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jweather23's review
3.0
2.5 stars The option to give half stars is definitely needed here. I did not really like this book but I did not hate it. The beginning was great and I was very interested in following Josephine's life. As the chapters moved on we jumped to so many different family members and it was not always clear which character the chapter was about or the relation to Josephine (child, grand child or great grand child). I had to keep referring to the family tree in the beginning to see where I was. I think this would have been better if all the chapters had been told through Josephine's eyes as she watched her family grow and expand around her with a few chapters following the life of Valentia/Martha.
elaineofastolat's review
3.0
I received this book from a Goodreads Giveaway.
Well, it started off strongly. I loved Josephine's story. Unfortunately, I hated her children. I hated her grandchildren even more. I liked Martha's story but there wasn't enough of it. Some characters had whole chapters devoted to them, but then they disappeared from the rest of the book. This book had the potential to be great; it's a shame I couldn't give it a more favorable review.
Well, it started off strongly. I loved Josephine's story. Unfortunately, I hated her children. I hated her grandchildren even more. I liked Martha's story but there wasn't enough of it. Some characters had whole chapters devoted to them, but then they disappeared from the rest of the book. This book had the potential to be great; it's a shame I couldn't give it a more favorable review.
mindfullibrarian's review
1.0
I have loved all of this author's books, but this one just made me depressed.
....the only word I can think to describe it "ugly". I wish I hadn't read it. No one was happy, tons of sexual descriptions that were anything but pleasant, and a ton of misery. Pass on this one, and hope Hood will come back to redeem herself with her next book.
....the only word I can think to describe it "ugly". I wish I hadn't read it. No one was happy, tons of sexual descriptions that were anything but pleasant, and a ton of misery. Pass on this one, and hope Hood will come back to redeem herself with her next book.
gmmersereau's review
emotional
sad
slow-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
2.25
The actual writing is well done, that's where the praise ends. According to the jacket copy this book is about a mother who gave her daughter up for adoption and then spent her life looking for her. What it's really about is multiple generations of women making stupid choices and having crappy sex. There is a ton of sex in this book, but it's not in anyway sexy. The first chapter and the last chapter actually read like a story, everything in between are snapshots of random people over multiple generations of an Italian family, more like short stories or an essay collection. Characters come and go from page to page, it's difficult to keep track of who people are and how they are related. Josephine's children (2nd generation) are referred to by their Italian and American names which just makes it more confusing as you now have 14(!) names to keep track of in one generation. I remembered at the end of the book that there is a family tree in the front, you'll want to keep that handy, it'll definitely help.
This was a bookclub pick for a group I'd like to join, otherwise I would have DNF'd it a couple chapters in, it's depressing, there are no characters to really root for. I would try another book by this author as I thought the actual writing was well done, but only on the recommendation of a trusted reader, clearly whoever wrote the jacket copy for this one didn't read the actual book.
This was a bookclub pick for a group I'd like to join, otherwise I would have DNF'd it a couple chapters in, it's depressing, there are no characters to really root for. I would try another book by this author as I thought the actual writing was well done, but only on the recommendation of a trusted reader, clearly whoever wrote the jacket copy for this one didn't read the actual book.
lola425's review
2.0
Not really sure how I feel about the book. I don't mind reading sex, but this book was just filled with the most desperate, depressing sex I've ever read. You would think that literally no woman in the period during and between the two world wars ever had a sexual encounter that wasn't tinged with sadness, or self-loathing, or loneliness. Unless that was the point, then brava. An editor at BEA this week said that one of the criticism of an early galley of the book was "too sexy", but there was absolutely nothing "sexy" about this book.
jeniecegoellner's review
2.0
This was an odd reading experience for me. I didn't like the book on a whole but I did enjoy reading it, which is what got it from a one-star review to a two-star one. Each chapter is a little vignette of the life of someone our main character, Josephine Rimaldi, is related to. Each story was a glimpse into this families life. And it all relates to sex....
Ok, maybe it's not suppose to be about sex. Maybe it's suppose to be about relationships. Or even if it's about sex, maybe it's suppose to more be about the liberation of sex, not having it be such a secret thing that should not be discussed among polite company. But really, it was just about sex. I didn't get any grand revelation while reading.
So while I enjoyed reading it, just to see where the novel might go, by the end I just didn't like it.
Ok, maybe it's not suppose to be about sex. Maybe it's suppose to be about relationships. Or even if it's about sex, maybe it's suppose to more be about the liberation of sex, not having it be such a secret thing that should not be discussed among polite company. But really, it was just about sex. I didn't get any grand revelation while reading.
So while I enjoyed reading it, just to see where the novel might go, by the end I just didn't like it.
kellyhager's review
4.0
I'm a huge Ann Hood fan and have been since I read The Knitting Circle. All of her books are far deeper than they appear to be at first glance and this one is no exception.
While the synopsis implies that the whole book is from Josephine's perspective, each chapter tells a different character's story. While I missed Josephine at first, I ended up liking all of the characters and the pieces they told of the family's history.
It's fascinating to see how the world changes and to have it told from one family's perspective (and one person at a time). The things that would be pretty much literally unheard of in Josephine's chapter because not only no big deal but actually commonplace in her granddaughter's chapter.
I loved this story and can't wait to read whatever Ann Hood does next.
Highly recommended.
While the synopsis implies that the whole book is from Josephine's perspective, each chapter tells a different character's story. While I missed Josephine at first, I ended up liking all of the characters and the pieces they told of the family's history.
It's fascinating to see how the world changes and to have it told from one family's perspective (and one person at a time). The things that would be pretty much literally unheard of in Josephine's chapter because not only no big deal but actually commonplace in her granddaughter's chapter.
I loved this story and can't wait to read whatever Ann Hood does next.
Highly recommended.
mdemanatee's review
2.0
I was given this book as part of the first reads giveaways in exchange for an honest review.
Rather than a "typical" novel structure, this reads as a bunch of connected short stories, following an Italian family in America from the turn of the century to the mid-70s. Hood's prose is beautiful, even as she exposes the darkness. If anything, this book seems to be about dreams that die, the disappointments of life. Where the American dream fails.
There is a sad beauty there, but as I don't get to spend much time with most of the characters, I have trouble really investing myself in their journeys. Especially as it quickly becomes clear that there will be no happy endings here. There is no even glimmer of hope. I know how it will end. Additionally, most of the disappointments revolve around relationships, especially romantic and sexual relationships. With most of the stories revolving around women, it packs the punch of discontent and unrest at the heart of the second wave women's movement.
This book wasn't my cup of tea at the moment. But there is something haunting here, and as a quick read it may be worth it. Just don't expect happily-ever-after.
Rather than a "typical" novel structure, this reads as a bunch of connected short stories, following an Italian family in America from the turn of the century to the mid-70s. Hood's prose is beautiful, even as she exposes the darkness. If anything, this book seems to be about dreams that die, the disappointments of life. Where the American dream fails.
There is a sad beauty there, but as I don't get to spend much time with most of the characters, I have trouble really investing myself in their journeys. Especially as it quickly becomes clear that there will be no happy endings here. There is no even glimmer of hope. I know how it will end. Additionally, most of the disappointments revolve around relationships, especially romantic and sexual relationships. With most of the stories revolving around women, it packs the punch of discontent and unrest at the heart of the second wave women's movement.
This book wasn't my cup of tea at the moment. But there is something haunting here, and as a quick read it may be worth it. Just don't expect happily-ever-after.
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