In the tradition of Kristin Hannah's "Firefly Lane" and Marisa de los Santos' "Belong To Me," comes this beautiful and touching story by critically...
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reviews
Jun 13, 2011
Cate
rated it: 
A Reading Good Books @ Wordpress review.
* In compliance with FTC guidelines, it should be noted that I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
I won this book during the 30 May 2011 drawing of GoodReads First Reads. I had been playing for just a week. Lucky! I was one of 18 winners of this book. In the past, I have read only one similar book, a book about a bevy of women bonding together, and that was The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler. Alt More...
* In compliance with FTC guidelines, it should be noted that I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
I won this book during the 30 May 2011 drawing of GoodReads First Reads. I had been playing for just a week. Lucky! I was one of 18 winners of this book. In the past, I have read only one similar book, a book about a bevy of women bonding together, and that was The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler. Alt More...
4 comments
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(2 people liked it)
Jul 19, 2011
As I mentioned in my initial thoughts post, I didn’t really like how this book began. I continued to read a bit more, but I never connected with any of the characters and ended up putting it aside to read something else, intending to come back to it. I never have. It’s a bit of a let down, too, because I enjoy books that explore friendships between women and this one looks like a winner from the outside. The execution just didn’t jive with my style, unfortunately.
The book starts with More...
The book starts with More...
Jun 21, 2011
Shannon
rated it:
I really enjoyed this book- so much so that I read it in one sitting. I don't normally read books like this, but every now and then it's good to read a little chick-lit (like a chick-flick, but for books). I thought this book was a little bit of Steel Magnolias, Now and Then, and Stepmom all rolled together. I enjoyed the characters and their development throughout the book. I thought they would be a little closer as friends, but some seemed more acquaintances than friends. However, all of
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Oct 16, 2011
Marie
rated it: 
“Odd, how in the afterglow of someone else’s life, your own looks so much brighter.”
This line from Ellyn Bache’s new novel The Art of Saying Goodbye (William Morrow, 2011), gives you a sense of the glowing feel you will gather from this artful novel.
In the novel, golden girl Paisley suddenly learns she has a late stage cancer. It is unthinkable, and throughout the course of the novel, we see the women who know Paisley re-examining their own lives, revealing secrets and sh More...
This line from Ellyn Bache’s new novel The Art of Saying Goodbye (William Morrow, 2011), gives you a sense of the glowing feel you will gather from this artful novel.
In the novel, golden girl Paisley suddenly learns she has a late stage cancer. It is unthinkable, and throughout the course of the novel, we see the women who know Paisley re-examining their own lives, revealing secrets and sh More...
Jun 10, 2011
Tonya
rated it:
We meet 5 women off the bat, and then we go back and forth between all of them, finding out about them and what each one might be struggling with. Iona was my favorite. Seems like a hard lady on the outside but really is a loving lady and could be a wonderful friend. All these ladies I yearned to really like. Could like them on the surface, but there was no real depth. Even Paisley, as much as I was like, yea I think I might like her, after all the stuff I read, not really sure I do!
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Jul 19, 2011
Aimee
rated it:
The Art of Saying Goodbye
Ellyn Bache
Stars 4 out of 5
The story lets you know about a neighbor who is dying of cancer and the friendship she has with her neighbors. (I have family dealing with this right now, don't know why I chose it), however, I did enjoy this book and believe it or not, did not shed a tear!
It alternates back and forth from current times and years before. You learn how the neighbors came to be friends.
There are many characters in More...
Ellyn Bache
Stars 4 out of 5
The story lets you know about a neighbor who is dying of cancer and the friendship she has with her neighbors. (I have family dealing with this right now, don't know why I chose it), however, I did enjoy this book and believe it or not, did not shed a tear!
It alternates back and forth from current times and years before. You learn how the neighbors came to be friends.
There are many characters in More...
Jul 05, 2011
Holly (2 Kids and Tired)
rated it: 
Sometimes I hit a wave of books that I just don't connect with. Perhaps it's me and the circumstances of my life at the time, perhaps it's the books. The Art of Saying Goodbye was another disappointment to me.
I normally enjoy books that explore the friendships of women. I thought the author did a good job capturing some of the intricacies and feelings of each of these women as Paisley's cancer diagnosis causes them to evaluate their lives and relationships. The book's point of More...
I normally enjoy books that explore the friendships of women. I thought the author did a good job capturing some of the intricacies and feelings of each of these women as Paisley's cancer diagnosis causes them to evaluate their lives and relationships. The book's point of More...
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Jun 27, 2011
Laura
rated it: 
3.5 stars.
This book felt like it should have been a 4 star book, but it never quite lived up to the potential for me.
There wasn't anything really wrong with it, as such. There was quite a bit right with it.
Still, I clearly enjoyed it, and am glad I read it.
