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veronica_a 's review for:
The Good House
by Ann Leary
3.5 stars rounded up.
It is Leary's excellent portrayal of an alcoholic in denial that kept this book from becoming a fluff read for me. Hildy Good is a 60 year-old realtor in a small seaside town in New England where she's lived all her life. It is her long-time residency and successful business that has earned her a lot of clout in the community. She is both lovable and infuriating as an outspoken, wisecracking townie who honestly believed that everyone was wrong to think she had a drinking problem.
After her divorce, she allows her daughters to send her to a rehab center for two months. This proves unsuccessful because she resumes her drinking soon after. This is the part I found most poignant as Hildy struggled to present herself in the community as rehabilitated while continuing to drink in secret. The raw and honest depiction of an alcoholic's thoughts, fears and actions is one of the best I've ever read and it helped me to understand the addiction better. There are sub-plots to this story that I found to be melodramatic but I cared about Hildy enough to read until the end.
Leary's writing is smart and funny but never flippant. It's a good read and I recommend listening to the audiobook to heighten the experience. Mary Beth Hurt's narration is really outstanding.
It is Leary's excellent portrayal of an alcoholic in denial that kept this book from becoming a fluff read for me. Hildy Good is a 60 year-old realtor in a small seaside town in New England where she's lived all her life. It is her long-time residency and successful business that has earned her a lot of clout in the community. She is both lovable and infuriating as an outspoken, wisecracking townie who honestly believed that everyone was wrong to think she had a drinking problem.
After her divorce, she allows her daughters to send her to a rehab center for two months. This proves unsuccessful because she resumes her drinking soon after. This is the part I found most poignant as Hildy struggled to present herself in the community as rehabilitated while continuing to drink in secret. The raw and honest depiction of an alcoholic's thoughts, fears and actions is one of the best I've ever read and it helped me to understand the addiction better. There are sub-plots to this story that I found to be melodramatic but I cared about Hildy enough to read until the end.
Leary's writing is smart and funny but never flippant. It's a good read and I recommend listening to the audiobook to heighten the experience. Mary Beth Hurt's narration is really outstanding.