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169th out of 199 books
—
136 voters
The Making of Us
by
Lisa Jewell
In a hospice in Bury St Edmunds, a man called Daniel is slowly fading away. His friend Maggie sits with him every day; she holds his hand and she listens to the story of his life, to his regrets and to his secrets. And then he tells her about the children he has never met and never will. He talks of them wistfully. His legacy, he calls them. Lydia, Dean and Robyn don't kno...more
Paperback, 390 pages
Published
by Century
(first published May 12th 2011)
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Before I begin this review, I must admit that this isn't really the kind of book I'd choose to read myself. However, it was chosen by one of my book club's members, so I was willing to give it a go. My random thoughts are as follows...
- In terms of the characters, I found Lydia and Dean quite interesting, but Robyn annoyed me from the start. She was incredibly shallow, and all she seemed to care about was how she looked and whether she'd be able to impress every boy she came across. It didn't re...more
- In terms of the characters, I found Lydia and Dean quite interesting, but Robyn annoyed me from the start. She was incredibly shallow, and all she seemed to care about was how she looked and whether she'd be able to impress every boy she came across. It didn't re...more
Jewell’s novel brilliantly describes the unseen bonds that tie families together. Although they do not know each other, Lydia, Robyn, and Dean are siblings. They are all adults and living separate, unsatisfactory lives. Lydia is a lonely millionaire, Robyn is a confused student, and Dean is a struggling father. These three individuals meet for the first time in the midst of tragedy. The Making of Us voices the uncertainties of the children of sperm donors. Who is my father? What if my siblings d...more
I've long been a fan of Lisa Jewell's books – ever since I picked up Ralph’s Party way back in the day – and so far I've never been disappointed in the way her stories her written. Her ability to draw the reader into the plot from the very beginning is one of her trademarks. The Making of Us is another great read and tackles the sensitive issue of anonymity surrounding sperm donation. The story is warm and witty and yet underlines the ethical and moral dilemma facing those who rely on this metho...more
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The Making of Us was an engrossing novel. The author did a wonderful job of giving the reader an in depth look at these three siblings and their father. You really got to know Lydia, Dean, and Robyn, and as the reader truly gets to know them, you realize how much they would benefit from having a sibling. All three are a bit lonely and adrift in their lives. Anyone who has a sibling (I have six of them) knows that it can be a love/hate relationship at times...more
The Making of Us was an engrossing novel. The author did a wonderful job of giving the reader an in depth look at these three siblings and their father. You really got to know Lydia, Dean, and Robyn, and as the reader truly gets to know them, you realize how much they would benefit from having a sibling. All three are a bit lonely and adrift in their lives. Anyone who has a sibling (I have six of them) knows that it can be a love/hate relationship at times...more
I picked up the book with a glimmer of hope that this might, somewhat, resemble Never Let Me Go, which I absolutely loved (call out to read, if you haven’t done so already). Sadly, Ishiguru this is not!
The book revolves around three offspring of an anonymous sperm donor in London, some town outside London and Wales! They’re all really good looking (relevant nonsense there) and have issues of their own (unique issues, mind you – like having a boyfriend that could possibly be her brother (yuck), h...more
The book revolves around three offspring of an anonymous sperm donor in London, some town outside London and Wales! They’re all really good looking (relevant nonsense there) and have issues of their own (unique issues, mind you – like having a boyfriend that could possibly be her brother (yuck), h...more
The Making of Us
Lisa Jewell
The book starts in 1979. Glenys, a Welshwoman, decides her husband is “shooting blanks” and goes to a sperm bank in London.
Fast-forward to 1998. Lydia, now a young woman, recalls her mother, Glenys, who died when she was four. Lydia’s father, is dying of pulmonary disease and soon she will be alone. Jump to 2009. Lydia is quite wealthy, having invented a chemical for paint which was bought by a big paint company. She is grown-up, elegant, but alone and unloved. One d...more
Lisa Jewell
The book starts in 1979. Glenys, a Welshwoman, decides her husband is “shooting blanks” and goes to a sperm bank in London.
Fast-forward to 1998. Lydia, now a young woman, recalls her mother, Glenys, who died when she was four. Lydia’s father, is dying of pulmonary disease and soon she will be alone. Jump to 2009. Lydia is quite wealthy, having invented a chemical for paint which was bought by a big paint company. She is grown-up, elegant, but alone and unloved. One d...more
What is family and how does it change if new truths are revealed? Can things stay as they are or does one face the new challenges? In this novel by Lisa Jewell, the reader follows the different paths taken by three people, Lydia, Robyn, and Dean. The thread tying together these seeming unrelated people is Daniel, a Frenchman who is dying. As a young man he had been a sperm donor and now he wonders what has happened to the children he knows he fathered. As his dear friend Maggie searches for them...more
the Making of Us by Lisa Jewell was a very fast easy read.
The book revolves around three very different characters. The book begins with character introductions spanning different chapters.
I have issues with writers who do this because it usually causes a book to be choppy & confusing because I forget who is who. But Ms. Jewel was able to do this and then immediately intertwine the characters so it flowed beautifully.
I didn't become confused or frustrated with the switching between charact...more
The book revolves around three very different characters. The book begins with character introductions spanning different chapters.
I have issues with writers who do this because it usually causes a book to be choppy & confusing because I forget who is who. But Ms. Jewel was able to do this and then immediately intertwine the characters so it flowed beautifully.
I didn't become confused or frustrated with the switching between charact...more
Let me start by saying I love Lisa Jewell. I read Ralph's Party the moment it was published in 1999, and have devoured her novels since. She's my favourite author writing in fiction in what many term the 'chick lit' genre (though the label is one I have reservations about) - the only one I regularly read these days. Much of what she excels at is here - the empathy for her characters, the compelling storytelling, the pacy dialogue - however, given what she's already published, her considerable ta...more
I have received this book for free in exchange for an honest review
This in no way affects my opinion
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my review.
This book took me forever to read, not due to the writing, but due to the fact that my Kobo broke, and the one I bought to replace it wouldn't read the protected file, and I had to wait for the original to get fixed under warrenty. I am sorry for the delay, but it just couldn't be helped.
I did find the book a slow go however. There wasn...more
This in no way affects my opinion
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my review.
This book took me forever to read, not due to the writing, but due to the fact that my Kobo broke, and the one I bought to replace it wouldn't read the protected file, and I had to wait for the original to get fixed under warrenty. I am sorry for the delay, but it just couldn't be helped.
I did find the book a slow go however. There wasn...more
I was quite disappointed with this book. From what I read on the synopsis, it was quite different on what I read.
In his last days, Daniel decides that in order to amend his mistakes he wants to meet the children born from his sperms donation.
Lydia, Dean and Robyn have one thing in common, they are half- siblings and born from a sperm donation by Daniel. They think that by meeting their biological father they will be able to put their past behind.
The reason why I didn't like this book was becaus...more
In his last days, Daniel decides that in order to amend his mistakes he wants to meet the children born from his sperms donation.
Lydia, Dean and Robyn have one thing in common, they are half- siblings and born from a sperm donation by Daniel. They think that by meeting their biological father they will be able to put their past behind.
The reason why I didn't like this book was becaus...more
Aug 27, 2012
Hsiau Wei
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
for-review,
books-read-in-2012
First and foremost, i have not chance on any story plot as this book is about and after reading it, all i could say is that it is an AMAZING book. Interesting story plot and the author did a good job in telling the story of three main characters; Lydia, Dean and Robyn by allocating them in chapters where readers get to know more about them individually and their thoughts. The story tell focuses on three persons who found out that their actual father is actually a sperm donor and that they are of...more
I have not read a Lisa Jewell book for years and so when I was asked to review her latest novel The Making Of Us I couldn’t wait to start this as reading reviews on this book it seems opinions are straight down the middle so I decided I needed to put my two pence worth in!
The story follows three characters, Lydia, Dean and Robyn who all have something significant in common. They are all living their lives and feel as though something is missing in their lives and one by one they all find out tha...more
The story follows three characters, Lydia, Dean and Robyn who all have something significant in common. They are all living their lives and feel as though something is missing in their lives and one by one they all find out tha...more
This is essentially a story about family. The basic storyline is both simple: a dying man who was a sperm donor thirty years ago wants to meet the children he fathered. The story is told from the points of view of each of his children as they uncover their heritage, deal with their past and meet their biological family.
