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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
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
I love a family drama, especially one that makes me contemplate grief, the fairness of life and life without those we love.
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Death of parent, Alcohol
Moderate: Cancer
emotional
reflective
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
(ARC received through goodreads giveaway)
The language of this novel flows very easily, making the reading easy and enjoyable. And I liked the casual queerness of at least part of this family; there's something to be said about homonormativity and conformity with the gay son who gets married and having kids being completely accepted, his queerness a non-issue, while the non-monogamous daughter's queerness becomes a point of contention, but I digress. This flows really well, and has a few moments of genuine emotional heft; the chapter detailing Dava saying goodbye to Arvid took me right out.
That said, I found the characterization lacking depth and a bit pedestrian. The central character, Dava, has her depths plumbed throughout the book, and yet I never really identified a true character arc of growth for her. She just seemed over and over to be a sharply ambitious woman who planned her children's futures for them and took their presence as her heirs for granted. I think ultimately she as intended to be painted as a flawed woman coming to terms with her own mistakes on her deathbed, but I don't think the execution landed. Meanwhile, the spouses are all seemingly flawless, the children don't have any sense of believable age about them, and there's just a lot of melodrama that doesn't feel emotionally earned. The premise of the book is of course emotionally charged, but the highs and lows of the four adult children don't land naturally, although I found that I adore Kali and want the best for her.
I also don't really know why the author chose to set this book twenty years in the future; actually as I typed that I think I realized it was probably for the musical references they wanted to make as touchstones in Dava's life. That said, the author seems to have acknowledged the larger world up until the present time (even a brief acknowledgement of the pandemic), but doesn't imagine a cultural or larger world in that twenty year span.
That said : the music the author chose is Fantastic, and well worth listening along to as you read.
The language of this novel flows very easily, making the reading easy and enjoyable. And I liked the casual queerness of at least part of this family; there's something to be said about homonormativity and conformity with the gay son who gets married and having kids being completely accepted, his queerness a non-issue, while the non-monogamous daughter's queerness becomes a point of contention, but I digress. This flows really well, and has a few moments of genuine emotional heft; the chapter detailing Dava saying goodbye to Arvid took me right out.
That said, I found the characterization lacking depth and a bit pedestrian. The central character, Dava, has her depths plumbed throughout the book, and yet I never really identified a true character arc of growth for her. She just seemed over and over to be a sharply ambitious woman who planned her children's futures for them and took their presence as her heirs for granted. I think ultimately she as intended to be painted as a flawed woman coming to terms with her own mistakes on her deathbed, but I don't think the execution landed. Meanwhile, the spouses are all seemingly flawless, the children don't have any sense of believable age about them, and there's just a lot of melodrama that doesn't feel emotionally earned. The premise of the book is of course emotionally charged, but the highs and lows of the four adult children don't land naturally, although I found that I adore Kali and want the best for her.
I also don't really know why the author chose to set this book twenty years in the future; actually as I typed that I think I realized it was probably for the musical references they wanted to make as touchstones in Dava's life. That said, the author seems to have acknowledged the larger world up until the present time (even a brief acknowledgement of the pandemic), but doesn't imagine a cultural or larger world in that twenty year span.
That said : the music the author chose is Fantastic, and well worth listening along to as you read.
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A 2022 staff favorite recommended by Erica. Check our catalog: https://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Sdava%20shastris%20last%20day__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=gold
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes