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All the Lasting Things
The Fisher family of Alluvia, New York, is coming undone. Evelyn spends her days tending to her husband, Henry—an acclaimed and reclusive novelist slowly losing his battle with Alzheimer’s. Their son, Benji, onetime star of an ’80s sitcom called Prodigy, sinks deeper into drunken obscurity, railing against the bit roles he’s forced to take in uncelebrated regional theater. His sister, Claudia, tries her best to shore up her family even as she deals with the consequences of a remarkable, decades-old secret that’s come to light. When the Fishers mistake one of Benji’s drug-induced accidents for a suicidal cry for help, Benji commits to playing a role he hopes will reverse his fortune and stall his family’s decline. Into this mix comes Max Davis, a twentysomething cello virtuoso and real-life prodigy, whose appearance spurs the entire family to examine whether the secrets they thought were holding them all together may actually be what’s tearing them apart.
David Hopson’s All the Lasting Things is a beautiful, moving family portrait that explores the legacy we all stand to leave—in our lives, in our work—and asks what those legacies mean in a world where all the lasting things do not last.
David Hopson’s All the Lasting Things is a beautiful, moving family portrait that explores the legacy we all stand to leave—in our lives, in our work—and asks what those legacies mean in a world where all the lasting things do not last.
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 249 reviews
February 27, 2016
I'd rate this 3.5 stars.
I was able to read this book through Amazon's Kindle First program. Thanks to Amazon and Little A for making it available!
"'Life will always be disappointing,' he said with pressing emotion. 'Even if everything looked exactly as you thought it would, even then, there would be disappointments. Deep, even ruinous disappointments. Compromises we think we can't possibly live with. But we do. We do because we must. It's the contract we sign for being here. We have to treat life like it's precious. Even when we think it's not. Especially then. Because then we see how easily it can be thrown away.'"
The Fisher family has had more than its share of ups and downs, and more than anything, now seems to be a time of more downs than ups. Henry, the family patriarch, is a famous writer who is in the throes of Alzheimer's disease. His condition is becoming more of a burden on everyone, especially his wife, Evelyn, but she isn't ready to seek full-time care for him or move him to a nursing home, even as she suffers emotionally and physically.
Their son, Benji, was a child actor famous for his stint in a 1980s sitcom, but he's never quite gotten back to that level ever again. He spends his days pitting his ego and his desire for fame against his increasingly self-destructive behavior. In the midst of a less-than-glamorous regional theater production of Hamlet , Benji hits rock bottom—although not quite as rock bottom as his family is led to believe. It's up to his older sister, Claudia, usually the stable one, to keep her family together through Benji's recovery and Henry's continued decline.
Then a more-than-20-year-old secret is revealed, and suddenly the stable one has her life rocked to the core. And while this secret shakes up the entire family in different ways, it also sets into motion a chain of events which will further knock the family for a loop, and confront the question about whether hiding the truth from someone is the same thing as lying.
David Hopson has created a compelling look at a family dealing with more than its share of crises. Benji and Claudia are the most fleshed-out characters (along with a third), but they're not always sympathetic, so it's difficult at times to get fully engrossed in their stories, and I didn't really understand what made them do many of the things they did. Hopson has a vivid ear for language and emotion, even if he sometimes uses three metaphors when one would suffice.
Although I didn't like how the bulk of the story was resolved (even though I anticipated that was how things might end), and I felt the epilogue was completely tacked on and didn't really flow with the rest of the book, I still enjoyed All the Lasting Things . It made me feel and it made me think, and I look forward to seeing what Hopson's career has in store.
See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
I was able to read this book through Amazon's Kindle First program. Thanks to Amazon and Little A for making it available!
"'Life will always be disappointing,' he said with pressing emotion. 'Even if everything looked exactly as you thought it would, even then, there would be disappointments. Deep, even ruinous disappointments. Compromises we think we can't possibly live with. But we do. We do because we must. It's the contract we sign for being here. We have to treat life like it's precious. Even when we think it's not. Especially then. Because then we see how easily it can be thrown away.'"
The Fisher family has had more than its share of ups and downs, and more than anything, now seems to be a time of more downs than ups. Henry, the family patriarch, is a famous writer who is in the throes of Alzheimer's disease. His condition is becoming more of a burden on everyone, especially his wife, Evelyn, but she isn't ready to seek full-time care for him or move him to a nursing home, even as she suffers emotionally and physically.
