I read this for a lighter read after having read several books with heavier themes. I've read several books from this author over the years. While mosI read this for a lighter read after having read several books with heavier themes. I've read several books from this author over the years. While most people would categorize her books as light beach reads, I think her stories have a nice depth to them. I never feel they are cliched or predictable. I think of them a books that explore familial or romantic relationships....more
I didn’t care for it. It is a hard and depressing book. I ended up not liking Peter at all. I thought one part of the book was unnecessarily dramatic.I didn’t care for it. It is a hard and depressing book. I ended up not liking Peter at all. I thought one part of the book was unnecessarily dramatic. I also felt the ending was unrealistic given everything else that happened in the story....more
This was my first Anne Tyler book. This was my last Anne Tyler book. I can’t remember the last time I was bored from page 1 to the end. I din’t think This was my first Anne Tyler book. This was my last Anne Tyler book. I can’t remember the last time I was bored from page 1 to the end. I din’t think the writing was anything special and the story went nowhere....more
This was a nice break from the last several books I’ve read that have been much heavier in subject content. This is only my second book by this authorThis was a nice break from the last several books I’ve read that have been much heavier in subject content. This is only my second book by this author. The first book was The Blue Bistro. I enjoyed it, but I like this one better. I enjoyed all the characters in this book. Each character was developed well, and I felt like I had a good sense of who that person was. I will probably go back and read a couple of her earlier books since I enjoyed this one so much....more
The title was clever. Unfortunately, it’s the only thing in this book was clever. It covered no knew ground nor did it put forth any fresh thoughts. TThe title was clever. Unfortunately, it’s the only thing in this book was clever. It covered no knew ground nor did it put forth any fresh thoughts. The plane crash was simply a jumping off point for a different topic. The stories were disjointed and lacking in development, much less conclusion. Piedmont was the only likeable character. Lulu drove me nuts. I wanted to skip over all the dialogues between her and the Mayor. I felt duped. I almost skipped this one…wish I had trusted my instincts on this one....more
This book was too abstract for my personal taste. It moved slowly, and I found that the surrounding story was a distraction to the main purpose of theThis book was too abstract for my personal taste. It moved slowly, and I found that the surrounding story was a distraction to the main purpose of the book....more
I loved the humor and wit in this book. The setting and the characters were both interesting and kept me engaged in the story itself. The story was laI loved the humor and wit in this book. The setting and the characters were both interesting and kept me engaged in the story itself. The story was laid out well. I will read other books by this author. ...more
Yikes! This is an intense, suspenseful, fast-paced read.. The author wrote the fire out of this book! None of the main characters were likable and yetYikes! This is an intense, suspenseful, fast-paced read.. The author wrote the fire out of this book! None of the main characters were likable and yet this book held my interest throughout....more
I liked the pace of the story. The setting definitely added to its appeal for me. She kept me guessing to the end. I think it is good but not great. II liked the pace of the story. The setting definitely added to its appeal for me. She kept me guessing to the end. I think it is good but not great. I've not read her first book, The Dry, but I've put it on my TBR list....more
I had high expectations for this book and was disappointed. It moved slowly for the first 3/4 of the book then rushed through the conclusion. The storI had high expectations for this book and was disappointed. It moved slowly for the first 3/4 of the book then rushed through the conclusion. The story itself didn't capture my attention, but the fairy tales were ok....more
I was surprised by this book. It is a work of fiction concerning the Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka that immigrated by ship to Canada. It is apparent tI was surprised by this book. It is a work of fiction concerning the Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka that immigrated by ship to Canada. It is apparent the author researched the subject extensively and created a great story. I knew nothing about the subject before reading this book. The thing I most enjoyed about this book is that the author didn't choose a "side". She presented everyone's point of view and did a great job of illustrating that immigration issues aren't as black and white as one might think....more
There has been so much hype about this up and coming author. I was disappointed. The story plodded along. None of the characters were particularly likThere has been so much hype about this up and coming author. I was disappointed. The story plodded along. None of the characters were particularly likeable. The author took too long to develop the characters but little time on telling the story and bringing it to a conclusion. Just when she finally started telling the story, the book ended. This didn’t read like book one of a series, but if it turns out that is the case, I won’t bother with book two. ...more
I read Love Walked In and Belong To Me in preparation for reading this book as the three books contain the same characters. This book is far and away I read Love Walked In and Belong To Me in preparation for reading this book as the three books contain the same characters. This book is far and away the best of the three books. The story in this book is completely different from the first two books and what I would have expected. The author outdid herself in this book In terms of both writing and story. If you were only going to read one of the three books in the series, this is probably the one that I would recommend....more
I’m not sure that I would have read this book on my own, but it is a selection from the 2018 MMD Summer ReadingChallenge. I’m glad I have read it. It I’m not sure that I would have read this book on my own, but it is a selection from the 2018 MMD Summer ReadingChallenge. I’m glad I have read it. It moved a bit too slow for my taste at times, but I thought the writing it’s self was quite good. The best part of the book for me was part Four. It was both poignant and heartbreaking to read. I finished the book without any hope that father and son would ever reconcile. I would have loved to have seen a reconciliation between father and son. Or at least the beginning’s of a reconciliation. However, I believe that the ending the author chose is the scenario that most often occurs in situations of this type.
There were some great observations and wisdom on familial relationships and forgiveness. This story reminds me of something that I have always believed to be true. No matter what country we live in or faith we practice or in which economic demographic we reside , families are families and people are people. We all struggle with familial relationship and our faith at times. We all have to learn how to manage those relationships and how to make our faith our own, not that of our parents. We all search for our place in families and communities. Sometimes we are successful, sometimes we are not....more
This book didn't bring anything new to the table.in terms of feminism. I did enjoy reading Greer, Corey, and Faith's stories. This was a character-driThis book didn't bring anything new to the table.in terms of feminism. I did enjoy reading Greer, Corey, and Faith's stories. This was a character-driven book so much it was giving the reader background information and thoughts on the part of the characters. It was too sexually graphic for my taste, and I didn't agree with all aspects of the characters' worldviews. I also think the author treated the use of pornography too lightly.
When I think about it, the character that best represented what I consider to be the original message of feminism was Corey. He did what we wanted to do with his life in terms of both profession and his relationship with Greer without regard to what society thought.
I also thought it was interesting that Faith stated in the book that she knew before she had sex with Emmitt that he was married and had a daughter. Yet when he tried to get her to continue their affair, she said she wouldn't do that to her "sister", meaning his wife. That was hypocritical on her part. I do think that overall she was a pretty good professional mentor for Greer.
Between the lack of new material and the worldviews, I can't recommend this book.
I can see how many people would enjoy this series. It fell a bit flat for me. It read like a Nancy Drew mystery to me. I've upgraded my rating from twI can see how many people would enjoy this series. It fell a bit flat for me. It read like a Nancy Drew mystery to me. I've upgraded my rating from two to three stars. I started thinking about it more, and I realized that because I listened to this book, I was influenced by the narrator's voice for the characters. As I said, it felt like a Nancy Drew mystery to me. I think that was due to the narrator. If I had read it, I think that the story of the widows and Perveen's own story of oppression would have melded better. So....I would definitely read it, not listen to it....more
A unique and hard look at the emotional toil of abusive relationships and the long-term effects it has on family. A good story in an atmospheric settiA unique and hard look at the emotional toil of abusive relationships and the long-term effects it has on family. A good story in an atmospheric setting that, thankfully, had an ending full of hope....more
Loading...