What was most interesting to me was the picture of the neighborhood, and the links between the women there, even more so than the women themselves.
The women each had her own story, More...
This book felt like it should have been a 4 star book, but it never quite lived up to the potential for me.
There wasn't anything really wrong with it, as such. There was quite a bit right with it.
Still, I clearly enjoyed it, and am glad I read it.
What was most interesting to me was the picture of the neighborhood, and the links between the women there, even more so than the women themselves.
The women each had her own story, More...
May 08, 2011
Sandra
rated it:
I have not read any of this author's other books, but received an advanced copy of The Art of Saying Goodbye at a conference and decided to give it a try. Each of the characters, and the story as a whole, felt very real and true to me. Grief, friendship, love, uncertainty - all the feelings that make up a life, or several lives - were portrayed quietly and convincingly, without being over done. It was not extremely sappy, it did not try to be a tear-jerker, the book simply felt as though I was g
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Aug 13, 2011
Melissa
rated it:
All I can say is "not bad." This had so much potential, but I just could not get into the characters. The story was all over the place and I had a really hard time keeping track of who was who. It was written in a way where half a story was told and then the rest would be told later. Now, I'm great with this - shake it up a bit - but it happened with every character for every story. I found myself reading a paragraph, realizing I didn't understand it, and then not caring enough to go b
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Aug 31, 2011
Dani
rated it:
Bache does a great job of moving between characters and displaying their emotions regarding the illness, and eventual death, of their friend. The flow is effortless and makes it easy for the reader to get a good look of what each character's life is like as well as how the dying friend has impacted them. The average reader would probably rate this 3.5 to 4 stars. I rated it a 3 because it didn't grab me enough. I've read some pretty heavy books so maybe my eyes take tougher stuff to get them cry
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Jul 23, 2011
elliereads
rated it:
I'm still not a fan of goodreads' star system. I give this book a three out of five not because I liked it, but because it was a book of about 60% goodness. That doesn't make much sense, does it? The book is about a neighborhood saying good-bye to a popular resident who is dying from cancer.
I didn't particularly like any of the women, but I did understand them. And when the "main" character dies, I was moved by their thoughts and expressions, but I didn't once think, " More...
I didn't particularly like any of the women, but I did understand them. And when the "main" character dies, I was moved by their thoughts and expressions, but I didn't once think, " More...
Jul 08, 2011
Cathy
rated it:
Twenty years ago I lost a friend to breast cancer. By the time it was diagnosed she had only 2 months to live. She left a husband and 3 children under the age of 15. In 2007 my big sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had a single mastectomy and chemo. Not long after 1/3 of a kidney was removed due to cancer. More chemo. She is a survivor.
I was ambivalent about entering the giveaway for this book but I did enter. I was hoping for something uplifting.
That wasn' More...
I was ambivalent about entering the giveaway for this book but I did enter. I was hoping for something uplifting.
That wasn' More...
Jul 06, 2011
Michelle
rated it:
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
“The Art of Saying Goodbye” by Ellyn Bache is a heartfelt novel of a group of diverse women; Iona, Julianne, Andrea, Ginger and Paisley, friends living in a close knit neighborhood. But this group is shocked when the liveliest and friendliest of the group, Paisley, is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
This book isn’t just a story about a woman going through her battle with cancer. It is the story of five indiv More...
“The Art of Saying Goodbye” by Ellyn Bache is a heartfelt novel of a group of diverse women; Iona, Julianne, Andrea, Ginger and Paisley, friends living in a close knit neighborhood. But this group is shocked when the liveliest and friendliest of the group, Paisley, is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
This book isn’t just a story about a woman going through her battle with cancer. It is the story of five indiv More...
Aug 20, 2011
Jacque
rated it:
This story was very good. I loved it. It made me cry in many places. It was hard to read when you know how the story is going to end. I found it to be very interesting to find out that the writer had really gone through this herself. It made the story more real than it already was.
In the story I found the way each woman reacted to the diagnosis of their friend with pancreatic and liver cancer to be interesting. Each one reacted differently, but still I felt that they all wanted More...
In the story I found the way each woman reacted to the diagnosis of their friend with pancreatic and liver cancer to be interesting. Each one reacted differently, but still I felt that they all wanted More...
Jun 26, 2011
Stacie
rated it:
I received this book from Librarything and loved the idea of the storyline. After reading it, I found that the author wrote this story after going through a similiar situation several years ago in her own neighborhood. That made it even more touching for me.
The story takes place over 1 1/2 months in the lives of Paisley, the woman with cancer, and her neighborhood friends. The story mostly takes place in current time with a few flashback chapters to give you the backstory. The More...
The story takes place over 1 1/2 months in the lives of Paisley, the woman with cancer, and her neighborhood friends. The story mostly takes place in current time with a few flashback chapters to give you the backstory. The More...
