A review by jedore
Still Life with Bread Crumbs by Anna Quindlen

hopeful reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

"Then when she really thought about it she realized she’d been becoming different people for as long as she could remember but had never really noticed, or had put it down to moods, or marriage, or motherhood. The problem was that she’d thought that at a certain point she would be a finished product.”

I had high expectations for this book, partly because of Anna Quindlen’s reputation, but I found it to be slow and just okay. I struggled to connect with the main character, which made it hard to stay invested in her story. The secondary characters felt underdeveloped, leaving the novel feeling somewhat flat.

That said, what kept me reading was the theme of reinvention. I almost always appreciate a story about a woman evolving and reshaping her life, even if the execution here didn’t fully resonate with me. There were moments of insight, particularly about aging, artistic identity, and self-discovery, but overall, the book didn’t leave a strong impression.

It was affirming to know that I am not alone in thinking I’ve settled into who I am, then life proves that growth and change never really stop! And, it was reassuring to see that all careers—especially in the arts—have ups and downs, requiring constant adaptation.
 
An interesting tidbit about Anna Quindlen...she was a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist before she was an author.