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A review by kba76
The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits by Jennifer Weiner
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Much-anticipated, and though there seem to be a fair number of less than positive comments I found myself really enjoying this. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this prior to its publication.
A book about music, its ability to touch people and the industry that finds, nurtures and - all too often - exploits those involved. For anyone fascinated by the stories behind the public face this will be a story that hits hard.
The story does take a little while to settle down. We learn that Cherry is determined to sing and has, without letting anyone know, got herself a spot on a national talent show. We then learn a little more about her family and her mother, Zoe, and her reluctance to support Cherry in her dream. Then we shift back in time and see Zoe’s mother finding out that she is pregnant only months after having a baby. Slowly, we are given the story of Zoe and her sister, Cassie.
Though Cassie is socially awkward and struggles to interact with people she is musically talented. When her skill is discovered, Zoe lets her mum know that Cassie sings with her. Over time Zoe encourages (no, bullies) her sister into performing with her. One night they are scouted…and thus begins the story of The Griffin Sisters.
The varying timelines was, initially, confusing but once we have the characters established it was the kind of story that drew me in. A major success and much of it is down to Cassie’s prodigious talent. We learn early on that they had one hit album, that one of the band members died and that from that moment on the group was no more. The latter stages of the story focus on explaining what happened.
Many of the characters fail to come out of this well. They are reckless with one another and each does things that hurt others. Yet they are wonderfully human. They make mistakes. They make silly decisions. All of which is relatable, which is why I think I found the book so more appealing than if it had focused solely on the musical background.
A book about music, its ability to touch people and the industry that finds, nurtures and - all too often - exploits those involved. For anyone fascinated by the stories behind the public face this will be a story that hits hard.
The story does take a little while to settle down. We learn that Cherry is determined to sing and has, without letting anyone know, got herself a spot on a national talent show. We then learn a little more about her family and her mother, Zoe, and her reluctance to support Cherry in her dream. Then we shift back in time and see Zoe’s mother finding out that she is pregnant only months after having a baby. Slowly, we are given the story of Zoe and her sister, Cassie.
Though Cassie is socially awkward and struggles to interact with people she is musically talented. When her skill is discovered, Zoe lets her mum know that Cassie sings with her. Over time Zoe encourages (no, bullies) her sister into performing with her. One night they are scouted…and thus begins the story of The Griffin Sisters.
The varying timelines was, initially, confusing but once we have the characters established it was the kind of story that drew me in. A major success and much of it is down to Cassie’s prodigious talent. We learn early on that they had one hit album, that one of the band members died and that from that moment on the group was no more. The latter stages of the story focus on explaining what happened.
Many of the characters fail to come out of this well. They are reckless with one another and each does things that hurt others. Yet they are wonderfully human. They make mistakes. They make silly decisions. All of which is relatable, which is why I think I found the book so more appealing than if it had focused solely on the musical background.