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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4 stars! This book made me realize I actually really enjoy reading books about big family dynamics. I know all of the characters are meant to be somewhat unlikeable in one way or another, but I still had a favourite (Annette). I found that I understood Rachel and Natasha the least; not because I couldn't empathize but because they had the least amount of pov chapters. I know it's hard to get a full picture of every character, but I feel like there's still so much I want to learn about Rachel, in particular, that we didn't get in the book. It was a fun read because, despite the over-the-top drama, it still felt grounded in reality.
I am giving this book a 3 star rating. I wanted to like this book. This was my second time picking this book up. But I just hated the characters so very much. I did not care what happened to them. I thought it would be humorous, but it was not funny at all. If you like family drama and lots of it, then this is the book for you. This is a Dysfunctional family to say the least. This novel has a mix of sibling rivalries, teenage drama, secret millionaires, secret money troubles, secret health problems, secret addictions, secret romances, secret desires…..basically everyone is keeping a secret. I found it tiring watching them bicker, keep secrets, and just everyone behind each other’s backs. There is the two grandparents, 2 siblings; one sibling has a husband and 2 teenage kids and one has a young girlfriend. There were way too many people to keep track of their drama and they flip back and forth to each character. They do this all on a cruise ship. Needless to say, I found it hard to get into.
funny
lighthearted
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
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. This book was witty and sarcastic. The insights and observations of what it is like to be around family, how old roles and habits and emotions come into play, was spot-on. I especially thought the parent of parents aspect was done well-- that feeling of trying to live up to what your parents wanted you to be while doing the same thing to your own children, and maybe finding understanding in the process. There were a lot of serious issues in this book, and I thought they were handled well. The end wrapped up nicely, and I actually was a bit emotional (there may have been tears).
If you’ve ever been on a cruise, or lived in Sacramento, you’ll roll your eyes a lot. But I liked the examination of the family dynamic and I appreciated that at least a couple of the characters acknowledged that despite their problems they were a very privileged family.
It was a tedious family drama with no redeeming characters