Scan barcode
A review by bethgiven
Love Anthony by Lisa Genova
2.0
A dual story of loss and learning to live again: one of a woman mourning her autistic child who died of a seizure, another of a woman who lost her marriage when she discovered her husband's affair.
While this was very readable (like all of Genova's novels), I didn't like this book. Too much moping around, too much alcohol (maybe this is how the rest of the world lives -- with fancy mixed drinks in their hands?). Too many easy answers (Olivia spent lots of time grieving her son, but hardly any time processing her divorce). And too much manipulation by the author to craft a tear-jerker of a story ... though to be fair, I realize I'm not a very sentimental reader.
Also: it always bugs me when the author writes about a character who is an author who writes some Amazing Novel seemingly effortlessly (see also: [b:The Winter Sea|3392089|The Winter Sea (Slains, #1)|Susanna Kearsley|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1410915489s/3392089.jpg|3723657], [b:Unwritten|15791114|Unwritten|Charles Martin|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1360100324s/15791114.jpg|21512694]). The part where Beth's book club friends gush over her book (especially "the perfect ending" that has yet to be revealed to the reader) was just way over the top.
Clean readers: references to sex, including one brief scene, plus some language.
While this was very readable (like all of Genova's novels), I didn't like this book. Too much moping around, too much alcohol (maybe this is how the rest of the world lives -- with fancy mixed drinks in their hands?). Too many easy answers (Olivia spent lots of time grieving her son, but hardly any time processing her divorce). And too much manipulation by the author to craft a tear-jerker of a story ... though to be fair, I realize I'm not a very sentimental reader.
Also: it always bugs me when the author writes about a character who is an author who writes some Amazing Novel seemingly effortlessly (see also: [b:The Winter Sea|3392089|The Winter Sea (Slains, #1)|Susanna Kearsley|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1410915489s/3392089.jpg|3723657], [b:Unwritten|15791114|Unwritten|Charles Martin|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1360100324s/15791114.jpg|21512694]). The part where Beth's book club friends gush over her book (especially "the perfect ending" that has yet to be revealed to the reader) was just way over the top.
Clean readers: references to sex, including one brief scene, plus some language.