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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
OY, talk about a dysfunctional family! This book was so incredibly wordy and tedious to read. Some would call that a “slow burn”. I was more than happy to set it down for a couple days which is very unlike me as I tend to plow through books in a couple days.
The story is based on triplet siblings and the late arrival (17 years late) of their sister. The book starts off with the story of how their parents met and then branches off to focus on the siblings lives and relationships (or lack there of) with one another.
The parents should never have gotten married in the first place and bringing kids (through IVF) into an unstable relationship was just like putting a bandaid over a bullet wound. Then the mom deciding to have another child (via frozen embryo and via surrogate) was another way to avoid the fact that her husband had been completely checked out of their lives since the beginning.
None of the characters are likable in any way except for the youngest sister (the “latecomer” herself).
I kept thinking to myself, these people need to learn how to communicate and go to therapy!
Yes, the story is a (long) cerebral, character study. The themes of privilege, race, class, family dynamics/relationships, identity and belonging are addressed, but overall it felt a bit… preachy?
What I did enjoy was that it was written chronologically. As a reader, you get to witness each character’s growth and understand the reasoning behind their decisions/actions.
Overall, it was just OK.
**ARC courtesy of Celadon Books.
The story is based on triplet siblings and the late arrival (17 years late) of their sister. The book starts off with the story of how their parents met and then branches off to focus on the siblings lives and relationships (or lack there of) with one another.
The parents should never have gotten married in the first place and bringing kids (through IVF) into an unstable relationship was just like putting a bandaid over a bullet wound. Then the mom deciding to have another child (via frozen embryo and via surrogate) was another way to avoid the fact that her husband had been completely checked out of their lives since the beginning.
None of the characters are likable in any way except for the youngest sister (the “latecomer” herself).
I kept thinking to myself, these people need to learn how to communicate and go to therapy!
Yes, the story is a (long) cerebral, character study. The themes of privilege, race, class, family dynamics/relationships, identity and belonging are addressed, but overall it felt a bit… preachy?
What I did enjoy was that it was written chronologically. As a reader, you get to witness each character’s growth and understand the reasoning behind their decisions/actions.
Overall, it was just OK.
**ARC courtesy of Celadon Books.
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is long! In fact that is why I took off a star. I can’t decide if I would have been as invested in the ending without the seemingly meandering first two acts of this book but as I read them they were at time tedious. I will say that if you can stick with it through the first two parts, the third part moves quickly to weave the separate stories into a cohesive and heartwarming story of family dysfunction and redemption.
If you like shows like Parenthood, Brothers and Sisters, This Is Us, or movies like The Family Stone, I think you will like this book. It has been on my to-read shelf for a while and kept getting back burner due to length but in the end I think it was worth the time.
If you like shows like Parenthood, Brothers and Sisters, This Is Us, or movies like The Family Stone, I think you will like this book. It has been on my to-read shelf for a while and kept getting back burner due to length but in the end I think it was worth the time.
emotional
reflective
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
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
funny
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
A strong 4 Star. Really enjoyed the writing and the different points of view of the siblings. I was quickly drawn in by their bizarre dysfunction and wanted to see how it played out. But I will say, I don't think readers were ever supplied with a strong or believable reason for the siblings' innate animosity towards one another. Which made some character decisions just feel incredibly extreme. The resolution was a bit tidier than I was expecting, but I'll be honest and say I was glad for it. Looking forward to reading Jean Hanff Korelitz's The Plot next!
emotional
funny
sad
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
reflective
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