The story is well told. The characters feel real. Delving into family history can invoke difficult emotions; this is one of the main pointss of the story. Due to the nature of the...more
The story is well told. The characters feel real. Delving into family history can invoke difficult emotions; this is one of the main pointss of the story. Due to the nature of the...more
From Lisa Jewell, author of 8 previous novels, comes The Making of Us, a wonderfully remarkable story of family. I'm an only child, so I particularly empathized with the main characters in this novel. Each, in their own way, feels incomplete, without really knowing why. Lydia, whose parents who had two daughters before her, both of whom died of the same birth defect, knows that she was conceived by in-vitro fertilization. One day, a mysterious package arrives in the mail, offering Lydia the chan...more
This is only my second Lisa Jewell book (31 Dream Street was my first). Fistly, I must say, I am very impressed with her style of writing, it flows beautifully and is down-to-earth with touches of brilliance. That's mostly why I gave this book 4 stars. Regarding the story (told from several POVs) I was totally engaged at first, but did find myself disengaging towards the middle. I'm not sure why, perhaps because not much really happens, it just seems to totter along. And when the (grown-up) chil...more
ARC reviewed by Jessica for Book Sake.
This is my first read of Lisa Jewell’s and I’ve found that she does have a way of creating very real feeling characters. This is a contemporary women’s book that features three people and how their lives intertwine. I felt that the majority of the book focused on Lydia, although numerically that may not be true – there may have been an equal section of the book devoted to each of the characters, but it felt as if it was all based around her. That might be be...more
This is my first read of Lisa Jewell’s and I’ve found that she does have a way of creating very real feeling characters. This is a contemporary women’s book that features three people and how their lives intertwine. I felt that the majority of the book focused on Lydia, although numerically that may not be true – there may have been an equal section of the book devoted to each of the characters, but it felt as if it was all based around her. That might be be...more
“They were not identical, but they were alike. They were like her.”
In The Making Of Us, Jewell weaves together strangers united by common genes; children of the same sperm donor. Lydia has finally escaped from a cold and hated life on a Welsh estate. Dean is heartbroken when his girlfriend doesn’t survive the birth of their child. Robyn is set for a career as a doctor. Slowly they discover the truth about their parentage, but will it be soon enough for them to meet their father, who lies dying i...more
In The Making Of Us, Jewell weaves together strangers united by common genes; children of the same sperm donor. Lydia has finally escaped from a cold and hated life on a Welsh estate. Dean is heartbroken when his girlfriend doesn’t survive the birth of their child. Robyn is set for a career as a doctor. Slowly they discover the truth about their parentage, but will it be soon enough for them to meet their father, who lies dying i...more
It is pretty clear from the beginning that this book features a plot that involves a number of individuals from disparate walks of life who eventually come to the inevitable conclusion that they are linked through a sperm donor. I found none of the characters to be particularly interesting and I eventually just put the book down and did not return to it. After 150 pages I just wasn’t interested enough to read through the rest of the book to find out the details of how they contact and connect wi...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Found this book randomly while at the library perusing the new releases shelf, and it was a really pleasant surprise. Was not sure what to expect based on the plot--3 strangers find out they are all related via the same sperm donor father. This plot could have easily resulted in a really cheesy, trite mess, but this author was a real find. The characters were well-developed, complex, and they seemed genuine in their personalities and their flaws. The way their stories were woven together was at...more
A Frenchman, Daniel is dying in a hospice in Bury St. Edmunds. His friend Maggie is there every day. He talks about his life and the secret that he was a sperm donor who fathered four children. 2 boys and 2 girls. Maggie sets out to find them and get them to come and meet their father before he dies. The story is told in my least favorite format. Each character tells their side of the story in separate chapters alternating with the three main characters, Lydia, Dean and Robyn. Lydia is a very we...more
Originally reviewed at Novel Escapes.
Rated 2.5 Star
The Secrets of Us by Lisa Jewell is a novel about finding where you belong. It follows three characters that lead vastly different lives but always felt a piece of the puzzle missing and when they eventually find it, they find their way to each other. Although this novel is relatively easy to read, I found myself unable to connect with the characters and unfortunately remained ambivalent throughout.
This novel started interestingly enough, back...more
Lisa Jewell wrote 31 Dream Street, one of my favourite chick lit novels.