Their son, Benji, was a child actor famous for his stint in a 1980s sitcom, but he's never quite gotten back to that level ever again. He spends his days pitting his ego and his desire for fame against his increasingly self-destructive behavior. In the midst of a less-than-glamorous regional theater production of Hamlet , Benji hits rock bottom—although not quite as rock bottom as his family is led to believe. It's up to his older sister, Claudia, usually the stable one, to keep her family together through Benji's recovery and Henry's continued decline.
Then a more-than-20-year-old secret is revealed, and suddenly the stable one has her life rocked to the core. And while this secret shakes up the entire family in different ways, it also sets into motion a chain of events which will further knock the family for a loop, and confront the question about whether hiding the truth from someone is the same thing as lying.
David Hopson has created a compelling look at a family dealing with more than its share of crises. Benji and Claudia are the most fleshed-out characters (along with a third), but they're not always sympathetic, so it's difficult at times to get fully engrossed in their stories, and I didn't really understand what made them do many of the things they did. Hopson has a vivid ear for language and emotion, even if he sometimes uses three metaphors when one would suffice.
Although I didn't like how the bulk of the story was resolved (even though I anticipated that was how things might end), and I felt the epilogue was completely tacked on and didn't really flow with the rest of the book, I still enjoyed All the Lasting Things . It made me feel and it made me think, and I look forward to seeing what Hopson's career has in store.
See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
February 10, 2016
I loved the first 90% of this book. The writing was good, the characters had substance, the family dynamics were very interesting and I was looking forward to a book I could read more than once. However, the last 10% was a big disappointment.
February 24, 2016
Dreary and Verbous
Sadly, I wanted to like this book. I'm a fan of new authors and first books. It's the English teacher in me that tries to encourage the young minds in my classes to stretch and persevere. Unfortunately, this book was hard to read; overwritten and depressing. The only likable character in the book was Cat and she was obscure, under developed, and of questionable taste in men. The story seemed to switch paths and splinter - not in an intriguing or suspenseful way, but rather leaving the reader hesitant to continue; wondering if there could be a prize at the end of the maze. Indeed there was no prize. These lives continued to disintegrate into the darkness of despair in spite of the occasional glimpse of light along the way. The epilogue being the final nail in the coffin.
Sadly, I wanted to like this book. I'm a fan of new authors and first books. It's the English teacher in me that tries to encourage the young minds in my classes to stretch and persevere. Unfortunately, this book was hard to read; overwritten and depressing. The only likable character in the book was Cat and she was obscure, under developed, and of questionable taste in men. The story seemed to switch paths and splinter - not in an intriguing or suspenseful way, but rather leaving the reader hesitant to continue; wondering if there could be a prize at the end of the maze. Indeed there was no prize. These lives continued to disintegrate into the darkness of despair in spite of the occasional glimpse of light along the way. The epilogue being the final nail in the coffin.
February 17, 2016
A very well-drawn picture of a dysfunctional family. All successful in their own ways but flawed and/or ill in their own ways. I wish at least one of the characters could have caught a break, but then the author could not have delivered his thoughts on the futility of life. Did not like the italicized flashbacks which I sort of figured out, but which were never really connected enough to support themselves. And setting a happy gay expectant couple down as an epilogue seemed a little reaching - were these the only character types the author hadn't worked into the main story?
Overall I enjoyed it, I agree with other reviewers that the author tries a bit hard at some times: more adjectives! More metaphors! But it held me and I did not hate any of the characters!
Overall I enjoyed it, I agree with other reviewers that the author tries a bit hard at some times: more adjectives! More metaphors! But it held me and I did not hate any of the characters!
February 6, 2016
This book is beautifully written and the story of a high-functioning, but dysfunctional family is poignant and heart wrenching. I found the book difficult to concentrate on and wonder if in places the author is trying to hard to be clever. The novel is as much about the nature of fame as it is about the characters and their relationships.
The characters are well drawn and decidedly tortured by a novelist determined to put them through the emotional wringer and us along with them. It jumps between different character viewpoints and might have been easier to follow if a single viewpoint had been maintained, however it wouldn't have allowed us to suffer along with all of them.
I will possibly reread it in the future to see if i can sort out in my mind what the author was trying to say as I read it amongst distractions. You do need to concentrate to appreciate the full impact of this book.
