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A review by lauramotta
Some of the Parts by T. Cooper
3.0
An interesting, occasionally frustrating novel focusing on four characters whose intersecting lives are fraught with loneliness and upheaval. Nicely structured, with each chapter alternately told from the perspective of a different character, the stories ring painfully true. The exploration of these difficult, multi-faceted relationships -- a mother and her estranged daughter, a seriously ill brother and the reluctant sister he's decided to move in with, a couple with an ambiguous romantic status, a faltering new friendship -- is the highlight here.
On the downside, the writing -- which can be so brilliant at times, especially in the dialog -- can be annoyingly bland and contrived. This is particularly true in the first two chapters, where we're meeting the two younger characters for the first time. I only kept reading beyond that second chapter because of the immediacy and strength of the character's voice in the third. This is definitely a worthwhile read. Just get past those first 40 pages.
On the downside, the writing -- which can be so brilliant at times, especially in the dialog -- can be annoyingly bland and contrived. This is particularly true in the first two chapters, where we're meeting the two younger characters for the first time. I only kept reading beyond that second chapter because of the immediacy and strength of the character's voice in the third. This is definitely a worthwhile read. Just get past those first 40 pages.