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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
Adult Breakfast Club During A Disaster. Ok, so I love me a good disaster movie, and The Breakfast Club (look it up, kiddos) is one of the most iconic movies Hollywood has ever produced, at least for those of us who were anywhere from young kids (and mostly learning of its amazingness a few years after it released) to young adults (who were actively living it) in that era. Here, Payne manages to hit both notes while admittedly not having quite the same tear-jerking punches of both of her prior novels. The front part of the book sets up the disaster, and actually does nearly as good a job as the Tommy Lee Jones movie Volcano in showing just how "normal" the day of the disaster is. Then the disaster strikes and our more Breakfast Club mode kicks in. Here, our cast isn't trapped by an overbearing Principal in detention, but in a life and death struggle to stay alive and stay warm during a brutal snowstorm - but the ultimate tones and themes are very similar, up to and including various relevant tragic backstories. (Note that only the currently-relevant-backstories-at-time-of-publication part is similar between the two. The actual backstories are actually wildly divergent and yet great looks into under-told stories of each type of person.) And yet - get ready for yet another movie reference - the ending drags on a bit similar to The Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King. Ok, the "coronation" has finally happened. We don't need half the tale being what happens after! (Note, nowhere near that bad here - more like the back 20% ish of the tale.)
Still, the writing is as beautiful and poignant as ever, the overall backstories are inventive in their rarity in literature, and ultimately this *is* a really strong book that everyone should read. Very much recommended.
Still, the writing is as beautiful and poignant as ever, the overall backstories are inventive in their rarity in literature, and ultimately this *is* a really strong book that everyone should read. Very much recommended.
The premise of this book is so good. Four people, acquaintances and strangers caught in a library during a major snowstorm. unfortunately the promise of the premise is not bourn out in the book. I had three main problems - the characters are two dimensional stereotypes, Nora is completely unlikable and Melissa Payne has no understanding of addiction or drug use. (Seriously, someone snorts heroin, outside during a storm. And you need a flat surface and pure heroin to do that. And most habitual users inject or smoke it.) What really bugged me was the idea that addiction is a lack of willpower. "Not even the threat of death seemed to be enough to make him change". THATS NOT HOW IT WORKS!
Nora gives up all her dreams for a brother who has vanished into addiction, and there is no reason for this. A mobile phone and / or an email address would cover it. She's a bad friend and a really boring character. .
It pains me to say so, but I DNFd this. I realised I didn't case if she got a happy ended or got hit by a car.
Oh well, onwards to other books.
Nora gives up all her dreams for a brother who has vanished into addiction, and there is no reason for this. A mobile phone and / or an email address would cover it. She's a bad friend and a really boring character. .
It pains me to say so, but I DNFd this. I realised I didn't case if she got a happy ended or got hit by a car.
Oh well, onwards to other books.
About a 3.5. This is a book about people that got trapped in a library during a snowstorm. It tells of their lives and thoughts while they’re stranded in the library. Gives you a better understanding of peoples feelings.
emotional
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
emotional
reflective
tense
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:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
A bit slow to start with and I almost gave up. I’m so pleased I didn’t. Loved the ending.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Suicide
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse
Moderate: Death of parent
Ugh-this book GUTTED ME! Like over and over. Such a powerful story! And it takes place in a library, so that’s just perfect.
We meet five very different people, some with wounds and scars we can see, but most without outward signs of their loneliness and brokenness. They start out as strangers that are thrust together during a terrible storm and forced to spend a cold and miserable night in the stacks. When the sun comes out, they have all grown and learned. But there’s no guarantee that those lessons will be heeded.
It took until about a third of the way through the book before I was able to relax into the story. The multiple POV at first felt stifling. I also didn’t want to be given so many foreshadowing clues to major revelations. I picked up on almost everything before it happened. In general, the writing was a star below the story.
But it didn’t keep me from falling in love with all the people and crying several times. As the POV shifted, I really got a taste for each person’s voice. I could see each person, hear them and even watch the way they moved. The plot had a natural flow that lent to the air of self discovery. Really well drawn.
Thank you to Get Red PR and the publisher for my free copy. These opinions are my own.
We meet five very different people, some with wounds and scars we can see, but most without outward signs of their loneliness and brokenness. They start out as strangers that are thrust together during a terrible storm and forced to spend a cold and miserable night in the stacks. When the sun comes out, they have all grown and learned. But there’s no guarantee that those lessons will be heeded.
It took until about a third of the way through the book before I was able to relax into the story. The multiple POV at first felt stifling. I also didn’t want to be given so many foreshadowing clues to major revelations. I picked up on almost everything before it happened. In general, the writing was a star below the story.
But it didn’t keep me from falling in love with all the people and crying several times. As the POV shifted, I really got a taste for each person’s voice. I could see each person, hear them and even watch the way they moved. The plot had a natural flow that lent to the air of self discovery. Really well drawn.
Thank you to Get Red PR and the publisher for my free copy. These opinions are my own.