The characters are well drawn and decidedly tortured by a novelist determined to put them through the emotional wringer and us along with them. It jumps between different character viewpoints and might have been easier to follow if a single viewpoint had been maintained, however it wouldn't have allowed us to suffer along with all of them.
I will possibly reread it in the future to see if i can sort out in my mind what the author was trying to say as I read it amongst distractions. You do need to concentrate to appreciate the full impact of this book.
March 29, 2016
Story of a dysfunctional family
I regret that my review will be a negative one but that happens. David's storyline of a dysfunctional family was laced throughout with profanities and sexual references that to me went way beyond what was necessary. Normally I would have stopped reading it, but I was hopeful that something was going to happen that would bring about solutions to their many problems. My advice to the potential readers is not to bother, you will just find out in the end that you have totally wasted your time! Sorry David, but your book has gained the notoriety of being one of the worst books I have ever read with a rating of 1 star.
I regret that my review will be a negative one but that happens. David's storyline of a dysfunctional family was laced throughout with profanities and sexual references that to me went way beyond what was necessary. Normally I would have stopped reading it, but I was hopeful that something was going to happen that would bring about solutions to their many problems. My advice to the potential readers is not to bother, you will just find out in the end that you have totally wasted your time! Sorry David, but your book has gained the notoriety of being one of the worst books I have ever read with a rating of 1 star.
November 1, 2018
I honestly don't remember why I picked up this book. Maybe it was a Kindle Firsts selection. Or maybe it was when I was going through my phase of wanting to read more about people dealing with Alzheimer's. All I know is it turned out to be a poor decision.
Speaking of poor decisions: this book is riddled with them. Not just in the lives of the fictional characters, but in the choices made by the author as well. This is the second novel dealing with Alzheimer's I've read this year and I feel like this can't be stated enough: if you, as an author, intend on making the reader care about the fictional person slowly losing their memories, their autonomy, and their life, please stop making the character an unrepentant asshole. Please.
It was really difficult to find any likable characters in this story, which is the primary reason for the low rating. But the writing was all over the place. The only consistent thing was the characters' ability to make poor decisions. Their motivations were iffy at best, and some of them just vanished from the plot at vital moments for no apparent reason.
I almost DNFed the book at 50 pages, but I thought I would give it a chance and see if maybe this was a redemption story, if maybe the author deliberately made the characters unlikable so he could later reform them, but the farther I got into the book I wondered whether the author would have the skill to extricate the characters from their messes and be able to redeem them.
In my opinion, he did not.
On top of the characterization issues, the ending was one of the worst I've ever encountered. It almost felt like the author was as tired of writing about these people as I was with reading about them, and he just decided to end it as fast as possible.
I would not recommend this book to or for anyone. Definitely one of my least favorite reads of the year.
1 out of 5 stars.
Speaking of poor decisions: this book is riddled with them. Not just in the lives of the fictional characters, but in the choices made by the author as well. This is the second novel dealing with Alzheimer's I've read this year and I feel like this can't be stated enough: if you, as an author, intend on making the reader care about the fictional person slowly losing their memories, their autonomy, and their life, please stop making the character an unrepentant asshole. Please.
It was really difficult to find any likable characters in this story, which is the primary reason for the low rating. But the writing was all over the place. The only consistent thing was the characters' ability to make poor decisions. Their motivations were iffy at best, and some of them just vanished from the plot at vital moments for no apparent reason.
I almost DNFed the book at 50 pages, but I thought I would give it a chance and see if maybe this was a redemption story, if maybe the author deliberately made the characters unlikable so he could later reform them, but the farther I got into the book I wondered whether the author would have the skill to extricate the characters from their messes and be able to redeem them.
In my opinion, he did not.
On top of the characterization issues, the ending was one of the worst I've ever encountered. It almost felt like the author was as tired of writing about these people as I was with reading about them, and he just decided to end it as fast as possible.
I would not recommend this book to or for anyone. Definitely one of my least favorite reads of the year.
1 out of 5 stars.
July 15, 2017
This book almost brought me to tears on more than one occasion. It brings forth the complicated dimensions of family including aging parents, children, siblings, etc and captures it in a mesmerizing and thought provoking way. The characters are complex and could very well be any member of ones own family. I absolutely loved this book. Highly recommend!