Oct 23, 2011
Becky
rated it:
Beautifully written book. I think everyone has a Paisley in their lives. And when, if that Paisley passes or even moves away, the loss is felt deeply by all. The characters in this book were not deeply explored but enough to understand each person's feelings. Sad to think that Paisley's friends, as a whole, were unable to really give her the emotional support that she needed during her time of dying. That her declining health acutally helped her friends.
Jun 11, 2011
Margaret
rated it:
The Art of Saying Goodbye is a lovely story about four women and each woman's relationship with the central character and with each other, their children, their husbands and friends. Ellyn Bache has the ability to go under the surface of each character, so efficiently. It's a relatively short book, but she gets so much accomplished.
Set in the South, the story could have taken place anywhere, at any time. It will make a great book discussion group read.
Set in the South, the story could have taken place anywhere, at any time. It will make a great book discussion group read.
Jul 25, 2011
Stephanie
rated it:
Just received the book in the mail! Thank you Goodreads,Ellyn Bache, and Megan, who hosted the giveaway! Can't wait to read it! I liked the ribbon you put on it too :) (June 4)
Update: (June 21)
First off, I really like the cover. It's pretty!! Next, after reading the book I get why there was a white ribbon tied around. Liked it even better!! Thirdly, I really enjoyed the book.If it wasn't for good reads I probably would have never come across this book in the book store, since it is n More...
Update: (June 21)
First off, I really like the cover. It's pretty!! Next, after reading the book I get why there was a white ribbon tied around. Liked it even better!! Thirdly, I really enjoyed the book.If it wasn't for good reads I probably would have never come across this book in the book store, since it is n More...
Nov 10, 2011
Elyse
rated it:
I'm very conflicted about this book. On the one hand, it was full of exquisite wording and emotional depth, but on the other hand, it stretched nearly every scene far too long. I didn't really feel a connection to Paisley as a real person, because she seemed too perfect to be real.
That being said, some of the chapters offered a beautiful look at death and saying goodbye to someone you love.
That being said, some of the chapters offered a beautiful look at death and saying goodbye to someone you love.
Apr 24, 2011
I loved this book; I couldn't put it down. It was full of characters who lived in a neighborhood that provided the setting for this absorbing story. The characters were real people; Ellyn did a wonderful job in fleshing out their personalities. For me, it was one of those books that I hated to see come to an end because I wanted to spend more time with them. I think this book would be an excellent choice for any book club. I'm looking forward to reading more of Ellyn Bache's books.
Jul 31, 2011
Jodi
rated it:
This was a wonderful story about neighbors and friendships. It did remind me of our neighborhood a little bit and that was interesting. I did enjoy the story and the fact that one got a terminal illnesss changed the dynamics of the neighborhood forever. It was a story of growing up and allowing people to be themselves and to really get to know someone and still like them flaws and all.
Jun 09, 2011
Connie
rated it: 
I thought this book was padded with mundane details. I was disappointed in not finding any light-bulb moments to give the title credence. I kept waiting for something to happen. Please just let Paisley's friends, at her funeral, drape feather boas across their shoulders and "dance, girls, and all the cares of the world will go away." Not even that. Bummer!
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Aug 29, 2011
Amber
rated it:
I picked up this story hoping for a tale of love, loss, and grief. Instead I read about a bunch of caddy women jealous of their dying neighbor...jealous of her spirit and beauty that causes their husbands to stare at her instead of themselves. The characters are shallow and some are so similar to one another that's it's easy to confuse them with each other. I wanted to give it up early on, but I held onto the glimmer of hope that this story would somehow redeem itself. It didn't. My advice to yo
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Oct 15, 2011
Diane
rated it:
Some of the characters were ok. Writing mediocre. Repeated the same stories several times. Almost seems like she forgot that she had already written it. Story line was commendable but the organization or lack of it detracted from the story.
Jul 22, 2011
I recently lost a friend to cancer so thought this would be a good book to read. Can't say I really enjoyed it. Too much bad language for me and too much sex. Thought it would be more about how to say goodbye to someone you love.
Jun 19, 2011
Robbin
rated it:
very well done- great character development- I felt I knew all the women quite well by the end of the story. Not too, sad although I did shed a few tears in several parts along the way. very realistic
Jun 29, 2011
Jenifer
rated it:
This book was such a fast, smooth read. It had incredibly relatable characters and a realistic but sad storyline. It's moving in the simple, painful way that life often is. I enjoyed what felt like a glimpse into the everyday life of these women and by the end felt like I had known them for years.
Jul 02, 2011
Linda
rated it:
Great read - sad of course but lets you see in the interaction of good friends and how they accept and overcome the loss of one of them. A story with secrets and vulnerability. Good story.
Jan 17, 2012
Tiffanie
rated it:
a good book. maybe a few to many people in the book played back an forth between but overall a good book about friends who learn to deal with a another friends sickeness an later her death.
