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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
overall a good read, not great. i found that there were too many extraneous characters (roxy, most of the book club members, ava's father, ava's son) who didn't do anything to further the story line. for any one who is triggered by stories of addiction this book should be avoided as one of the p.o.v is maggie's daughter who becomes addicted to heroin. plot was alright if not a bit uneven and the ending...well let's say it was all super convenient and leaned heavily on coincidence. meh. hood's "the obituary writer" was better.
Well written, good flow. Those are the pros...now the cons. I figured out the ending eary in the book. Spoiler alert....
Who the hell thinks it is acceptable to abandon a child because you lost another child?! Seriously! Ava just lost her sister and her Mother fakes her own death? Just up and abandons her grieving child and husband, even if she no longer loves him. Leaves her lover as well. Who deals with life this way? Just walk away from your troubles by starting a new life. Expects a book to make up for the loss of her mother. This book is a bit scattered. Ava is still a basket case a yr after her husband leaves her, why? Will, her son is just some mythical person living in Africa playing with apes. Maggie is rebellious child that has been given free reign to do as she please in a foreign land at 20. Again, seriously? Jim is just some jerk who cheated on his wife. The stories do not blend well. They have no connection with each other. And then, after pretending to be dead for 30ish yrs, she just shows up at her daughter's book club meeting. Like she could not have connected her at any time in the past. It is vague and selfish, that is what I get from this book. Not one I woukd recommend to others.
Who the hell thinks it is acceptable to abandon a child because you lost another child?! Seriously! Ava just lost her sister and her Mother fakes her own death? Just up and abandons her grieving child and husband, even if she no longer loves him. Leaves her lover as well. Who deals with life this way? Just walk away from your troubles by starting a new life. Expects a book to make up for the loss of her mother. This book is a bit scattered. Ava is still a basket case a yr after her husband leaves her, why? Will, her son is just some mythical person living in Africa playing with apes. Maggie is rebellious child that has been given free reign to do as she please in a foreign land at 20. Again, seriously? Jim is just some jerk who cheated on his wife. The stories do not blend well. They have no connection with each other. And then, after pretending to be dead for 30ish yrs, she just shows up at her daughter's book club meeting. Like she could not have connected her at any time in the past. It is vague and selfish, that is what I get from this book. Not one I woukd recommend to others.
Book #99 Read in 2016
The Book that Matters Most by Ann Hood
Ava's husband has left her for another woman. To try to bring some happiness back to her life, she joins her best friend's library book club. The theme of the book picks is "the book that matters most" and each member select a book choice. Besides book club, which allows her to meet a much younger man, Ava is also stressing about her daughter, Maggie, who is in Europe and making bad choices. I read this book in one sitting. It was a wonderful read.
The Book that Matters Most by Ann Hood
Ava's husband has left her for another woman. To try to bring some happiness back to her life, she joins her best friend's library book club. The theme of the book picks is "the book that matters most" and each member select a book choice. Besides book club, which allows her to meet a much younger man, Ava is also stressing about her daughter, Maggie, who is in Europe and making bad choices. I read this book in one sitting. It was a wonderful read.
This book reads like a love letter to family, love, loss, and strength. It is forgiveness, humor, and faith. I loved Hood's ability to connect small details, such as loss, addiction, and family to other stories. Truly a love letter to the literary world, the book that matters most is a quiet story that comes together so beautifully you want to invite the entire list of characters to a warm dinner and spend the night just listening to their stories.
I found myself putting down my other book to return to this one. The plot is engaging and quick, and I found something to like about almost every character.
This is NOT a book for kids or teens. :-)
This is NOT a book for kids or teens. :-)
I would give this a 4.5-5 star rating.
I loved Ava's story. There were so many facets to it. And then her daughter Maggie...she was a bit of a hot mess. Each section was divided up to showcase each book that the book club read. These were mostly classics and I have to say I have not read many of them or if I tried, I put it back down because I didn't like the book. But I enjoyed hearing the character's discussion of the books and I might give the book another shot later on.
I was a little surprised at the ending and Ava's reaction. I won't say much to not give it away, but I was surprised she took everything in stride and wasn't mad or hurt or upset. Maybe enough time had passed and she was more happy with the outcome than worrying about everything that led up to that point.
Overall a very enjoyable story.
I loved Ava's story. There were so many facets to it. And then her daughter Maggie...she was a bit of a hot mess. Each section was divided up to showcase each book that the book club read. These were mostly classics and I have to say I have not read many of them or if I tried, I put it back down because I didn't like the book. But I enjoyed hearing the character's discussion of the books and I might give the book another shot later on.
I was a little surprised at the ending and Ava's reaction. I won't say much to not give it away, but I was surprised she took everything in stride and wasn't mad or hurt or upset. Maybe enough time had passed and she was more happy with the outcome than worrying about everything that led up to that point.
Overall a very enjoyable story.
Between 3 and 4 stars. I enjoyed the basic plot about a recently divorced woman trying to get used to her new life and make new friends by joining a book club. I enjoyed the parts from her daughters POV. What I did not enjoy was the actual book club. I thought the literary discussion seemed forced and took away from the flow of the novel.
I thought some characters felt real like Ava and Maggie but many others seem oddly stiff and formal. I also have mixed feelings about the ending. I liked the concept of it but I find the actual behavior of the people at the very end extremely strange.
I thought some characters felt real like Ava and Maggie but many others seem oddly stiff and formal. I also have mixed feelings about the ending. I liked the concept of it but I find the actual behavior of the people at the very end extremely strange.
After her husband runs off with another woman (a "yarn bomber", of all things), Ava joins her friend Cate's book club. Each month, they're to read "the book that matters most" to one of them. Cheesy, right?
Meanwhile, Ava's daughter Maggie is in Paris making bad relationship choices and developing a major heroin habit. Her storyline is really what keeps the book from veering into overly safe, boring territory.
Ava tries to track down the author of her selected book, and that journey leads her to discover things about herself and her family.
This book wraps up a little too neatly and many may find it hard to suspend their disbelief. It has plenty of entertainment value, but it's not great literature.
Meanwhile, Ava's daughter Maggie is in Paris making bad relationship choices and developing a major heroin habit. Her storyline is really what keeps the book from veering into overly safe, boring territory.
Ava tries to track down the author of her selected book, and that journey leads her to discover things about herself and her family.
This book wraps up a little too neatly and many may find it hard to suspend their disbelief. It has plenty of entertainment value, but it's not great literature.
I loved this book way more than I imagined. Initially, I started taking notes for book club, but after page 50, it was so easy for me to read, that I didn’t want to stop.
There are so many layers, character development, and situations to discuss.
I do not have a close relationship with addiction, both parents are still living, as is my sister, and my “husband” has not left me for someone else...
I would not purposely choose to read the books each person chose, except Ava, but I enjoyed Cate’s background knowledge.
There are so many layers, character development, and situations to discuss.
I do not have a close relationship with addiction, both parents are still living, as is my sister, and my “husband” has not left me for someone else...
I would not purposely choose to read the books each person chose, except Ava, but I enjoyed Cate’s background knowledge.
Entertaining and a quick read, but disjointed in the dual story teller nature between Ava (mother) and Maggie (daughter). It came together a bit too cleanly with an interesting and somewhat unexpected twist that left me feeling uncomfortable, and then it just ended without addressing the obvious discomfort that would follow from such a reveal. If you want something quick and entertaining, go ahead and read it, but don't hold out for anything life changing.