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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
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
dark
emotional
reflective
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
dark
emotional
sad
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
I generally rate a book with a star rating based on my own enjoyment level and not necessarily how well the book is written. Their my reviews after all. So, does this book deserve better than a 3 star rating? Probably to many people it does.
It don’t like sad books very often. I really don’t like books that are sad most of the time. And I also enjoy a book less when I don’t like the lead character.
Why did I read this book then? I didn’t realize how sad it would be. It sounded like an amusing concept.
Dava knows she’s dying. She’s incredibly famous and incredibly wealthy. She’s done a lot of good for the world. She has her death leaked to the press early so she can see what is said about her.
Dava seems to be expecting that everything said about her will be good, she’s most famous for her charitable work after all. She is completely blindsided with two huge secrets from her past also come out and threaten to overtake the good things written about her.
She thinks it’s unfair that people would focus on scandalous gossip when she’s done so much good. She thinks it’s sexist.
But let me tell you a bit about Dava.
She leaked the news of her death to the press before telling her own children she was dying. They didn’t even know she was sick.
Now the whole family has found out, despite her trying to hide it by secluding everyone in a cabin without technological devices.
She’s also planning to have a doctor do an assisted suicide procedure for her.
The secrets that come out about her in the press?
Her kids didn’t know them either.
Now the whole family is together, they just find out their mom will die before they leave the cabin, they’ve got their children there with them, and they have to deal with the big secrets their mom kept while also processing that she’s dying.
I made it through this book but it was really just incredibly sad the whole way through. It was well written but it wasn’t for me.
It don’t like sad books very often. I really don’t like books that are sad most of the time. And I also enjoy a book less when I don’t like the lead character.
Why did I read this book then? I didn’t realize how sad it would be. It sounded like an amusing concept.
Dava knows she’s dying. She’s incredibly famous and incredibly wealthy. She’s done a lot of good for the world. She has her death leaked to the press early so she can see what is said about her.
Dava seems to be expecting that everything said about her will be good, she’s most famous for her charitable work after all. She is completely blindsided with two huge secrets from her past also come out and threaten to overtake the good things written about her.
She thinks it’s unfair that people would focus on scandalous gossip when she’s done so much good. She thinks it’s sexist.
But let me tell you a bit about Dava.
She leaked the news of her death to the press before telling her own children she was dying. They didn’t even know she was sick.
Now the whole family has found out, despite her trying to hide it by secluding everyone in a cabin without technological devices.
She’s also planning to have a doctor do an assisted suicide procedure for her.
The secrets that come out about her in the press?
Her kids didn’t know them either.
Now the whole family is together, they just find out their mom will die before they leave the cabin, they’ve got their children there with them, and they have to deal with the big secrets their mom kept while also processing that she’s dying.
I made it through this book but it was really just incredibly sad the whole way through. It was well written but it wasn’t for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Suicide, Death of parent
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
A little too slow paced for my liking. Wish there was a but more growth and development amongst the siblings throughout than at the very end.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Enjoyed it overall, but felt the flashback segments started to drag in the second half.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Terminal illness
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Library book- didn’t hold my attention enough to make me want to meet the due date. Might try on audio later
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
What an unusual book! Set in the future, but not in a futuristic society, the entire story takes place over probably a 48-hour period at most, with multiple perspectives and flashbacks to other relevant events. I loved that we alternate following different family members throughout and look at this particular situation through so many different lenses.
Ultimately, this is a story about complicated family dynamics and legacy. Since my actual job involves working with ultra high net worth families, I found this exploration fascinating, in many ways both similar and completely different from family dynamics I’ve experienced. The story left me thinking about legacy long after I finished reading it— what kind of legacy do you want to leave, and what happens if you are left a legacy you aren’t passionate about and ultimately do not want? There’s such a fine line between passing on wishes and legacy and controlling the next generation.
I’m not sure everyone would find this as interesting as I did, given my background, but I think it would still be a thought provoking and entertaining read for most, morbidity aside.
Thank you Grand Central Publishing for my copy of this book for review.
Ultimately, this is a story about complicated family dynamics and legacy. Since my actual job involves working with ultra high net worth families, I found this exploration fascinating, in many ways both similar and completely different from family dynamics I’ve experienced. The story left me thinking about legacy long after I finished reading it— what kind of legacy do you want to leave, and what happens if you are left a legacy you aren’t passionate about and ultimately do not want? There’s such a fine line between passing on wishes and legacy and controlling the next generation.
I’m not sure everyone would find this as interesting as I did, given my background, but I think it would still be a thought provoking and entertaining read for most, morbidity aside.
Thank you Grand Central Publishing for my copy of this book for review.