February 4, 2018
This Kindle First book ebbs and flows like waves. slow to begin, it crescendos somewhere in the middle, before a somewhat disappointing and disjointed ending. The Best moments are fleshed out in character relationships- more of which I hoped to see towards the end- but was only left wanting. Not a terrible read, but a once is enough novel for me.
August 11, 2018
Outstanding!
If I could give this book a 4 1/2 rating I would. The story is written so you can see into the characters thoughts so vividly it is maddening. At times I wanted to scream at them not to feel the way they did. The characters are flawed, as we humans are, and I grew to root for each one of them. Truly interesting and human. Outstanding!
If I could give this book a 4 1/2 rating I would. The story is written so you can see into the characters thoughts so vividly it is maddening. At times I wanted to scream at them not to feel the way they did. The characters are flawed, as we humans are, and I grew to root for each one of them. Truly interesting and human. Outstanding!
May 16, 2018
Promising premise, well developed characters, but the language drew too much attention to itself and the conclusion was disappointing.
March 16, 2016
Interesting. That's about the only word I can find to describe this book. The Fishers are a dysfunctional family surviving in Alluvia, New York. Henry is a writer who sinks deeper into Alzheimer's. His wife, Evelyn, struggles to take care of him while harboring a family secret. Daughter Claudia has a secret of her own which keeps her away from her family. Son, Benji, is an aspiring actor who wants fame and fortune but can't seem to attain the star status he hungers for. Then there is Max, a prodigy, who enters the scene and throws this dysfunctional family into turmoil. The story is about secrets and when and if they should be revealed. For me the book started really slow. It took a long time to get into it. I even skimmed through a few pages. Eventually the paced picked up and I thought what a good book. Unfortunately the story came to a grinding halt and I became confused and even irritated with the plot and characters. Hated the ending and confused with the epilogue. I noticed that the reviews were all over the place and I can see why! Depressing story from beginning to end!
I won this book from Goodreads Giveaway!
I won this book from Goodreads Giveaway!
June 21, 2016
David Hopson’s novel All the Lasting Things is a literary novel. Since I spent many years teaching literature, that should be a good thing, for I recognize fine literature when I read it. But this novel was, for me, not a great one. It was one that aimed for greatness, and that was the problem. It was as if Hopson was not content to write a good plot (and it was) with interesting characters (and they were,) but rather, he strived to make it a lofty treatise on life and family. And that’s where he lost me. I felt I read into so much of it a desire to impress me. I loved his characters, flawed as they were. I loved what he did with them. I particularly loved the character of Max and his journey. The description of how Max writes his opera is appealing and beguiling. But, by the end, I simply did not get it. The ending left me cold. I was baffled as to how Hopson got there and what he wanted me to know. All the Lasting Things wanted to be more than it was. And that’s death to a novel.
March 1, 2016
Human Life
A myriad of questions about human life are asked in All the Lasting Things: from how to design living space that is both architecturally appealing and appropriate for a world of diminishing resources to how to live authentically. Hopson tells a compelling story of a human family that delves into such h issues as Ambition; Chemical abuse; Ego; Celebrity; Family secrets; Self-deception; Suicide; Parenthood, etc.
I recommend this book with the following comment. Don't take too long to read it. I found the epilogue to be puzzling and I suspect that is because this novel came at a time when I was busy and I have forgotten some significant information . Also, I think I would find this a difficult book to listen to rather than read. You might be easily confused by the paragraphs at the beginning of each chapter.
A myriad of questions about human life are asked in All the Lasting Things: from how to design living space that is both architecturally appealing and appropriate for a world of diminishing resources to how to live authentically. Hopson tells a compelling story of a human family that delves into such h issues as Ambition; Chemical abuse; Ego; Celebrity; Family secrets; Self-deception; Suicide; Parenthood, etc.
I recommend this book with the following comment. Don't take too long to read it. I found the epilogue to be puzzling and I suspect that is because this novel came at a time when I was busy and I have forgotten some significant information . Also, I think I would find this a difficult book to listen to rather than read. You might be easily confused by the paragraphs at the beginning of each chapter.
July 16, 2016
I love stubborn, flawed, real characters and this book is replete with them. But, for some reason I didn't find them to be stirring, absorbing or interesting. I found myself rewinding more than once because my imagination drifted elsewhere -- outside of the book. The story wasn't complicated or rounded. The people weren't very likable, which is a deal-breaker for me. I want to have sympathy for the characters. I want to find them complex, flawed and imperfect, but completely likable. I want them to inspire me to feel and think and dream. Unfortunately I didn't experience these things.
