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quimolhado 's review for:
I Think We've Been Here Before
by Suzy Krause
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If you start I Think We've Been Here Before with the idea that you're going to be exploring the complexities of a world that has just realized it will be wiped out by the end of the year, you should look elsewhere. Suzy Krause isn't bothered with answering questions about the logistics of governments, cults, or any of the logistics of the end of humanity. These are all incidental, and while some do get addressed in small amounts (How do you get back home? Are flights still running?), I Think We've Been Here Before takes a much tighter view, peering into the life of one fairly small family located in rural Canada, and a daughter who has just arrived in Berlin. Poor timing on her part!
This book focuses on people, not the event itself. It is always looming in the background, with several sections broken into NOVEMBER and DECEMBER, but the world keeps turning behind the scenes. We instead spend time in delicate family dynamics between individuals who, up 'til now have had difficulties communicating their love for each other, for various reasons. As the end approaches, each member of the family learns to share their joys and vulnerabilities with each other, showing that, yes, they do indeed care for each other deeply, but the mundanity and low-stakes of day-to-day life simply get in the way.
This is one of the few books that have made me tear up while reading it. While others might not find what they are looking for here, to me, finding love and community is precisely what this book is about. And that is everything.
This book focuses on people, not the event itself. It is always looming in the background, with several sections broken into NOVEMBER and DECEMBER, but the world keeps turning behind the scenes. We instead spend time in delicate family dynamics between individuals who, up 'til now have had difficulties communicating their love for each other, for various reasons. As the end approaches, each member of the family learns to share their joys and vulnerabilities with each other, showing that, yes, they do indeed care for each other deeply, but the mundanity and low-stakes of day-to-day life simply get in the way.
This is one of the few books that have made me tear up while reading it. While others might not find what they are looking for here, to me, finding love and community is precisely what this book is about. And that is everything.