Reviews

Pete and Alice in Maine by Caitlin Shetterly

bethreadsandnaps's review

4.25

4.25 stars

This is a quiet, character/marriage-driven story about a couple with two girls who retreat to their second home in Maine early in the pandemic. I was surprised with the low reviews this one got because I quite liked it. However, I am drawn to character-driven stories, and I don't shy away from the pandemic backdrop. 

The driver of their retreat to Maine is the pandemic, yes, but there is a bit more going on than that. And I enjoyed the layers being pulled back like an onion. 

lthale's review

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This is another book I'm having a difficult time rating.  The writing in incredible.  When I say I was pulled in from the first sentence, I mean the actual sentence. It's sharp, and clever, and yet also written with just the right emotion for the moment.  As for the plot and characterization... that's where I struggled, because there were things I loved and things and I really struggled with.

I appreciated Shetterly's honesty about who these people are: their feelings and impulses, the choices they have and continue to make, and how all of these things can swing widely from moment to moment.  I also really enjoyed the back story of this couple and family, which tells us about who they were when they met, and how life has changed them both, and they changes they've undergone.  

What I didn't enjoy was who Pete and Alice are in the present. I do not mind unlikeable characters.  BUT... they have to be interesting, and I have to at least want to understand how they became who they are.  This couple had become so unlikeable in such a banal way; they were unlikeable and dull.  They also seemed like completely different people not only from who they had been but from who they wanted to be.  (And how on earth did they raise and tolerate such a horrid child???) I finished the book both impressed but also not caring one bit what might happen to them next.  

catreads62's review

emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I love reading about marriages and this one was I thought a very thoughtful novel about a marriage falling apart, how messy and uncomfortable family life can be.  These were not totally likable characters including the children but I thought this added to the novel not take away. The unravelling takes place during the deep covid and sheltering in place and I thought the author did a good job of capturing the unique stress of that time. 

alexfkimmel's review

dark emotional reflective sad medium-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

5.0

piggyreadsbooks's review

reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

themadmadmadeline's review

reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

Started at three stars for quality of writing and dropped to a one star - what was the point of this? Uncomfy and messy and at a loss for direction. The end was also random and fell very flat. Yuck. 

The daughters were also horrific. 

swbowers's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

lareebee's review

March 23, 2024

kahkmyers's review against another edition

sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

This a slow moving story following a married couple with struggles of infidelity and trust. I thought the wife was a selfish and poor mother. I thought the father was ridiculous and evasive. And the older daughter was absolutely horrible. She called everyone in her family an idiot and stupid and told them she hates them every other page it seemed. And nobody ever said anything to her like this was acceptable. But then the mother complained internally about how the kids always fought. But you’re showing your kids their behavior is acceptable by never correcting them. And she never seems to find the time to talk to her husband about his infidelity even though they are stuck in a house in Maine through a pandemic. This is a horrible and uneventful story of people who just want to complain about their life and never do anything about it. I kept wondering if the author has a family because the writing seems to be that of someone with no family experience but she is indeed married and has kids. Hopefully she does not believe her characters to be a picture of anything resembling healthy behavior.  The way the characters behaved just seemed unbelievable and too far fetched for the story that was trying to be told 

earthmother73's review

emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0