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christieburke75's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bookishwendy's review against another edition
4.0
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via a Goodreads giveaway*
This book came with me on vacation and served me well as a beach- and campsite- read. It's a cozy little family drama about a very nontraditional family--namely, a single mother Paige (who is also a geneticist) with abandonment issues and her ten-year-old son who is old enough to start asking about his father. This puts Paige in a bind because the father is an anonymous sperm donor, a fact further complicated by a number of developments that I don't want to spoil. What I especially liked--and what sets this book apart--is the focus on genetics and science. Given that Paige is a geneticists, it's interesting to see how she tackles her emotional issues with science and access to a lab. Every chapter opens with a little scientific tidbit too--what is DNA, or nature vs. nurture, or Huntington's Disease, for example. If Caroline Leavitt or Jodi Picoult are up your alley, then The Ones We Choose might be, too!
This book came with me on vacation and served me well as a beach- and campsite- read. It's a cozy little family drama about a very nontraditional family--namely, a single mother Paige (who is also a geneticist) with abandonment issues and her ten-year-old son who is old enough to start asking about his father. This puts Paige in a bind because the father is an anonymous sperm donor, a fact further complicated by a number of developments that I don't want to spoil. What I especially liked--and what sets this book apart--is the focus on genetics and science. Given that Paige is a geneticists, it's interesting to see how she tackles her emotional issues with science and access to a lab. Every chapter opens with a little scientific tidbit too--what is DNA, or nature vs. nurture, or Huntington's Disease, for example. If Caroline Leavitt or Jodi Picoult are up your alley, then The Ones We Choose might be, too!
booksandboardingpass's review against another edition
3.0
Out of the 3 books I’ve read from Julia Clark I liked this one the least even though I did enjoy it.
It was an easy and quick read, the main character is really well rounded. Clark is really talented when it comes to character development. The only thing I felt I was missing was a bit more mystery feel like you get in her other novels where you just don’t know how it’s going to end. This novel was a bit more predictable.
It was an easy and quick read, the main character is really well rounded. Clark is really talented when it comes to character development. The only thing I felt I was missing was a bit more mystery feel like you get in her other novels where you just don’t know how it’s going to end. This novel was a bit more predictable.
illidia316's review against another edition
4.0
The amount of research that had to go into this book astounds me. Genetics has always fascinated me - why are my eyes brown, but my brother’s blue? - and reading a novel revolving around genetics was great. I really liked the characters and the relationships between them as well. I hope to read more books by this author in the future.
traceyd's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed the science discussed in this book, DNA, genetics, ...
jfbfsf's review against another edition
2.0
I think my main issue with the book, and one that didn't allow me to really engage in a lot of the drama that made up the plot lines, was this: a sperm donor is not a father.
A sperm donor has no responsibility to children conceived from his sperm - he's not THEIR DAD. He plays no part in their lives. A wife getting all enraged at the idea of finding out that her husband was a sperm donor years before they met doesn't make any sense to me. A boy who is sad because he doesn't have a dad does make sense - but finding information on his sperm donor is not the same as telling him about who his dad was.
Sometimes kids are sad about their life circumstances - sad that they can't take the same trips that friends take, sad that they don't have grandparents living nearby, sad that they don't have a pet. A parent's job is to help the kid deal with the reality of their lives, process the sadness, recognize other joys in life, despite whatever is missing, and move on. A parent's job is not to get all angsty and try to find whatever it is that the kid doesn't have/fill the hole. The mom in this book made the choice to have a child with donated sperm - so when the kid gets all sad that he doesn't have a dad, she should have just worked with him on dealing with the reality of the choice that she made, and the beauty of the family they do have. Not try to dig up info on a sperm donor and say "look - you do have a dad!"