I didn't dislike the book enough to stop listening... so I guess I would call it completely average.
Nick Podehl did a good job of giving the various characters distinct and unique voices. I was always aware of whose story was at play. I think given better material he would be excellent.
I didn't dislike the book enough to stop listening... so I guess I would call it completely average.
Nick Podehl did a good job of giving the various characters distinct and unique voices. I was always aware of whose story was at play. I think given better material he would be excellent.
February 9, 2016
A Kindle first and this writer has a future! For a first novel, this story is a "lasting thing." The author's italicized introductions to the different sections effectively unraveled the mystery in bits and pieces. However, when the grown man has a name ending in "i" I have a difficult time thinking of him as mature and serious. Granted, it took a while for Benji to get there! And his sister! Claudia was one of the more selfishly self-centered individual on the planet who probably never deserved an Oliver, let alone her Max! But then dysfunction did run rampant in this family.
A most vexing question, though: where was Cat during the climatic scene?
A most vexing question, though: where was Cat during the climatic scene?
February 26, 2016
All the Lasting Things
Great read! I could not put this book down. It touched me in so many ways (I am a Virginia Woolf worshipper) and inspired me to contemplate so many philosophies I've tried to surrender to. There were some points of confusion which may have been a manifestation of my wanting more insight I to each character's personal history. This is book that will haunt me and will probably be revisited as the connection I developed with Benji is strong. He was "me" and I embraced his unraveling and accepted his response to each life event with total surrender. Beautifully written! I was touched by this book.
Great read! I could not put this book down. It touched me in so many ways (I am a Virginia Woolf worshipper) and inspired me to contemplate so many philosophies I've tried to surrender to. There were some points of confusion which may have been a manifestation of my wanting more insight I to each character's personal history. This is book that will haunt me and will probably be revisited as the connection I developed with Benji is strong. He was "me" and I embraced his unraveling and accepted his response to each life event with total surrender. Beautifully written! I was touched by this book.
March 1, 2016
I read this for free through the Kindle First program. Overall not bad - I felt like this had the makings of a good story, but I was left confused at the end. The characters had interesting stories but the somewhat unstructured plot left me wanting more. I also felt the author overused literary devices - sort of like a student in a novel writing class trying to score some extra points. Doesn't work with this type of fiction. I felt like I had to weed through a lot of excess verbiage and that certainly took away from the otherwise interesting plot line.
I'm give this a 3. A good editor could have helped here.
I'm give this a 3. A good editor could have helped here.
February 8, 2016
Published by Amazon, this proves that if Amazon wants to be in the publishing biz they need to invest in some (more) editors. The synopsis hints at a great storyline yet careful editing could have helped immensely here. The beginning was horribly paced.
February 14, 2016
Loved it
Every person, every family struggles with problems and secrets. Its what we do with them and about them that makes us who we are. This story will make you evaluate what is right and what is wrong about how we handle them.
Every person, every family struggles with problems and secrets. Its what we do with them and about them that makes us who we are. This story will make you evaluate what is right and what is wrong about how we handle them.
February 27, 2016
Amazing
Where did this guy come from?!? A spectacular first. Even though quite dark, an absorbing journey into the human condition. Yes, most of us live in quiet (or sometimes not so quiet) desperation. Bravo.
Where did this guy come from?!? A spectacular first. Even though quite dark, an absorbing journey into the human condition. Yes, most of us live in quiet (or sometimes not so quiet) desperation. Bravo.
March 24, 2016
David Hopson wrote a book portraying a family and the aftermath of their tragedies. It is not a "beautiful book" but it is a believable story... with a realistic ending.
September 6, 2018
This book was really disappointing, so I'm glad that I did not pay for it. I'm also thankful it was not a very long book. The beginning was entirely too slow, the middle ramped up quickly, and then a thousand things were left unresolved.
March 20, 2018
Oh, how I have suffered with this book.
The first 250 pages were incredibly literary, insightful, catching. I felt like the author was leading me somewhere, but I couldn't tell you exactly what I anticipated finding or learning at the end of it all. It was magical--until everything changed.
