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girlaboutlibrary 's review for:
Siracusa
by Delia Ephron
This review, and many more, are available on my blog Girl About Library!
Delia Ephron, screenwriter of much loved films such as "You've Got Mail", "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants", and "Michael" wrote a fiction book? Well, sign me up! Sounds super cute, and just what I want to read these light weeks at the beginning of summer ! But, oh boy, was I surprised by what waited for me in Ephron's book, "Siracusa"!
Deeply unhappy characters
Siracusa is told from four alternating points of view- Lizzie, Michael, Taylor, and Finn. Two married couples with capital P, PROBLEMS. Each of the characters is deeply unhappy, pathologically so. The emotional warfare waged in these pages is subtle, but probably my favorite parts to read. The friendships between each of the characters are complicated by a variety of factors including time, previous relationships, and current affairs. It stressed me out, just imagining being in any of their shoes- but Ephron did a good job of showing how fraught those types of relationships can be.
My favorite deeply unhappy character in "Siracusa" was Taylor, particularly her relationship with her daughter, Snow. Taylor has a creepy, "Mommy Dearest" vibe coming from her relationship with Snow, who is sheltered and coddled to the point of emotional abuse. Those two characters could easily have been their own book that would have been enthralling in its own right. Snow and Taylor's relationship were some of the only moments in the book where I really found myself reflecting on what the author was showing the reader,. Their plot lots made me question what a parental role should look like- and how it isn't like you get extra credit as a parent if you are doing more than you need to, you're not a better parent for it- which is difficult I think for some to grapple with as a parent.
What I Struggled With
Delia Ephron created a cast of unlikely flawed characters. Reading this book felt like being at a social gathering where I just hate everyone, and want to leave as soon as physically possible- which was unfortunately 4 days after the party started I'm not a speed reader under the best of conditions - and for my reading tastes, these were some of the worst.
The writing in "Siracusa" was repeatedly foreshadowing this big event that would eventually happen on their Italian vacation. And . The only reason I did not put the book down once I was frustrated with the characters, was my anticipation for the "big event". That's a lot of pressure and while there is certainly a twist ending in the book, it is so frequently mentioned, and built up - that it fell a little flat for me. Particularly because the Amazon summary bills it as something "no one will see coming"- however, I would guess that most readers would have predicted the ending.
Delia Ephron, screenwriter of much loved films such as "You've Got Mail", "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants", and "Michael" wrote a fiction book? Well, sign me up! Sounds super cute, and just what I want to read these light weeks at the beginning of summer ! But, oh boy, was I surprised by what waited for me in Ephron's book, "Siracusa"!
Deeply unhappy characters
Siracusa is told from four alternating points of view- Lizzie, Michael, Taylor, and Finn. Two married couples with capital P, PROBLEMS. Each of the characters is deeply unhappy, pathologically so. The emotional warfare waged in these pages is subtle, but probably my favorite parts to read. The friendships between each of the characters are complicated by a variety of factors including time, previous relationships, and current affairs. It stressed me out, just imagining being in any of their shoes- but Ephron did a good job of showing how fraught those types of relationships can be.
My favorite deeply unhappy character in "Siracusa" was Taylor, particularly her relationship with her daughter, Snow. Taylor has a creepy, "Mommy Dearest" vibe coming from her relationship with Snow, who is sheltered and coddled to the point of emotional abuse. Those two characters could easily have been their own book that would have been enthralling in its own right. Snow and Taylor's relationship were some of the only moments in the book where I really found myself reflecting on what the author was showing the reader,. Their plot lots made me question what a parental role should look like- and how it isn't like you get extra credit as a parent if you are doing more than you need to, you're not a better parent for it- which is difficult I think for some to grapple with as a parent.
What I Struggled With
Delia Ephron created a cast of unlikely flawed characters. Reading this book felt like being at a social gathering where I just hate everyone, and want to leave as soon as physically possible- which was unfortunately 4 days after the party started I'm not a speed reader under the best of conditions - and for my reading tastes, these were some of the worst.
The writing in "Siracusa" was repeatedly foreshadowing this big event that would eventually happen on their Italian vacation. And . The only reason I did not put the book down once I was frustrated with the characters, was my anticipation for the "big event". That's a lot of pressure and while there is certainly a twist ending in the book, it is so frequently mentioned, and built up - that it fell a little flat for me. Particularly because the Amazon summary bills it as something "no one will see coming"- however, I would guess that most readers would have predicted the ending.