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While My Sister Sleeps
by
Barbara Delinsky (Goodreads Author)
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
Once again New York Times bestselling author Barbara Delinsky brings us a masterful family portrait, filled with thought-provoking insights into how emotions affect the decisions we make and how letting go can be the hardest thing to do and the greatest expression of love all at the same time.
Molly and Robin Snow are sisters in the prime of life. ...more
Once again New York Times bestselling author Barbara Delinsky brings us a masterful family portrait, filled with thought-provoking insights into how emotions affect the decisions we make and how letting go can be the hardest thing to do and the greatest expression of love all at the same time.
Molly and Robin Snow are sisters in the prime of life. ...more
Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages
Published
October 27th 2009
by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
(first published February 17th 2009)
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More of a 2.5 for me. There was just too much that Delinsky tried to cram into this book--too many people, too many issues. I really didn't feel like I knew the main characters or understood their motives.
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I really didn't like this book. I didn't like any of the characters. The story revolves around a family who owns some famous nursery in New England where they all work except for the oldest daughter who is a famous runner training for the Olympics. She winds up having a heart attack while running which causes severe brain damage. The story basically involves the family members coming to terms with what happened as well as with each other. The characters are painted in such broad strokes tha...more
So many of the familiar Delinsky elements are here: a major character thwarted from her career path, a tangled family relationship, sibling tension. This is both a good thing and a bad thing.
What makes this book so wonderful, however, is the tightness of the narrative. It takes place over a very short time (compared to some of her other titles). As each day passes, the tension increases until the characters finally have to make the confrontations they've been dreading.
...more
What makes this book so wonderful, however, is the tightness of the narrative. It takes place over a very short time (compared to some of her other titles). As each day passes, the tension increases until the characters finally have to make the confrontations they've been dreading.
...more
My review: Robin is the star athlete of the Snow family. All family activities revolve around her running. Molly is the younger sister, always feeling second best to Robin. Even as an adult, Molly continues to struggle living in Robin’s shadow. It’s not until Robin’s last run, that the Snow family will finally face the reality of their dynamics.
One that fateful day, Molly was supposed to be with Robin during her long run. True to Robin’s fashion, she changed her running plans at the ...more
One that fateful day, Molly was supposed to be with Robin during her long run. True to Robin’s fashion, she changed her running plans at the ...more
I just finished this book on my eReader. It was a very good book. Sad and so true. It is about family relations, dementia, life support, heart problems, love, giving up and holding on. This is the second book written by Barbara Delinsky I have read. I can't tell you which was better. Both dealt with family relations and how important that is between sisters, brothers, mothers and fathers.
Robin is the oldest child, she is a runner. She goes out for a run and has an accident. ...more
Robin is the oldest child, she is a runner. She goes out for a run and has an accident. ...more
Goodness, I had thought this book sounded so good when I read about it. So I contacted the author to see if she'd be kind enough to send me a copy. I have to say that this book is the most amazing book. It's going on my list of favorite books of all time! While the premise of the story is one we've heard before, I could never have imagined the depths that it would uncover. The emotions that it evokes are complex and will have you really feeling a bit raw. All of us have wondered at one time or a...more
Olympic level marathoner and egotistical Robin Snow does not get along, for the most part, with her less athletic, younger sister Molly, a horticulturist. Though they share a sisterly bond, especially when things go bad for one of them, Molly resents her older sibling’s fame and accompanied gloating haughtiness, so she refuses to run with Robin as she trains. When Robin, running alone, suffers a heart attack that leaves her comatose, Molly feels guilty for not being there for her.
As ...more
As ...more
Not a bad read, but not a great one either. Robin, the track star in the family, suffers a heart attack while jogging which leaves her brain dead and hooked up to machines. The novel follows the fallout of a family struggling to deal with the trauma and all the secrets Robin had so carefully kept hidden. The book mostly centers on Molly, Robin's very likable sister. Unfortunately, Molly has to deal with Kathryn, their mother, and Kathryn is an absolute bitch.
Upon hearing about Robin'...more
Upon hearing about Robin'...more
Mind candy, a beach read, read in 6 hours on the holiday weekend. I may have to go back and read Coast Road to compare.
Current situation, daughter Robin, a world class marathon champion, collapses on a lonely road and despite cpr from a good samaritan does not regain consciousness by the time the ambulance reaches the ER at the New Hampshire community hospital. A younger sister is summoned to the ER; she is first on the contact list on the tongue of the runner's shoe.
Th...more
Current situation, daughter Robin, a world class marathon champion, collapses on a lonely road and despite cpr from a good samaritan does not regain consciousness by the time the ambulance reaches the ER at the New Hampshire community hospital. A younger sister is summoned to the ER; she is first on the contact list on the tongue of the runner's shoe.
