Scan barcode
A review by jacki_f
Every Last One by Anna Quindlen
4.0
Mary Beth Latham is married with three teenage children. Her life is basically happy but it's not perfect. She loves her husband, but she also has days when she wonders if the relationship is lacking something. Her daughter Ruby has overcome an eating disorder and is a bright, challenging teenager who is rapidly outgrowing her first boyfriend. Twins Alex and Max are as different from one another as chalk and cheese. Alex is outgoing, sporty and seems to sail through life while Max is introverted and suffering from depression. Mary Beth works as a landscape gardener and has occasional issues with her mostly immigrant employees.
It is difficult to say more about the plot because it centres on something which happens about halfway through the book and I don't want to give anything away about what that is. It came as a shock to me and it should come as a shock to you if you read it. It neatly segments the book into "before" and "after", and causes the reader to reassess what they have previously read. Do be aware though that it involves an event which some may find upsetting to read.
This is the first book that I have read by Anna Quindlen. She has a lovely writing style which reminded me of Anne Tyler and Carol Shields. Mary Beth narrates the book and she felt like such a real person to me. Some of her passing observations on marriage or parenting were so spot on - thoughts I've had myself, but never articulated or had anyone else articulate to me. The book starts slowly and you wonder for a while where it's going, but it's so beautifully written that I was happy to just go with it and let it unfold in its own time.
I was taken aback by the plot development and enjoyed the second half of the book less than the first. However I finished this a couple of weeks ago but I'm still thinking about it from time to time, which to me is the sign of a good book.
It is difficult to say more about the plot because it centres on something which happens about halfway through the book and I don't want to give anything away about what that is. It came as a shock to me and it should come as a shock to you if you read it. It neatly segments the book into "before" and "after", and causes the reader to reassess what they have previously read. Do be aware though that it involves an event which some may find upsetting to read.
This is the first book that I have read by Anna Quindlen. She has a lovely writing style which reminded me of Anne Tyler and Carol Shields. Mary Beth narrates the book and she felt like such a real person to me. Some of her passing observations on marriage or parenting were so spot on - thoughts I've had myself, but never articulated or had anyone else articulate to me. The book starts slowly and you wonder for a while where it's going, but it's so beautifully written that I was happy to just go with it and let it unfold in its own time.
I was taken aback by the plot development and enjoyed the second half of the book less than the first. However I finished this a couple of weeks ago but I'm still thinking about it from time to time, which to me is the sign of a good book.