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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
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:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The premise is great and this is indeef a good book but it felt like something was missing to me. Maybe some more drama, maybe more background to some characters. I was not able to care too much about any of the characters, not even Dava.
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I thought this was an excellent novel about family, legacy and love. I’m sad it took me so long to read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Death of parent
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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:
Complicated
emotional
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
No
Ugh I really hated this book. None of the characters were likable. There were so many inconsistencies. She was too busy for her kids…but then wanted to have a bunch. It didn’t go deep into the siblings relationships with each other or with their spouses much. The whole Tom Buck part was dumb. And all the secrets she kept from her husband were just mean. Sandi was annoying too. Like their mom is dying and she’s SO focused on getting money for her unborn baby and was so needy. It was really hard to finish this book.
Hmm this fell super flat for me. The concept of faking one’s death by a couple days in order to see how one is memorialized is a super interesting concept. A concept that, in and of itself, speaks to a huge ego- so I don’t know why that darker edge of Dava’s wasn’t explored more? I think this would have been a far more interesting book if the author was more critical of the ultra-wealthy’s philanthropy as a political project and through that lens, explored the more sinister side to Dava’s need to have a legacy instead of always painting her a sympathetic character.
I also just hated the last little scene of Dava struggling to walk without help to her room where she will have the assisted suicide because she didn’t want to be an “invalid” even on the last day of her life— like horrible fucking ableism. Again, this could have been read as a critique on life and the wealthy had the book been willing to criticize Dava even once and not been soooo focused on depicting her as a complex but ultimately super inspiring #girlboss. So instead read to me like we are supposed to understand this a final act of strength and will which is gross.
I also just hated the last little scene of Dava struggling to walk without help to her room where she will have the assisted suicide because she didn’t want to be an “invalid” even on the last day of her life— like horrible fucking ableism. Again, this could have been read as a critique on life and the wealthy had the book been willing to criticize Dava even once and not been soooo focused on depicting her as a complex but ultimately super inspiring #girlboss. So instead read to me like we are supposed to understand this a final act of strength and will which is gross.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
wasn’t in the right headspace for it! will probably return back soon :)
the premise is definitely better than the execution. I wanted the family secrets to be way more interesting