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A review by anathereader8
Something Better by Diane Parrish
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Something Better is a novel about navigating grief and trauma, loss of the family member, marriage crisis, problems with conceiving a child, adulting and... finding your own self all over again.
I thought: "it's too much for a short novel." Later, I found myself thinking that it's all life -- we face not one but 99 problems at once and we demonstrate our strength and patience in overcoming them. If we lack these characteristics, we fail. The main three characters of Something Better's showcase it. We have teenager Annabeth whose parents died in a car accident. Her parents' friends Ruth and David, a married couple, help her and enter a long-distance relationship.
In one of her interviews, Diane Parrish shared that she was inspired by her own family for this novel; how some of her family members find each other again while others lose the connection and become estranged. This trajectory in the book has surprised me as I was expecting a different character being able to solve the issues and move on with life (no spoilers intended!)
I recommend this book to anyone who has suffered from grief/trauma, or who knows these people. It will help you move on, or get a better peek at how grieving/traumatized people perceive the world.
I'm grateful to [a:Diane Parrish|15546258|Diane Parrish|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]Diane Parrish writing this book, Meryl Moss Media Group and NetGalley for providing a copy of it.
I thought: "it's too much for a short novel." Later, I found myself thinking that it's all life -- we face not one but 99 problems at once and we demonstrate our strength and patience in overcoming them. If we lack these characteristics, we fail. The main three characters of Something Better's showcase it. We have teenager Annabeth whose parents died in a car accident. Her parents' friends Ruth and David, a married couple, help her and enter a long-distance relationship.
In one of her interviews, Diane Parrish shared that she was inspired by her own family for this novel; how some of her family members find each other again while others lose the connection and become estranged. This trajectory in the book has surprised me as I was expecting a different character being able to solve the issues and move on with life (no spoilers intended!)
I recommend this book to anyone who has suffered from grief/trauma, or who knows these people. It will help you move on, or get a better peek at how grieving/traumatized people perceive the world.
I'm grateful to [a:Diane Parrish|15546258|Diane Parrish|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]Diane Parrish writing this book, Meryl Moss Media Group and NetGalley for providing a copy of it.