lisa Genova, as I managed to develop every single symptom of Alzheimer's while reading that book because I'm wildly suggestible and it was very unpleasant. So, this wasn't fun, but it is real. But the family's reaction, Red's included, was ludicrous. I guess that is because everyone is so terrified to tell Abby "no" that they'd rather just move the universe around to suit her. Yuck.
Well, that is about it. It was ok, I can tell the author has talent, and there were interesting aspects, but I wasn't a huge fan.
Vintage Anne Tyler. I feel as though Anne Tyler's literature has been my companion and has reflected all the stages of my own life. This is a moving family saga about the secrets families hold.
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
4.5 stars
This would be a "classic" Anne Tyler novel about ordinary people and their ordinary lives spanning over decades. I liked the tone of it, it was relaxing and very reflective, easy but a great read.
This would be a "classic" Anne Tyler novel about ordinary people and their ordinary lives spanning over decades. I liked the tone of it, it was relaxing and very reflective, easy but a great read.
Would have been a five if there was just a little more resolution ... more understanding of Denny’s life.