Scan barcode
A review by arielml
The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving by Jonathan Evison
2.0
I'm trying to adjust my own personal yardstick for what the amount of stars means. In other words, this was more enjoyable than what I probably would have given two stars in the past. Since Goodreads says two stars is "it was ok," that's where this book should land for me.
The book was fine, occasionally cute or clever, mostly sort of cliched and predictable. The characters are the sad sack narrator who can't seem to get out of his own way after his life fell apart, the precocious kid with the tragic illness who draws the sad sack out of his downward spiral, and the quirky hitchhikers they meet on their literal and metaphorical journey towards enlightenment and personal growth. As someone who's cared for a chronically ill person, I didn't feel like this book had anything profound to say about the experience. It didn't live up to the expectations I had based on its relatively high rating. Although in some ways it's very different, if you're looking for a novel about the transformative bond that can grow between a patient and his paid caregiver, Jojo Moyes's "Me Before You" was much better.
The book was fine, occasionally cute or clever, mostly sort of cliched and predictable. The characters are the sad sack narrator who can't seem to get out of his own way after his life fell apart, the precocious kid with the tragic illness who draws the sad sack out of his downward spiral, and the quirky hitchhikers they meet on their literal and metaphorical journey towards enlightenment and personal growth. As someone who's cared for a chronically ill person, I didn't feel like this book had anything profound to say about the experience. It didn't live up to the expectations I had based on its relatively high rating. Although in some ways it's very different, if you're looking for a novel about the transformative bond that can grow between a patient and his paid caregiver, Jojo Moyes's "Me Before You" was much better.