MarilynW’s review of Happiness Falls > Likes and Comments

It was a bit much! ☺️ Great review! ❤️

Excellent review, Marilyn!🧡And boy-oh-boy, by the sound of your review, I'm so glad I didn't listen to the audiobook. I also wanted an alternate perspective of what was happening and thought the story could benefit from John's more positive outlook on life. Balance is always better. Like you, I also rounded up!

Jayme wrote: "It was a bit much! ☺️ Great review! ❤️"

I tell you, she drove me nuts. I but I would have liked the book better if I read it because I could have mentally blocked her out better. Thank you, Jayme! 🤗

Terrie wrote: "Excellent review, Marilyn!🧡And boy-oh-boy, by the sound of your review, I'm so glad I didn't listen to the audiobook. I also wanted an alternate perspective of what was happening and thought the st..."

I was so close to rounding down but I did enjoy the story on top of being irked by it. 😁 Thank you, Terrie!

Terrific review Marilyn. I read it, so I could skip over the footnotes!

Excellent review, Marilyn. Your reaction reminds me of when I read "Britt-Marie was Here" by Fredrik Backman. I almost stopped reading it because the main character was so annoying. Fortunately I kept reading anyway (her personality was important to the story) and I ended up loving it. It became one of my all time favorites. According to your review, however, it doesn't seem there's a reason for the author using such an annoying character as narrator. Why didn't she use the twin brother as the narrator? Another reviewer suggested one theme might be verbal vs. nonverbal communication. Is it possible that Mia's ineffective way of communicating was supposed to have meaning? I don't feel like reading it right now but you've definitely caught my interest. Thanks.

MarilynLovesNature wrote: "Excellent review, Marilyn. Your reaction reminds me of when I read "Britt-Marie was Here" by Fredrik Backman. I almost stopped reading it because the main character was so annoying. Fortunately I k..."

I suspect the narration is what the author wanted. The story involves so many things, science, communication (or not), honesty (or dishonesty), experimentation, judging others based on narrow viewpoints (and here I am judging this narration but it felt overwhelming to me so that's what I'm saying in my review), and on and on. And the narrator is narrating the words the author wrote, I think she did a good job of narrating the character as she was written. Really, the brother is hardly portrayed here but from what I see, he could be a very "boring" person but also a person I'd enjoy being around more than his sister.

I love audiobooks and the fact that narrators and their presentation can really affect me. I seem to be affected by sound more than by any other of my senses. Maybe everyone is that way, I don't know, but I find it interesting how voices affect me. This wasn't a voice thing but the words the author wrote, just too much for me. She wrote the brother as she meant to write him and he would not have had this story in him. I'd love it if she wrote his story someday, especially because we'd get to see more of this family. 😊

DeAnn wrote: "Terrific review Marilyn. I read it, so I could skip over the footnotes!"

I overthink and I know an overthinker when I meet one but Mia has me beat by a mile. 😂 Thank you, DeAnn!

I'm glad you did enjoy it despite too much focus on Mia. A lovely review Marilyn 😊

Sorry you didn't enjoy this, Marilyn. I thought the juxtaposition of Mia's verbal diarrhea and Eugene's muteness was quite a brilliant move by the author.

Tina wrote: "I'm glad you did enjoy it despite too much focus on Mia. A lovely review Marilyn 😊"

Thank you, Tina, but then, this was Mia's story so that's the way it had to be. 🤗

Teres wrote: "Sorry you didn't enjoy this, Marilyn. I thought the juxtaposition of Mia's verbal diarrhea and Eugene's muteness was quite a brilliant move by the author."

Yes, I can see that. And also the quietness/niceness of Mia's twin brother is highlighted by Mia's way of being. I wish the family could have communicated better, earlier but there were secrets, even if they were well meaning ones.

Fantastic review Marilyn - glad you enjoyed it despite gripes! 💜

Ceecee wrote: "Fantastic review Marilyn - glad you enjoyed it despite gripes! 💜"

Thank you, Ceecee, there is a lot to think about here and I really enjoyed the author's note at the end of the book.

Great review, Marilyn 💜

Heather Adores Books wrote: "Great review, Marilyn 💜"

Thank you, Heather! 🥰

glad you enjoyed this one too Marilyn :)

Dorie - Cats&Books :) wrote: "glad you enjoyed this one too Marilyn :)"

Thank you, Dorie, I especially liked the narration of some of Eugene's parts 💚

Lit with Leigh wrote: "Glad you enjoyed the book despite not vibing with Mia haha. Great review💖"

Yeah, Mia was too much for me, I'd hang with her brother though (either of them) 😂 Thank you, Leigh!

Insightful review, Marilyn. I can see how Mia's voice would overwhelm in the audio production. This was a fascinating mystery and I enjoy learning about medical issues through Angie Kim's fiction.

Darla wrote: "Insightful review, Marilyn. I can see how Mia's voice would overwhelm in the audio production. This was a fascinating mystery and I enjoy learning about medical issues through Angie Kim's fiction."

I do learn so much through her books. Thank you, Darla!