The Making of Us begins in a disjointed fashion. I wasn't sure which character was which and I wasn't sure if I wanted to carry on reading. I'm glad I did.
Daniel is dying in a hospice in Bury St Edmunds. Maggie listens to his life story. He tells her his secret, his 'legacy'. He was a sperm donor and he has three children - Lydia, Dean and Robyn.
Lydia is damaged, wealthy and successful. She is also lonely and unfulfilled. R...more
The Making of Us begins in a disjointed fashion. I wasn't sure which character was which and I wasn't sure if I wanted to carry on reading. I'm glad I did.
Daniel is dying in a hospice in Bury St Edmunds. Maggie listens to his life story. He tells her his secret, his 'legacy'. He was a sperm donor and he has three children - Lydia, Dean and Robyn.
Lydia is damaged, wealthy and successful. She is also lonely and unfulfilled. R...more
Family: it's what essentially defines us. How we're brought up, how we form our beliefs, how we make decisions, etc. But for those who are adopted or raised by someone other than our biological parents we often wonder how, if at all, we are alike--in any way--and how defined we are by our father and mother. Lisa Jewell's 'The Making of Us' features three people, with the same biological father (who donated his sperm) but different mothers/families, are intertwined.
The book focuses much on Lydia...more
The book focuses much on Lydia...more
May 20, 2012
Farhana Chowdhury
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Anyone who enjoys romance and family stories
Shelves:
my-library
It didn’t take me long to finish it at just over 400 pages (including additional author content which I also decided to read) but I wouldn’t call it a book that I “couldn’t-put-down”.
I loved reading the book (most of the time) and I’d happily read it again, yet I don’t think it was written amazingly. Readers on Goodreads have listed How I Live Now as Chick Lit but I think it fits in better as Contemporary literature considering the “chick lit” aspects are less important in the book.
*possible spo...more
I loved reading the book (most of the time) and I’d happily read it again, yet I don’t think it was written amazingly. Readers on Goodreads have listed How I Live Now as Chick Lit but I think it fits in better as Contemporary literature considering the “chick lit” aspects are less important in the book.
*possible spo...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Not sure where to start with this review, Lisa is one of my favourite
Authors, so I was slightly disappointed with this book, I was confused
at first and wasn’t sure I was going to like the book, because it jumps
from character to character, nothing seemed to make sense, however
after part one then the part now, I started to enjoy the book, it was
sad and funny, I couldn’t put it down then and wanted to see what would
happen. I live in a little village called Llanharry, Llantrisant and
Tonypand...more
Authors, so I was slightly disappointed with this book, I was confused
at first and wasn’t sure I was going to like the book, because it jumps
from character to character, nothing seemed to make sense, however
after part one then the part now, I started to enjoy the book, it was
sad and funny, I couldn’t put it down then and wanted to see what would
happen. I live in a little village called Llanharry, Llantrisant and
Tonypand...more
I like Lisa Jewell, and I did enjoy this, but I tend to agree with the reviewer who found Robyn and Dean a little watery. Lydia was a good character and well written. Story is interesting about 3 siblings who were conceived from the same sperm donor, who is now terminally ill and decides he'd like to meet them.
I took a star off because I found the underlying message a little cloying. Well, actually, we do still die and rot - sorry, having children does not bring eternal life and importance! Yes...more
I took a star off because I found the underlying message a little cloying. Well, actually, we do still die and rot - sorry, having children does not bring eternal life and importance! Yes...more
A good read. The subject matter (people conceived via donated sperm at a sperm bank reunited with their siblings and donor/father via a registry) bordered on the lifetime movie-esque but I liked the characters and had empathy for their struggles. The British sensibility of the author/narrator softened the chik-litness of the book; I guffawed when the author went so far as to have one of the characters make reference to books with shoes on their covers - a cheeky nod to the genre, that I apprecia...more
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Lisa Jewell (born 19th July 1968, Middlesex, London) is a popular British author of chick lit fiction. Her books include Ralph's Party, Thirtynothing and most recently 31 Dream Street. She lives in Swiss Cottage, London with her husband Jascha and daughters Amelie Mae (born 2003) and Evie Scarlett (born 2007).
Lisa's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/LisaJewelloff...
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18. März, 12:34 Uhr
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