Th...more
I liked this book, the way the author writes, I found myself eager to read and not wanting to put it down. However I was disturbed to see Teri Schiavo name used in the book and compared to the character in this book, who is brain dead and left going by machines. Teri Schiavo was awake, alive, breathing on her own, and especially loved and wanted by her parents. Yes she did have a feeding tube inserted, because of her possibility to aspirate. Teri Schiavo was starved to death. She was like a...more
It's been a while since I gave a book 5 stars, but this one definitely deserves it. Robin Snow is a star athlete and an Olympic hopeful to run the marathon. One day when she's out for her usual run, her life takes a dramatic turn for the worse. This beautifully written story follows each family member's journey through this crisis and shows how they grow, individually and as a family, through this terrible situation. There's a lot going on in this story, but it is beautifully woven and it al...more
I read this book in (almost) one sitting. I could barely put it down. Barbara Delinsky is one of my favourite authors - has been since her days writing romance novels under the names Billie Douglass and Bonnie Drake and I have enjoyed reading her books as her writing grew in both length and depth.
**(SLIGHT)SPOILER**
More than any of her other books, though, this one touched me and gripped me, maybe because I could relate very easily. I've sat at the bedsides of several...more
**(SLIGHT)SPOILER**
More than any of her other books, though, this one touched me and gripped me, maybe because I could relate very easily. I've sat at the bedsides of several...more
Now this was a gripping story!!
"Molly and Robin Snow are sisters, and like all sisters they share a deep bond that sustains them through good times and bad. Their careers are flourishing-Molly is a horticulturist and Robin is a world-class runner-and they are in the prime of their lives. So when Molly receives the news that Robin has suffered a massive heart attack, she couldn't be more shocked. At the hospital, the Snow family receives a grim prognosis: Robin may never regain c...more
"Molly and Robin Snow are sisters, and like all sisters they share a deep bond that sustains them through good times and bad. Their careers are flourishing-Molly is a horticulturist and Robin is a world-class runner-and they are in the prime of their lives. So when Molly receives the news that Robin has suffered a massive heart attack, she couldn't be more shocked. At the hospital, the Snow family receives a grim prognosis: Robin may never regain c...more
Olympic level marathoner egotistical Robin Snow and her less athletic younger sister Molly the horticulturist do not get along for the most part though they share a sisterly bond especially when things go bad for one of them. Molly resents her older sibling's fame and accompanied gloating haughtiness so refuses to run with Robin as she trains. When Robin running alone suffers a heart attack that leaves her comatose, Molly feels guilty for not being there for her.
As Robin's health wo...more
As Robin's health wo...more
OMG, what a good book. I hated to put it down for a while to do anything else, even to get onto Goodreads. What a heart wrenching story with no sugar coating and no surprise "miracle" at the end. The story is told mostly through the eyes of the younger sister that has always come in second to her sister the track star. The younger sister always goes with her sister when she is running/training. One day the older sister changes the time that she normally runs and the younger sister who ...more
Wow, what to say about this book? It wasn't my usual type of book, but it was another of those that fell into my lap and I started reading. By the end either I really didn't like any of the characters or I really didn't care about them at all. In fact, the only one I grew to like even marginally was in a coma. (I don't think that's a spoiler, since it's clear from the description that's what the book's about. And how did she get away with using the title? I would've thought that the people who m...more
Linda
rated it
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Yes
Recommended to Linda by:
The Ultimate Book Club Sept 2010
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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I think that how you read this book will be influenced by whether or not you are an only child or have siblings. I always like this author, but this book was a whole 'nother story. The book I read this week is not the same book as it would have been six months ago. My circumstances changed how I read the book. Normally I would have read the book and agreed with other reviews...this is a book about a spoiled woman and how the world revolves around her life and death. But at this time in my life, ...more
This is such a poorly written book. The only reason I keep reading it is to help me fall asleep at night. There is no depth to any of the characters. Sure, there's a bit of conflict between the mother and one of the daughters, but it's on the surface. There is entirely too much conversation going on. We don't get into anyone's head about how they're really feeling or thinking. It's all just shallow talk. I had high hopes for it because I thought the storyline was intriguing, but I'm very d...more
I personally don't care for the 'chick lit' name; after all, Middlemarch and Wuthering Heights would have fit that description but they were both examples of great literature, period. Not that this book is in their league but neither is it as bad I thought it would be when it was first recommended. Mostly because of the main character, Molly, did I enjoy this. She's a great protagonist and feels real but the story itself - mom/sister struggling with letting go of brain dead daughter/sister, anot...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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This was the second book that I have read by Barbara Delinsky. I like her writing style. It is easy to be drawn into the story.
This is a story about the Snow family. There is Kathryn (mom), Charlie (dad), Robin (oldest), Chris, and Molly. Robin is a marathon runner and star of the family. She collapses on a run and is found by a man running behind her. He starts CPR and gets her heart going again. Robin has had a heart attack. She is 32 years old. While she is unconscious i...more
This is a story about the Snow family. There is Kathryn (mom), Charlie (dad), Robin (oldest), Chris, and Molly. Robin is a marathon runner and star of the family. She collapses on a run and is found by a man running behind her. He starts CPR and gets her heart going again. Robin has had a heart attack. She is 32 years old. While she is unconscious i...more
I picked up this book because I had read The Secret Between US and enjoyed it, but it did not live up to my expectations.
