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thehappyamazon's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Death of parent
torturedreadersdept's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child death, Dysphoria, Grief, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Abandonment, Alcohol, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness
Minor: Drug abuse, Infertility, and Sexual content
phoevincent's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
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? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
roguedaffodil's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
5.0
I could not put this book down. The Padavano family pulled me in with their energy and life. There are so many lessons and thought provoking themes of love, loss, grief, parenting, family, and mental health. This is one I could read again and again and find a new takeaway each time
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt and Death
readingwithmeredith's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Characters: 3
Connection to the book/Enjoyment: 2
Setting: 2
Plot/Overall Story: 2
Writing: 4
Every point= 0.25 stars, max per category 4 points
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, and Medical content
Side character gayleonidskies's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I didn't really plan to read this book (for my work book club), but it happened and I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected!
The core of this book being sisterhood and the complex relationships of family worked really well. I felt like I understood and had a good picture of most of the cast, which was pretty impressive for the number of characters.
I'm a little more lukewarm on a couple of the characters - I found the main 'child'/third generation daughter difficult to understand, as I didn't really see the point that the novel was very clearly trying to hammer home. Something just felt a little off about it. I also had a distinctly bitter taste in my mouth over the sole black character, whose race was only ever alluded to vaguely (and one of the characters was almost blatantly racist towards but this was never mentioned in any capacity) and whose character was unmistakeably less well-rounded compared to all the other characters in the otherwise all-white cast.
I had really complicated feelings about Julia. I'm unsure how I was meant to interpret her - I quite liked how clear and legible most of what the book was trying to say was, but she continually evaded the same kind of incisive commentary over what I felt were her most glaring flaws. Her 'girlboss' moments were abjectly lacking in empathy, but I was left with the impression I wasn't MEANT to be horrified by what she did. I'm still not sure what the intention was at all.
That said, I did really enjoy reading this book. I liked the different perspectives and the scope, the spectrum of feeling was good, and again the family relationships and mostly well written complicated and interconnected characters and contexts were really good.
The core of this book being sisterhood and the complex relationships of family worked really well. I felt like I understood and had a good picture of most of the cast, which was pretty impressive for the number of characters.
I'm a little more lukewarm on a couple of the characters - I found the main 'child'/third generation daughter difficult to understand, as I didn't really see the point that the novel was very clearly trying to hammer home. Something just felt a little off about it. I also had a distinctly bitter taste in my mouth over the sole black character, whose race was only ever alluded to vaguely (and one of the characters was almost blatantly racist towards but this was never mentioned in any capacity) and whose character was unmistakeably less well-rounded compared to all the other characters in the otherwise all-white cast.
I had really complicated feelings about Julia. I'm unsure how I was meant to interpret her - I quite liked how clear and legible most of what the book was trying to say was, but she continually evaded the same kind of incisive commentary over what I felt were her most glaring flaws. Her 'girlboss' moments were abjectly lacking in empathy, but I was left with the impression I wasn't MEANT to be horrified by what she did. I'm still not sure what the intention was at all.
That said, I did really enjoy reading this book. I liked the different perspectives and the scope, the spectrum of feeling was good, and again the family relationships and mostly well written complicated and interconnected characters and contexts were really good.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Suicide attempt, and Cancer
nanirump's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The main characters are quite sad and lack good communication skills. The characters make some seriously misguided decision and most of the parenting is sub-par or harmful without being outright abusive. It was a beautiful story nonetheless and I'm glad I read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Dysphoria, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Grief, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, and Abandonment
jamespwaa's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Cancer, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Grief and Sexism
jamiemamie's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
This is probably going to end up being my favorite book of the year. This story perfectly captures what it’s like to have sisters who are a part of the very fiber of your being. So beautiful and special. <3
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy
Minor: Homophobia and Suicidal thoughts
beate251's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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? Yes
5.0
Hello you beautiful book.
What a joy it was to read this. This is a book about relationships - romantic ones but mostly between sisters, and parents and children, and also friends. We see what happens when parents turn away from their children and siblings away from each other. We also see the dangers of people living the wrong life. This is a story about sad dysfunctional people, but also about strong women, and William and Julia who married for the wrong reasons - she because she was after a traditional ideal, and he because he had a lonely childhood and fell in love with the entire Padavano family and their love for each other. His wife didn't stand by him after his mental breakdown (nor did his parents who still grieved his dead sister) but he was allowed a second chance through the love of a second Padavano sister - a decision that tore Julia and her daughter away from the rest of the family for the longest time. It is sad that a reunion and forgiveness was only possible at the end due to a tragedy but the whole book operated on the premise of "when one door closes, another one opens."
As an aside, I couldn't figure out what Julia's high-powered job was for the entire book - she works for her uni professor on a time-limited project but that suddenly morphs into a permanent job with clients and a fancy office in the New York division? What kind of professor has these kinds of jobs to offer?
Apart from that, great literature, and the portrait on the cover is gorgeous, as if it was painted by Cecelia herself.
What a joy it was to read this. This is a book about relationships - romantic ones but mostly between sisters, and parents and children, and also friends. We see what happens when parents turn away from their children and siblings away from each other. We also see the dangers of people living the wrong life. This is a story about sad dysfunctional people, but also about strong women, and William and Julia who married for the wrong reasons - she because she was after a traditional ideal, and he because he had a lonely childhood and fell in love with the entire Padavano family and their love for each other. His wife didn't stand by him after his mental breakdown (nor did his parents who still grieved his dead sister) but he was allowed a second chance through the love of a second Padavano sister - a decision that tore Julia and her daughter away from the rest of the family for the longest time. It is sad that a reunion and forgiveness was only possible at the end due to a tragedy but the whole book operated on the premise of "when one door closes, another one opens."
As an aside, I couldn't figure out what Julia's high-powered job was for the entire book - she works for her uni professor on a time-limited project but that suddenly morphs into a permanent job with clients and a fancy office in the New York division? What kind of professor has these kinds of jobs to offer?
Apart from that, great literature, and the portrait on the cover is gorgeous, as if it was painted by Cecelia herself.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Mental illness
Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent, Death, and Terminal illness