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A review by sbojo32
Before and After: The Incredible Real-Life Stories of Orphans Who Survived the Tennessee Children's Home Society by Judy Christie, Lisa Wingate
2.0
I read Before We Were Yours and it was my favorite book of 2019. I immediately looked to read Before and After, knowing it was different, but having such high hopes.
Perhaps that was the problem. But when there are ~40 pages left in the book and I choose to go to bed rather than finish it, I know it wasn't a book for me. Alas, this was the case with Before and After.
The stories were heartbreaking, sure, but they were also repetitive. I can't tell you the difference between Patricia's story and Bess's. There was so much changing of names and trying to figure out generations that it took so much away from what these stories were trying to tell. Quite often, I found myself thinking, "Ok, so she's the daughter of someone who was a Tann baby, but the chapter started out with the Tann baby's mother, so her actual grandmother, but then the names change and we get the names of the adopted family and the Tann baby's new name." It was too much.
It also seemed to be a never-ending advertisement for Before We Were Yours. That book was mentioned at least once in every single chapter. It seemed like every book club in the world was reading that book (and apparently shame on you if your book club was not one of them).
The chapters in between from the author seemed unnecessary (do we really need page after page about getting wine for an event?) and took away from the flow.
I had such high expectations for this book and was sadly disappointed. 1.5 stars, rounded up (mostly because of my love for Before We Were Yours).
Perhaps that was the problem. But when there are ~40 pages left in the book and I choose to go to bed rather than finish it, I know it wasn't a book for me. Alas, this was the case with Before and After.
The stories were heartbreaking, sure, but they were also repetitive. I can't tell you the difference between Patricia's story and Bess's. There was so much changing of names and trying to figure out generations that it took so much away from what these stories were trying to tell. Quite often, I found myself thinking, "Ok, so she's the daughter of someone who was a Tann baby, but the chapter started out with the Tann baby's mother, so her actual grandmother, but then the names change and we get the names of the adopted family and the Tann baby's new name." It was too much.
It also seemed to be a never-ending advertisement for Before We Were Yours. That book was mentioned at least once in every single chapter. It seemed like every book club in the world was reading that book (and apparently shame on you if your book club was not one of them).
The chapters in between from the author seemed unnecessary (do we really need page after page about getting wine for an event?) and took away from the flow.
I had such high expectations for this book and was sadly disappointed. 1.5 stars, rounded up (mostly because of my love for Before We Were Yours).