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A review by mrsfligs
Red Hook Road by Ayelet Waldman
4.0
Brief Description: After the most tragic wedding day you can imagine, the Copaken and Tetherly families struggle to make sense of their lives and put themselves back together again. Following the families over four summers in the Maine town of Red Hook (the Copakens are a “summer” family while the Tetherleys are “townies”—a primary source of tension between the two), the individual members come together in various ways to grieve, heal and get on with their lives.
My Thoughts: I just love a good tragedy, and this book starts out with a whopper. I thought Waldman’s writing was fluid and graceful, and she does a good job of breaking these families down and building them back up. However, I thought she spent way more time on the Copaken family at the expense of the Tetherleys. As I write this review, I realize that most of the story lines had a Copaken at the center, with the Tetherleys playing supporting roles. I’m not sure if this was Waldman’s intention, but I definitely felt as if her heart was with the Copakens. There is a lovely sub-plot between a gifted music prodigy and her elderly teacher that I found oddly touching and satisfying, but the primary focus of the book is the grieving and healing process and how we can lose ourselves in the aftermath of a loved one’s death. All in all, it was a rich and satisfying read, and I wouldn’t hesitate to read another Waldman book.
My Thoughts: I just love a good tragedy, and this book starts out with a whopper. I thought Waldman’s writing was fluid and graceful, and she does a good job of breaking these families down and building them back up. However, I thought she spent way more time on the Copaken family at the expense of the Tetherleys. As I write this review, I realize that most of the story lines had a Copaken at the center, with the Tetherleys playing supporting roles. I’m not sure if this was Waldman’s intention, but I definitely felt as if her heart was with the Copakens. There is a lovely sub-plot between a gifted music prodigy and her elderly teacher that I found oddly touching and satisfying, but the primary focus of the book is the grieving and healing process and how we can lose ourselves in the aftermath of a loved one’s death. All in all, it was a rich and satisfying read, and I wouldn’t hesitate to read another Waldman book.