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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
3.5 stars, really. This book paints an intriguing picture of an alcoholic in denial. I wondered how many people, (successful in their careers, well liked by peers, devoted to family, etc.), struggle daily with addiction and refuse to admit that they need help. This is well written, but it was hard to "like" any of the characters. It is a sad story, as addiction stories most often will be, of almost an entire lifetime spent in a drunken haze. I worry about drunk drivers, and it's a terrible problem in America. This book makes me even more worried about who is driving around me and my family.
Engaging character-driven novel. Probably the most convincing first-person narrative of an alcoholic I have encountered- neither over the top nor preachy. I liked the characters very much. I would have given it three and a half stars if possible- but the plot went haywire in the last quarter of the book and, while it kept me reading, that last section felt less carefully considered than the rest and I was left feeling rushed to the end and shoved out the door. I would have read more to have a more thoughtfully structured ending. Still, a good book on the whole.
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
I found this book on Audible after reading a listener's review. I am so glad I did! This book was great. The story is set in Wendover, Massachusetts and chronicles the life of one of its townies, Hildy Good, a descendant of Sarah Good, famous from the Salem witch trials.
Hildy is a strong character. She owns her own realty company, is a very prominent and successful business woman and has a bit of trouble with alcohol. Hildy doesn't think she is an alcoholic and she will tell you many times that she just likes to have a few when she gets home. What harm is there in that?!
Things change in the sleepy, little village of Wendover, when Rebecca McAllister moves to town. Hildy befriends Rebecca because Rebecca needs a friend and she is one of the few people in town that doesn't know about Hildy's drinking.
And then one night, while sharing a bottle of wine with Rebecca, Hildy finds out that her suspicions regarding Rebecca are true - and that is when things begin to go wrong - horribly wrong.
Hildy is a strong character. She owns her own realty company, is a very prominent and successful business woman and has a bit of trouble with alcohol. Hildy doesn't think she is an alcoholic and she will tell you many times that she just likes to have a few when she gets home. What harm is there in that?!
Things change in the sleepy, little village of Wendover, when Rebecca McAllister moves to town. Hildy befriends Rebecca because Rebecca needs a friend and she is one of the few people in town that doesn't know about Hildy's drinking.
And then one night, while sharing a bottle of wine with Rebecca, Hildy finds out that her suspicions regarding Rebecca are true - and that is when things begin to go wrong - horribly wrong.
Elevated to four stars by Mary Beth Hurt's narration. Surprisingly fun. Maybe not as touching as it should have been in parts, but I'm OK with that.
Really good. Loved this book. I loved the facets of alcoholism that the author chose to portray, the fact that not all of them are bar drinkers or obvious drinkers. I loved the aspects of recovery (or lack there of) she wrote about. I wish the character of Rebecca and Peter had been developed a bit better. I feel like she did a great job with the main character, but some of the others were lacking the depth I was looking for. But overall, I was pleased with this book.
Pretty sure I would have enjoyed this more had someone other than Mary Beth Hurt been the reader.