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campsey0914's review against another edition
3.0
Kitty is a single, middle-aged woman in 1962 who co-runs a failing bookshop with her closet friend Frieda. Kitty lives in small town and leads a quiet life. She lives alone in her apartment with her cat. She enjoys reading and has a wonderful relationship with her parents. She is content and happy.
One night Kitty awakes in a different house next to a man she does not know. She soon discovers she is having vivid, realistic dreams of another life. In this dream life, Kitty goes by Kathryn and she seems to have a perfect life. She is married to a handsome man, has three children, a big house, and a maid. Kitty finds herself able to function in the everyday tasks of her dream life. Yet, she can’t remember the names of people in her or the details of big events. As she begins to dive deeper into her dream world, she soon discovers that the dream life isn’t as perfect as it seems.
Kitty starts to struggle with transitioning between her dream world and reality. She begins to have memory lapses, and she begins to question which world is real and which world is just a dream. She begins to become worried that she will one day wake up in her dream world and not be able to return back to reality.
This is a difficult book to review because I don’t want to give away any spoilers. I really enjoyed it. It is an emotionally charged book. I thought the author did a fantastic job of alternating between the two lives. Each Kathryn had their own set of regrets and faults with which they are struggling. I found myself starting to figure things out midway through the book. So, I wasn’t at all surprised by how the book ended. That doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the journey. If you’re looking for an emotional charged book filled with both sadness and love, then this is a book I recommend.
One night Kitty awakes in a different house next to a man she does not know. She soon discovers she is having vivid, realistic dreams of another life. In this dream life, Kitty goes by Kathryn and she seems to have a perfect life. She is married to a handsome man, has three children, a big house, and a maid. Kitty finds herself able to function in the everyday tasks of her dream life. Yet, she can’t remember the names of people in her or the details of big events. As she begins to dive deeper into her dream world, she soon discovers that the dream life isn’t as perfect as it seems.
Kitty starts to struggle with transitioning between her dream world and reality. She begins to have memory lapses, and she begins to question which world is real and which world is just a dream. She begins to become worried that she will one day wake up in her dream world and not be able to return back to reality.
This is a difficult book to review because I don’t want to give away any spoilers. I really enjoyed it. It is an emotionally charged book. I thought the author did a fantastic job of alternating between the two lives. Each Kathryn had their own set of regrets and faults with which they are struggling. I found myself starting to figure things out midway through the book. So, I wasn’t at all surprised by how the book ended. That doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the journey. If you’re looking for an emotional charged book filled with both sadness and love, then this is a book I recommend.
jilliebeen2003's review against another edition
3.0
I listened to this on audio book and found it enjoyable. I loved the setting in 1960s Denver (especially with bookstores involved!). The plot alternates between Kitty/Katharyn's real life and alternate-dream life, and I think it was done really well in a way that kept me listening for more. I think about halfway through, I figured out what was going on (or what was going to happen) but I wasn't quite sure how everything would play out; without giving any spoilers, I'll say that I liked how it ended. I also thought the narrator of the audio book did a great job. Definitely an enjoyable audio book if you're looking for something to keep you entertained for a few hours.
revowotion's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.5
theredqueen444's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed the first 85% of this book very much. As the ending unraveled, I was left a bit disappointed. The disappointment wasn't because there wasn't a beautiful bow on all the loose ends, but more a feeling of "really??" Characters acted in ways that didn't seem true to themselves.
kazistan's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
sloomis17's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
alicestade's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? No
4.5
crafalsk264's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
KItty Miller (aka Katharyn Andersson) is a co-owner of a bookstore with her best friend, Frieda, in the early 1960s. Kitty is a 30ish single woman living in a studio with a cat named Aslan. Katharyn is a wife, mother of triplets, a boy, a girl, and a boy with Autism. She knows that one of these lives is a dream but which one?
In the Katharyn reality, she is having trouble coping with the triplet with Autism, Michael. She had been told that Michael’s problems were caused by a lack of maternal nurturing. Her husband, Lars, is the best with Michael. Katharyn has more success with Mitch and Missy. She has had a falling out with Frieda and their small bookshop is closed. In the Kitty reality, she is still in partnership with Frieda but the bookstore is failing. In both realities, Kitty/Katharyn’s parents are her greatest support.
I am confused regarding this book. The basic premise is interesting. The characters are all pretty likable and are adequately developed and similar to other books such as “Sliding Doors” and “The Family Man”. I am uneasy about something I can’t quite put my finger on. The best subplot is the boy who lives in Kitty’s building and has a reading problem that is creating problems in all his schoolwork. Kitty is a former teacher and she plans to help teach him to read. When all of the books that are at his reading level are too young for his age. When she realizes this, she learns about baseball so she can write reading material that will engage him and make him want to read. I enjoyed this book even though I had some unknown reservations. Recommend to readers of historical, fantasy, books-about-books, mystery and adult literature.
cbrownie5209's review
5.0
Intriguing
I enjoyed reading this thought provoking book and would recommend it It explores hopes, dreams, and our choices meeting reality
I enjoyed reading this thought provoking book and would recommend it It explores hopes, dreams, and our choices meeting reality