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3.26 AVERAGE
3.26 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Can somebody please enlighten me on what part was supposed to be funny, because I couldn't find the punchline. I felt for Harriet, her life story was heartbreaking, but there was never a lol moment for me.
This was a quick read, which is exactly what I was looking for between more heavy book club picks. I liked the story even though I didn't love the characters. It made me reflect and think about aging and family dynamics, as well as brought to mind a theme we recently discussed in my book club about "perfect families", and how, more often than not, there isn't a lot of perfect beneath the public face of that family.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Short, propulsive chapters pull you through, from the time of Harriet’s birth, to the end. Almost every character extended grace.
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I've read one book of Jonathan Evison's previously The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving and I loved it. So I hit that request button in a hurry when I saw this one come up on Netgalley.
This is the story of Harriet Chance. Told almost like a talk show host is hosting it for our viewing pleasure/displeasure. (There actually was a show like this on a hundred years ago-I barely remember it and I'm ancient)
Harriet's story is told through flash backs and present time. Her present time is shortly after her husband Bernard has died and she found out that he purchased the both of them tickets for an Alaskan cruise. Harriet's children don't want her to go because they think she is not in the best of health. Maybe, because she is suddenly seeing and talking to her dead husband.
But those children are not completely innocent in their looking after their aging mother. Assholes. (I didn't like either of them)
After realizing that she hasn't done much for herself in her entire lifetime Harriet decides to take the trip anyways. You do have to live sometime.
She plans on going with her best friend Mildred, but at the last minute Mildred backs out of the trip. She sends a letter with Harriet to be read after she starts the cruise. (You know that shit is not going to end well.)
Harriet's life showcase shows that she made some choices that changed her life..sometimes for the good and sometimes not. Some of the things that happened to her were just not her fault. But no one is completely innocent in a life.
Yes, all in all, things could be a lot worse. You could be divorced. You could be a widow. Gallo could stop selling wine by the jug. And where would that leave you, Harriet? Bored and sober.
Mine probably goes about like this....
This book did make me wonder through my memories at my life though and it frigging scared the shit out of me and made me want to give this book a one star.
You can't remember getting old. You can't remember when exactly you started carrying umbrellas just in case, when you started scheduling your weekly hair washings, oversalting your food, or reusing zipper-lock bags. It happened gradually.
PS..there is a habit of Harriet's that grated on my nerves through the whole book. She calls every dang body "dear"...
Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.
Now for the fun part!
I'm spotlighting a reviewer that my friend Kellymade told me to start following. He reviews awesomely so I did as I was told. For once.
Here is Larry's review. He uses words to review instead of cuss words and gifs like I do..but he still is pretty cool.
This is the story of Harriet Chance. Told almost like a talk show host is hosting it for our viewing pleasure/displeasure. (There actually was a show like this on a hundred years ago-I barely remember it and I'm ancient)
Harriet's story is told through flash backs and present time. Her present time is shortly after her husband Bernard has died and she found out that he purchased the both of them tickets for an Alaskan cruise. Harriet's children don't want her to go because they think she is not in the best of health. Maybe, because she is suddenly seeing and talking to her dead husband.
But those children are not completely innocent in their looking after their aging mother. Assholes. (I didn't like either of them)
After realizing that she hasn't done much for herself in her entire lifetime Harriet decides to take the trip anyways. You do have to live sometime.
She plans on going with her best friend Mildred, but at the last minute Mildred backs out of the trip. She sends a letter with Harriet to be read after she starts the cruise. (You know that shit is not going to end well.)
Harriet's life showcase shows that she made some choices that changed her life..sometimes for the good and sometimes not. Some of the things that happened to her were just not her fault. But no one is completely innocent in a life.
Yes, all in all, things could be a lot worse. You could be divorced. You could be a widow. Gallo could stop selling wine by the jug. And where would that leave you, Harriet? Bored and sober.
Mine probably goes about like this....
This book did make me wonder through my memories at my life though and it frigging scared the shit out of me and made me want to give this book a one star.
You can't remember getting old. You can't remember when exactly you started carrying umbrellas just in case, when you started scheduling your weekly hair washings, oversalting your food, or reusing zipper-lock bags. It happened gradually.
PS..there is a habit of Harriet's that grated on my nerves through the whole book. She calls every dang body "dear"...
Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.
Now for the fun part!
I'm spotlighting a reviewer that my friend Kelly
Here is Larry's review. He uses words to review instead of cuss words and gifs like I do..but he still is pretty cool.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
I've had this book on my shelf for a while, and recently decided to pick it up because we were taking an Alaskan cruise and it's kind of fun to read novels that take place where you are or where you are going. Interestingly, the main character visits the same ports we did in the same order. So that's fun.
The book itself I enjoyed well enough. The "This is your life" style writing in the flashback chapters got on my nerves a bit (but, to be fair, that is the name of the book). These chapters also bounced around quite a bit (but, again, that was the intent.) It was on the lighter side despite the subject matter, but that worked well of me for the setting and vacation. It's trying to be a bit much maybe.. a love story of sorts, a ghost story of sorts, a redemption (?) of sorts, a confessional.
{owned, kindle}
3.5 stars - It was really good.
Started off a little too cute and charming, but about 1/3 of the way through, things got real. Life rarely unfolds the way we expect...
Wish the ending would not have been so rushed and that you could have seen how things were resolved between the main character and her friend, as well as the aftermath of several twists with her children.
-------------------------------------------
Favorite Quote: If we’ve learned one thing digging up all these old bones, dusting them off, and holding them to the light, we’ve learned this: While the days unfold, one after the other, and the numbers all move in one direction, our lives are not linear, Harriet. We are the sum of moments and reflections, actions and decisions, triumphs, failures, and yearnings, all of it held together, inexplicably, miraculously, really, by memory and association. Yes, Harriet, our lives are more sinew than bone.
First Sentence: Here you come, Harriet Nathan, tiny face pinched, eyes squinting fiercely against the glare of surgical lamps, at a newly renovated Swedish hospital, high on Seattle’s First Hill.
Started off a little too cute and charming, but about 1/3 of the way through, things got real. Life rarely unfolds the way we expect...
Wish the ending would not have been so rushed and that you could have seen how things were resolved between the main character and her friend, as well as the aftermath of several twists with her children.
-------------------------------------------
Favorite Quote: If we’ve learned one thing digging up all these old bones, dusting them off, and holding them to the light, we’ve learned this: While the days unfold, one after the other, and the numbers all move in one direction, our lives are not linear, Harriet. We are the sum of moments and reflections, actions and decisions, triumphs, failures, and yearnings, all of it held together, inexplicably, miraculously, really, by memory and association. Yes, Harriet, our lives are more sinew than bone.
First Sentence: Here you come, Harriet Nathan, tiny face pinched, eyes squinting fiercely against the glare of surgical lamps, at a newly renovated Swedish hospital, high on Seattle’s First Hill.
This was a fun book told in flashbacks. It was a fun way to get to know Harriet and husband and children. It was a short read, but highly entertaining.