hebeshebewebe 's review for:

Other People's Children by R.J. Hoffmann
4.0

I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway, and want to thank Simon and Schuster for the opportunity.

Pros:
-For the most part, the characters are well fleshed out and interesting. None of them are perfect and they make you root for them in different ways.
-The story packs a real emotional punch and you won't be bored.
-The book deals with the themes of family and motherhood in a well nuanced way.
-Carli is a deceptively in-depth character and she really grew on me.
-Gail's background in knife sharpening was very interesting to me and I enjoyed how it was woven into the story.
-I really like the ending, and I like that it's not what I expected.

Cons:
-Some of the characters are a little one dimensional and some, like Marla, seem to be present to prove a point rather than be a real person.
-I would have liked to see more depth in Jon and Gail's relationship dynamics.
-Some of the violence seemed a bit gratuitous.

Verdict: Not life changing, but overall well written and an interesting story. Read this book if you like character driven stories that make you cry, and can handle a journey that is more negative emotion than positive.