Ok, that part aside... some of the school story lines didn't ring true for me. The super fast friendship between the two women in the book. The shaming of a working mom (in this day and age, I seriously can't imagine a public school community insisting that every parent volunteer, and/or not being able to conceive of volunteer opportunities for people who are not available during the day.) Also the whole family tree assignment - with NO VARIATIONS! - seemed unlikely.
The mom was just so angsty. But she's also a super driven, super smart scientist! I'm sure someone CAN be both... but I definitely got tired of all her hand wringing.
And the little science-y interludes between chapters felt so much like a boring school lecture that halfway through the book I started skipping them.
I'm a huge fan of Lisa Genova, and really didn't feel that this book deserved the comparison in the jacket blurbs.
Overall it was fine, and I finished it, but clearly it wasn't the best book I've read this month - or even this week.
A sperm donor has no responsibility to children conceived from his sperm - he's not THEIR DAD. He plays no part in their lives. A wife getting all enraged at the idea of finding out that her husband was a sperm donor years before they met doesn't make any sense to me. A boy who is sad because he doesn't have a dad does make sense - but finding information on his sperm donor is not the same as telling him about who his dad was.
Sometimes kids are sad about their life circumstances - sad that they can't take the same trips that friends take, sad that they don't have grandparents living nearby, sad that they don't have a pet. A parent's job is to help the kid deal with the reality of their lives, process the sadness, recognize other joys in life, despite whatever is missing, and move on. A parent's job is not to get all angsty and try to find whatever it is that the kid doesn't have/fill the hole. The mom in this book made the choice to have a child with donated sperm - so when the kid gets all sad that he doesn't have a dad, she should have just worked with him on dealing with the reality of the choice that she made, and the beauty of the family they do have. Not try to dig up info on a sperm donor and say "look - you do have a dad!"
Ok, that part aside... some of the school story lines didn't ring true for me. The super fast friendship between the two women in the book. The shaming of a working mom (in this day and age, I seriously can't imagine a public school community insisting that every parent volunteer, and/or not being able to conceive of volunteer opportunities for people who are not available during the day.) Also the whole family tree assignment - with NO VARIATIONS! - seemed unlikely.
The mom was just so angsty. But she's also a super driven, super smart scientist! I'm sure someone CAN be both... but I definitely got tired of all her hand wringing.
And the little science-y interludes between chapters felt so much like a boring school lecture that halfway through the book I started skipping them.
I'm a huge fan of Lisa Genova, and really didn't feel that this book deserved the comparison in the jacket blurbs.
Overall it was fine, and I finished it, but clearly it wasn't the best book I've read this month - or even this week.
caseymmoran's review against another edition
5.0
I’m a new reader and randomly chose this book from a local bookstore. Julie Clark beautifully displayed a common challenge we all face in our lives: the fight between head and heart. I encourage everyone to pick this up and let it reel you in. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and, most importantly, you will feel completely whole at the end.
ijustreadthisbook's review against another edition
3.0
god I hate science
Science is so hard until it’s very very very dumbed down. There was a lot of science in this book discovering and understanding genetics and I probably was able to take away two things but whatever, it’s fine. The story itself was....................interesting. I’m not a parent, so I was just stressed the entire time by what Paige assumed was her right just bc she’s a mom and that just rubbed me the wrong way while also giving her credit. Until she started blubbering like a baby to be the victim. no no sweetie
Science is so hard until it’s very very very dumbed down. There was a lot of science in this book discovering and understanding genetics and I probably was able to take away two things but whatever, it’s fine. The story itself was....................interesting. I’m not a parent, so I was just stressed the entire time by what Paige assumed was her right just bc she’s a mom and that just rubbed me the wrong way while also giving her credit. Until she started blubbering like a baby to be the victim. no no sweetie
site63seer's review against another edition
4.0
Thoroughly enjoyed
This book made me laugh and cry. I found the story kept me wanting to read more. Thought the topic of genetics was a nice change.
This book made me laugh and cry. I found the story kept me wanting to read more. Thought the topic of genetics was a nice change.