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jove64's review against another edition
4.0
This book deals with difficult topics -- mental illness, racism, classism. It's set mainly in the early 1970s with flashbacks to the '30s. There are a lot of uncomfortable issues in here. Sonja Yoerg does a wonderful job of telling the story of that difficult stuff.
The story revolves around Carole, in her 40s in 1972 and is partly told through her relationship to her mother, Solange, and her daughter, Allison. Her sister, Janine, whose birth triggered a series of traumatic incidents, also figures as a narrator. I was less convinced by the way Janine the adult is woven into the story.
The emotional tenor of the different situations the characters find themselves in is conveyed well, making this a difficult read at times. It does have a happy ending, though one consistent with what is possible. Recommended.
The story revolves around Carole, in her 40s in 1972 and is partly told through her relationship to her mother, Solange, and her daughter, Allison. Her sister, Janine, whose birth triggered a series of traumatic incidents, also figures as a narrator. I was less convinced by the way Janine the adult is woven into the story.
The emotional tenor of the different situations the characters find themselves in is conveyed well, making this a difficult read at times. It does have a happy ending, though one consistent with what is possible. Recommended.
jcpdiesel21's review
4.0
A heartfelt, compelling tale filled to the brim with rich characters and an emphasis on mental health issues in families. The story, which unfurls in time from the twenties to the seventies, is told through the strong voices of three generations of women, each deeply impacted by confusion, secrets and the past. I was particularly struck by Carole's passages, which painstakingly detail her descent into schizophrenia; the stellar writing perfectly relays every moment of her hellish journey. There's a little bit of everything at play here, but Yoerg effortlessly balances all of the storylines and even manages to weave a moving water theme throughout the book. A lovely literary gem.
Thanks to the First to Read program for providing me with an ARC of this title.
Thanks to the First to Read program for providing me with an ARC of this title.
kbranfield's review
3.0
3.5 stars.
Written from four distinct perspectives and weaving back and forth in time, All the Best People by Sonja Yoerg is an engaging novel about mental illness and to a lesser extent, social injustice between the wealthy and poor.
In 1972, Carole Gifford La Porte is a mother of three who works with her husband Walt in the family's car repair business. When she begins forgetting things and hearing voices, she is quick to assume her recent insomnia is responsible for her mind playing tricks on her. However, she cannot ignore her family's history of mental illness since her own mother, Solange, has been a permanent resident of the Underhill State Hospital ever since her father had her committed thirty-four years earlier. As Carole's condition worsens, she continues hiding her symptoms from her family and she begins growing paranoid and fearful of those around her.
Carole and Walt's eleven year old daughter Alison is becoming increasingly frustrated by her mother's bizarre behavior. She is also quite upset by her mom's refusal to help with the normal preparations for the upcoming school year. When her attempts to bring her mom's strange actions to her father's attention do not yield results, Alison tries casting spells and other supernatural phenomena to try to help her mother.
Thirty four year old Janine is nothing like her older sister Carole. Her birth is the catalyst for their father to commit their mother to the state hospital and Carole is the only maternal figure in her life. Janine is incredibly self-absorbed and she will go to any lengths to try to get her way.& Her actions throughout the story are extremely self centered and her final efforts to snag a husband go horribly wrong.
The middle part of the story centers on Solange and her marriage. Solange meets and marries her wealthy husband back in the 1920s and at first the differences in their family's socioeconomic status makes no difference in their lives. Solange is initially content to view the world through her husband's eyes but as she witnesses her poverty stricken family struggle to survive during the Depression, she begins forming her own opinions on the division between the classes. Her once happy marriage begins to flounder and in a moment of anger, Solange makes an ill-fated choice that will reverberate for generations.
The premise of All the Best People is quite unique and the historical elements are fascinating. However, Carole's worsening mental health symptoms become repetitive and somewhat annoying. While it is initially plausible that she successfully conceals her symptoms from her immediate family, there comes point when it is impossible to believe that Walt and their sons do not become more concerned about her increasingly strange behavior.