As one of the primary characters slipped into a state of manic, driven obsession, the book seemed to follow. In an instant, the book reached two endings: one for that character and, of course, its own. I was left feeling injured, confused, and irate! After such literary precision, such profound creativity and detail, I felt that a thirty-second wrap-up was an insult to the first ninety-percent of all that was there.
Then, I gave myself time to think. What was the point in this? Why was I denied the closure that I so desperately wanted (and needed?) from the author? Where was the touching life message that would have me reaching for the tissue box?
Ultimately, I decided the end of the book was inexorably raw. I also realized that, in all my searching for the takeaway, I was missing the author's message: all the lasting things never last. Love ends. Lives end. Books... end. Not only that, but certain circumstances can cause abrupt changes, can rupture the very center of a relationship or a life or a sense of being. The author threw me into the house fire, then left me without the proverbial insight, the answers, that a book usually hands over, neat and tidy on a decadent silver platter. The author left me the way his characters were left: honestly.
That is the masterpiece, the experience of this book. 5/5
The first 250 pages were incredibly literary, insightful, catching. I felt like the author was leading me somewhere, but I couldn't tell you exactly what I anticipated finding or learning at the end of it all. It was magical--until everything changed.
As one of the primary characters slipped into a state of manic, driven obsession, the book seemed to follow. In an instant, the book reached two endings: one for that character and, of course, its own. I was left feeling injured, confused, and irate! After such literary precision, such profound creativity and detail, I felt that a thirty-second wrap-up was an insult to the first ninety-percent of all that was there.
Then, I gave myself time to think. What was the point in this? Why was I denied the closure that I so desperately wanted (and needed?) from the author? Where was the touching life message that would have me reaching for the tissue box?
Ultimately, I decided the end of the book was inexorably raw. I also realized that, in all my searching for the takeaway, I was missing the author's message: all the lasting things never last. Love ends. Lives end. Books... end. Not only that, but certain circumstances can cause abrupt changes, can rupture the very center of a relationship or a life or a sense of being. The author threw me into the house fire, then left me without the proverbial insight, the answers, that a book usually hands over, neat and tidy on a decadent silver platter. The author left me the way his characters were left: honestly.
That is the masterpiece, the experience of this book. 5/5
October 2, 2020
So much potential in the writing and interesting characters, but ended up all for not and depressing
The writing was good- very detailed and descriptive, almost too much so sometimes. It was a very interesting story of a dysfunctional family, but I was expecting at least one character to have a happy ending. There was too much trying to be woven together and no real satisfying clear outcome or purpose for it all. Basically there was all this promise and then it is be we realized and ends tragically with not real purpose. I totally missed the significance of 2 expecting gay women listening to Max’s opera 20 years later and forgetting his name. It seemed to come from left field and offered a very unsatisfying epilogue.
The flashbacks that finally tied into Henry’s last book that ended up being a memoir seemed a little underdeveloped or unfinished. Benji and Claudia’s character were very well developed but after all the story set up and colorful writing it crashed an burned tragically. Henry eventually mentions Jane and then he dies a slow death in a nursing home described through Benji having to clean up his pee? I don’t know what happens to Evelyn. Not clear on wether Claudia ended up with Nick. Arnav is never to be mentioned again after he was invited to come to the house before the fire.
There was so much detail about some minuscule unnecessary parts yet not enough when it came to the story as a whole. It started off promising, but ended poorly and left more to be desired.
The writing was good- very detailed and descriptive, almost too much so sometimes. It was a very interesting story of a dysfunctional family, but I was expecting at least one character to have a happy ending. There was too much trying to be woven together and no real satisfying clear outcome or purpose for it all. Basically there was all this promise and then it is be we realized and ends tragically with not real purpose. I totally missed the significance of 2 expecting gay women listening to Max’s opera 20 years later and forgetting his name. It seemed to come from left field and offered a very unsatisfying epilogue.
The flashbacks that finally tied into Henry’s last book that ended up being a memoir seemed a little underdeveloped or unfinished. Benji and Claudia’s character were very well developed but after all the story set up and colorful writing it crashed an burned tragically. Henry eventually mentions Jane and then he dies a slow death in a nursing home described through Benji having to clean up his pee? I don’t know what happens to Evelyn. Not clear on wether Claudia ended up with Nick. Arnav is never to be mentioned again after he was invited to come to the house before the fire.
There was so much detail about some minuscule unnecessary parts yet not enough when it came to the story as a whole. It started off promising, but ended poorly and left more to be desired.
