Everything I Never Told You
This book is in a Controlled Release!
1 journaler for this copy...
I needed a book to read on a plane returning home from a trip out-of-state. Although I have a history of picking up "meh" books from airport bookstores, I decided to try once again anyway. I carefully choose one whose cover was adorned with great accolades, had a nice hook in the very first sentence, and seemed to have descriptive prose in the first couple of chapters. So I bought it.
I can say the writer of "Everything I Never Told You" has potential, but I found this particular book to ultimately be another disappointing airport book purchase (such as it was with "Behind the Beautiful Forevers", "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children", "The Art of Racing in the Rain", "The Corner of Bitter and Sweet", and "How to Be an American Housewife". )
Less than 1/4 of the way into the book, I found the characters not likable, unsympathetic, and situations somewhat unbelievable, even for the times (60s and 70s) they were supposedly happening. (For example, Dr. Lee only teaches one topic: American Cowboys. He leaves Harvard to teach college in Ohio and they hire him to teach just that...it works that way, right?) That's just one of a few things I found preposterous, annoying, overly-exaggerated or extremely repetitive. Also,hey Nath - learn to cook your own egg for breakfast for gods' sakes and quit thinking its your birthright.
The story had a good premise, but I think a lot more could have been done with the themes of mixed-marriage, racism and sexism; to try and tackle those issues along with a dysfunctional family that consequently leads to a dead daughter is a really big ticket. Maybe too much for a debut novel of under 300 pages.
Even after the first couple of chapters, I was not overwhelmed with the book, but early on in my reading, I thought it would be your "basic good book", ending with a 7/10 rating. However, with its heavy-handedness (yes, I get it, Marilyn over zealously gives Lydia gifts Marilyn herself is interested in. You've told me that a dozen times now) the book started devolving to a below average status. Honestly, the only thing that kept me reading was being trapped alone with this book on an airplane with nothing better to do. It did ready easily and quickly, and as I said earlier, the writer does have potential. Still, based on my feelings for this book, I doubt I would try anything more by her in the future.
I see from the reviews that many people really do love this book and I am the minority. (Pop fiction takes a lot to impress me anymore, though). Therefore, I am releasing this little book into the world with the hopes that the reader to which it does appeal is the one who finds it. I know you are out there!
Happy Reading!
I can say the writer of "Everything I Never Told You" has potential, but I found this particular book to ultimately be another disappointing airport book purchase (such as it was with "Behind the Beautiful Forevers", "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children", "The Art of Racing in the Rain", "The Corner of Bitter and Sweet", and "How to Be an American Housewife". )
Less than 1/4 of the way into the book, I found the characters not likable, unsympathetic, and situations somewhat unbelievable, even for the times (60s and 70s) they were supposedly happening. (For example, Dr. Lee only teaches one topic: American Cowboys. He leaves Harvard to teach college in Ohio and they hire him to teach just that...it works that way, right?) That's just one of a few things I found preposterous, annoying, overly-exaggerated or extremely repetitive. Also,hey Nath - learn to cook your own egg for breakfast for gods' sakes and quit thinking its your birthright.
The story had a good premise, but I think a lot more could have been done with the themes of mixed-marriage, racism and sexism; to try and tackle those issues along with a dysfunctional family that consequently leads to a dead daughter is a really big ticket. Maybe too much for a debut novel of under 300 pages.
Even after the first couple of chapters, I was not overwhelmed with the book, but early on in my reading, I thought it would be your "basic good book", ending with a 7/10 rating. However, with its heavy-handedness (yes, I get it, Marilyn over zealously gives Lydia gifts Marilyn herself is interested in. You've told me that a dozen times now) the book started devolving to a below average status. Honestly, the only thing that kept me reading was being trapped alone with this book on an airplane with nothing better to do. It did ready easily and quickly, and as I said earlier, the writer does have potential. Still, based on my feelings for this book, I doubt I would try anything more by her in the future.
I see from the reviews that many people really do love this book and I am the minority. (Pop fiction takes a lot to impress me anymore, though). Therefore, I am releasing this little book into the world with the hopes that the reader to which it does appeal is the one who finds it. I know you are out there!
Happy Reading!
Mailed to a friend.