While My Sister Sleeps has a lot of dialogue in it. The way the plot moves is through dialogue, as the characters talk their way through the crisis of a medical emergency that leaves the sister in a coma. But a lot of that dialogue felt forced. Some characters said things just to move the plot forward, or to introduce new elements that weren't even hinted at in th...more
While My Sister Sleeps has a lot of dialogue in it. The way the plot moves is through dialogue, as the characters talk their way through the crisis of a medical emergency that leaves the sister in a coma. But a lot of that dialogue felt forced. Some characters said things just to move the plot forward, or to introduce new elements that weren't even hinted at in th...more
Summary: Young woman is rendered brain dead from a heart attack; family sits by the bedside for days agonizing about whether to take her off life support and donate her organs; they decide to do it.
That's a situation, not a story. It should not constitute a full-length book. And it's obviously written by someone (yes, I know she's a popular writer) who has never been through this.
I'm super critical, because my own daughter, Kaitlyn Arquette, 18, was chased down in her ca...more
That's a situation, not a story. It should not constitute a full-length book. And it's obviously written by someone (yes, I know she's a popular writer) who has never been through this.
I'm super critical, because my own daughter, Kaitlyn Arquette, 18, was chased down in her ca...more
While My Sister Sleeps is the story of two sisters. One is an elite marathoner, training for the Olympics. The other works in the family business and lives in her sister's shadow. That is, until the marathoner suffers a massive heart attack and is left with brain damage from the lack of oxygen. Then the family must decide what to do next.
The writing was fairly weak.
But, I do like a book that makes me think about issues. This book made me think about....
-end-of-life...more
The writing was fairly weak.
But, I do like a book that makes me think about issues. This book made me think about....
-end-of-life...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This is my first Delinsky book and I thought it was great. I mean, yeah, maybe she could have futher explored and developed the characters in the book. I thought that it'll be nice if she had talked more about David and Molly.
Nevertheless, I think the focus was on how the family coped, especially Molly. Personally, I know and do experience, the feelings of loving and hating your sister. It feels weird and I'll always feel guilty. Bottom line is, we actually love each other.
...more
Nevertheless, I think the focus was on how the family coped, especially Molly. Personally, I know and do experience, the feelings of loving and hating your sister. It feels weird and I'll always feel guilty. Bottom line is, we actually love each other.
...more
I was lucky enough to win an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book from bookbrowse.com's First Impressions program. The following is the review that I posted on their website:
Another Winner From Delinsky
I am a long time fan of this author and was very happy that she did not disappoint with this story. As always, Ms. Delinsky's strength lies in her ability to write realistically about relationships, mother/daughter, siblings and the love/hate relationship that we sometimes have wi...more
Another Winner From Delinsky
I am a long time fan of this author and was very happy that she did not disappoint with this story. As always, Ms. Delinsky's strength lies in her ability to write realistically about relationships, mother/daughter, siblings and the love/hate relationship that we sometimes have wi...more
While My Sister Sleeps, by Barbara Delinsky came to me highly recommended by some of my book group friends. It is a great story that deals with some tough issues.
One day Molly Snow receives a telephone call from the hospital about her sister Robin. She is told to come to the hospital as soon as possible. Molly is not alarmed about the call after all her sister is young, 32, a marathon runner and healthy. When Molly arrives at the hospital she is devastated by the news that her sister...more
One day Molly Snow receives a telephone call from the hospital about her sister Robin. She is told to come to the hospital as soon as possible. Molly is not alarmed about the call after all her sister is young, 32, a marathon runner and healthy. When Molly arrives at the hospital she is devastated by the news that her sister...more
This was the first time I've loaded an audio book fron the Library via itunes and listened on my ipod.
I've enjoyed many of this author's other books, and I enjoyed this one too. It dealt with several very sensitive issues, including end of life, 'brain death,' pulling the plug, organ donation, unwed motherhood, and even touched on abortion. It was done in a very informed way, and with the issues attached to well defined characters, it helped to see that there are no easy decisions, a...more
I've enjoyed many of this author's other books, and I enjoyed this one too. It dealt with several very sensitive issues, including end of life, 'brain death,' pulling the plug, organ donation, unwed motherhood, and even touched on abortion. It was done in a very informed way, and with the issues attached to well defined characters, it helped to see that there are no easy decisions, a...more
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I was born and raised in suburban Boston. My mother’s death, when I was eight, was the defining event of a childhood that was otherwise ordinary. I took piano lessons and flute lessons. I took ballroom dancing lessons. I went to summer camp through my fifteenth year (in Maine, which explains the setting of so many of my stories), then spent my sixteenth summer learning to type and to drive (two sk...more
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