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tennilles's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
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? No
5.0
readitall199's review against another edition
5.0
I really loved this novel. It is about hysteria and prejudice and what may happen to unravel a family.
Polly and Ivan find out that their eleven year old daughter, Amanda has contracted AIDS through a blood transfusion after surgery. Slowly the small town they live in is mired in a controversy over weather they want their children to attend school with Amanda. There are many small moments that capture the sudden loss of slowly losing a child - what would that be like for a family who loves each other? Amanda wants to continue gymnastics competition but is losing weight and very weak.
The book shifts POV between members of the community, Polly, Ivan, the doctor, Charlie - their young son.
Hoffman is a keen observer of small beautiful details in nature in human characters.
Polly and Ivan find out that their eleven year old daughter, Amanda has contracted AIDS through a blood transfusion after surgery. Slowly the small town they live in is mired in a controversy over weather they want their children to attend school with Amanda. There are many small moments that capture the sudden loss of slowly losing a child - what would that be like for a family who loves each other? Amanda wants to continue gymnastics competition but is losing weight and very weak.
The book shifts POV between members of the community, Polly, Ivan, the doctor, Charlie - their young son.
Hoffman is a keen observer of small beautiful details in nature in human characters.
taisie22's review against another edition
4.0
In this era of a global pandemic, I found a resonance with this book about the AIDS epidemic. In this case, the story focuses on one family and the effect of an AIDS diagnosis when their eleven-year-old daughter, a budding gymnastic star, is diagnosed with AIDS due to a blood transfusion. Mother, father, and brother are all deeply impacted as well as the other townsfolk and family. This is in the early days of AIDS when there was still a lot of misinformation and fear (much like today with Covid-19).
Alice Hoffman is one of my favorite authors, so I was happy to find a book of hers that I'd missed reading. The story is both poignant and infuriating as new bonds are forged and old friendships lost. As I watch my fellow American citizens try to deal with the current pandemic, I recall how poorly our government assisted in the AIDS crisis and how helpless many medical people felt in dealing with their patients, and how fear overrode common sense for many people.
This book is a small but well-written time capsule that reminds one how everything goes around, very apropos for our times.
Alice Hoffman is one of my favorite authors, so I was happy to find a book of hers that I'd missed reading. The story is both poignant and infuriating as new bonds are forged and old friendships lost. As I watch my fellow American citizens try to deal with the current pandemic, I recall how poorly our government assisted in the AIDS crisis and how helpless many medical people felt in dealing with their patients, and how fear overrode common sense for many people.
This book is a small but well-written time capsule that reminds one how everything goes around, very apropos for our times.
kerrykerryboberry's review
Phenomenally depressing circumstances, not very likeable or engaging characters, situation really didn't age well.
kiara_adir's review against another edition
4.0
Heartbreaking and honest. A beautiful story about a family breaking apart and coming together in the face of tragedy.
ashj_1218's review against another edition
4.0
Truly a gut wrenching book. Written in such a way that we don't wallow in the sadness, but feel it rush over like a breeze. My only complaint is there was one teeny addition to a moving scene that I felt didn't need to happen and cheapened the book some. I loved the comfort of the scene, but not that one additional step. I would have loved it to be left alone instead. We got the image and the pain and the need for companionship through other avenues. For me, this book made me have to keep reminding myself that I take my life for granted and that my children are safely asleep in bed, healthy and strong, but that can change in an instant.
shawna_brauer's review
4.0
3.75 stars. I enjoyed the book, but felt that the characters were a little too predictable. And I didn’t care for the ending...I felt that too many things were left unanswered.
x_tora's review
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25