All the Best People is a well-researched novel that touches on some very relevant social issues. The portions of the storyline which focus on the Solange's history and Carole's attempts to hide her symptoms from her family are gripping but Janine's ridiculous attempts to snare a husband are, for the most part, an unnecessary distraction. Sonja Yoerg does an outstanding job educating readers on classism and the horrifying mental health practices that are thankfully no longer used. Overall, it is an interesting read that is quite informative.
Written from four distinct perspectives and weaving back and forth in time, All the Best People by Sonja Yoerg is an engaging novel about mental illness and to a lesser extent, social injustice between the wealthy and poor.
In 1972, Carole Gifford La Porte is a mother of three who works with her husband Walt in the family's car repair business. When she begins forgetting things and hearing voices, she is quick to assume her recent insomnia is responsible for her mind playing tricks on her. However, she cannot ignore her family's history of mental illness since her own mother, Solange, has been a permanent resident of the Underhill State Hospital ever since her father had her committed thirty-four years earlier. As Carole's condition worsens, she continues hiding her symptoms from her family and she begins growing paranoid and fearful of those around her.
Carole and Walt's eleven year old daughter Alison is becoming increasingly frustrated by her mother's bizarre behavior. She is also quite upset by her mom's refusal to help with the normal preparations for the upcoming school year. When her attempts to bring her mom's strange actions to her father's attention do not yield results, Alison tries casting spells and other supernatural phenomena to try to help her mother.
Thirty four year old Janine is nothing like her older sister Carole. Her birth is the catalyst for their father to commit their mother to the state hospital and Carole is the only maternal figure in her life. Janine is incredibly self-absorbed and she will go to any lengths to try to get her way.& Her actions throughout the story are extremely self centered and her final efforts to snag a husband go horribly wrong.
The middle part of the story centers on Solange and her marriage. Solange meets and marries her wealthy husband back in the 1920s and at first the differences in their family's socioeconomic status makes no difference in their lives. Solange is initially content to view the world through her husband's eyes but as she witnesses her poverty stricken family struggle to survive during the Depression, she begins forming her own opinions on the division between the classes. Her once happy marriage begins to flounder and in a moment of anger, Solange makes an ill-fated choice that will reverberate for generations.
The premise of All the Best People is quite unique and the historical elements are fascinating. However, Carole's worsening mental health symptoms become repetitive and somewhat annoying. While it is initially plausible that she successfully conceals her symptoms from her immediate family, there comes point when it is impossible to believe that Walt and their sons do not become more concerned about her increasingly strange behavior.
All the Best People is a well-researched novel that touches on some very relevant social issues. The portions of the storyline which focus on the Solange's history and Carole's attempts to hide her symptoms from her family are gripping but Janine's ridiculous attempts to snare a husband are, for the most part, an unnecessary distraction. Sonja Yoerg does an outstanding job educating readers on classism and the horrifying mental health practices that are thankfully no longer used. Overall, it is an interesting read that is quite informative.
stairclimber's review
4.0
Interesting look back on how mental illness was hidden and treated in the not so distant past. The author touched on the ease of which men could commit their "inconvenient or difficult " wives without much of a process. I would have liked more attention spent on that.
cindypager's review
4.0
A fascinating family story set in Vermont, with a harrowing look at the struggle between haves and have-nots and how easy it was to have someone committed to a mental hospital with no hope for release.
It's been said that we are as sick as our secrets. Sonja Yoerg's characters bring truth to that.
It's been said that we are as sick as our secrets. Sonja Yoerg's characters bring truth to that.
meltates's review
emotional
sad
fast-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
4.5
I loved the way the story unfolds over different time periods and with different characters perspectives of the same event. The story feels like an in depth character study in navigating complex family dynamics when mental health is involved
nataliejett's review
5.0
What a pleasant surprise. I loved this story of multi generational neurodivergence and how it affects people.
manonvanhastenberg's review
4.0
The chapters describing the experience of the different mental illnesses were sometimes scary/disturbing, but otherwise this was a very enlightening book about how stigma around mental health can negatively impact women's lives.
ssepko's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75