September 5, 2017
I love to read authors who allow themselves or the publisher allows them to use beautiful, rich, multi-syllabic language. I finally read a book with a dictionary! However, the unfortunate amount of harsh vulgarity interspersed was a let-down. I guess it's not even a shock-value usage anymore. So...the story was one of those DI to Y American tragedies. I confess I did put it down but forgot I didn't want to read anymore...twice, as it kept popping up in my list. But I finally got it done while riding in cars. It's about people who keep secrets that only the reader gets to know couched in a dysfunctional family--hey, not throwing stones because it's what I write about too--men who can't grow up and women who can't fulfill themselves without majorly damaging others, drugs, sex...contemporary setting...not sure what lasts since well, you know, it's a tragedy... But I enjoyed reading a dexterous vocabulary.
November 26, 2018
Very confused story
The story seems to be about a family in which the son is thought to have attempted suicide, but really just fell from a bridge, a father suffering from dementia, a daughter that gave up a child for adoption, and a mother that is not really the mother. The demented father has written a book explaining why his wife is not his daughter's mother, but we never get to find out why. All of the problems get solved by having the son given up for adoption and the father killed in a house fire. All in all, a very bad and confused story. There is the gratuitous and totally unnecessary nod to the adopted son being gay, and ending with an epilogue of a lesbian couple listening to the adopted son's unfinished opera. This is a horrible book, and I do not recommend it.
The story seems to be about a family in which the son is thought to have attempted suicide, but really just fell from a bridge, a father suffering from dementia, a daughter that gave up a child for adoption, and a mother that is not really the mother. The demented father has written a book explaining why his wife is not his daughter's mother, but we never get to find out why. All of the problems get solved by having the son given up for adoption and the father killed in a house fire. All in all, a very bad and confused story. There is the gratuitous and totally unnecessary nod to the adopted son being gay, and ending with an epilogue of a lesbian couple listening to the adopted son's unfinished opera. This is a horrible book, and I do not recommend it.
July 13, 2021
This book could either be the work of a literary genius or one for the next yard sale
Spoiler alert. In the long run, there were no “good” parts. Seriously, my heart breaks for anyone who goes through life with this way of thinking and empty philosophy.
I’m sure most of us can relate with some of the experiences in the book and the way they change our perception on our very existence. But I just kept reading to see what “good” would come of all these tragedies.
Some sections were very complicated and while we’re wondering what happened next, the answer isn’t easily understood. I had to read and reread many parts to try to figure out what the author wanted the reader to grasp.
Maybe it’s just not my style of writing.
This is definitely not an easy read.
Spoiler alert. In the long run, there were no “good” parts. Seriously, my heart breaks for anyone who goes through life with this way of thinking and empty philosophy.
I’m sure most of us can relate with some of the experiences in the book and the way they change our perception on our very existence. But I just kept reading to see what “good” would come of all these tragedies.
Some sections were very complicated and while we’re wondering what happened next, the answer isn’t easily understood. I had to read and reread many parts to try to figure out what the author wanted the reader to grasp.
Maybe it’s just not my style of writing.
This is definitely not an easy read.
February 28, 2018
A little strange
If I could give it 2.5 stars, I would. It was depressing, hard to read and to me, very laborious to read. Several times I almost put it to the side and moved on to read something more positive and uplifting. This is about a family- a husband and wife and their two children-a girl and a boy, both grown. They both have serious issues. And the father has his own issues going on, along with dementia. It never got better, none of the characters rose out of their gloom and doom. I finally came out of my depression when I finished the book.
If I could give it 2.5 stars, I would. It was depressing, hard to read and to me, very laborious to read. Several times I almost put it to the side and moved on to read something more positive and uplifting. This is about a family- a husband and wife and their two children-a girl and a boy, both grown. They both have serious issues. And the father has his own issues going on, along with dementia. It never got better, none of the characters rose out of their gloom and doom. I finally came out of my depression when I finished the book.
April 5, 2018
The book was a richly complex tale of a family struggling through identity, purpose, and meaning. I wasn't sure I would enjoy the book at the start. I found the characters to be incredibly shallow and selfish. That, of course, was the point. To watch them struggle with modern ideas of importance. Fame, work, service are all explored. Family love, honesty, responsibility and support change all of the characters throughout and it was easy to connect to their struggles, if not their choices. A classic tragedy.
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