Scan barcode
planetpammy's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
clair_82's review against another edition
5.0
Firstly, I will start with a little bit of a disclaimer, I am a long-term fan of Mike Gayle’s books right back from the first one My Legendary Girlfriend which was first published in 1998 so I was thrilled at receiving his newest novel! Gayle’s books were (and still are) a breath of fresh air, written by a man from a man’s perspective, I remember reading Turning Thirty as I was turning 20 and it felt a lifetime away….but it was all so true, I read Turning Forty (equally as hilarious) in preparation for that time which is fortunately still a little while off!
Gayle’s books have always been a combination of humour and emotion however The Hope Family Calendar is amazing. When I kindly received the ARC, the press release received with it stated ‘The Hope Family Calendar is a new direction for Mike….has written his most emotional novel yet’, I was both excited and a little anxious with the new direction – however it most definitely do not disappoint!
The Hope Family Calendar is told from the first person perspective of both Tom and Linda which gives a well-rounded narration to the story. Tom is drowning in his own grief following the tragic death of his beloved wife, Laura. Linda, Laura’s mother, is basically taking care of the family single-handed whilst Tom tries to escape his grief by working all the hours he can and drowning his sorrows in the bottom of an alcoholic drink. Evie and Lola are being cared for by Linda and their father is just someone who occasionally comes home before they are in bed.
Linda knows that this isn’t healthy for any of them so takes drastic measures by going to Australia for 6 month to visit her friend, Moira. Tom, still in the self-pitying, selfish stage of his grief is angered by his perception, ironically, of Linda’s selfishness. Thrown into the deep end, Tom has two choices whether to sink or swim.
What follows is the emotional fall out from Linda’s departure for them all, how both Tom and Linda cope without one another, both dealing with their own grief and the idea of moving forward, moving on.
As I have already alluded to, this book is beautifully written, the words just flow off the page and I really felt like I was part of the family; experiencing the ups and downs, feeling the happiness and the despair.
I loved all the characters, although at times I just wanted to give Tom a shake and tell him to pull himself together for the girls! Linda is a wonderful grandmother and extremely patient mother-in-law. I particularly liked Clive, the older gentleman who rebelled against a grief counselling group with Tom; he helped Tom deal with his emotions and despite the age difference, they formed a strong friendship.
The Hope Family Calendar is both brilliantly funnily and heartrendingly sad, I did not want this book to end and actually slowed down my reading to make it last that little bit longer. This is one of those books that will stay with me for a long time and I will truly miss the Hope family.
I kindly received an ARC from the publisher via Book Bridgr in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Thank you to Louise Swannell at Hodder & Stoughton and Mike Gayle.
Gayle’s books have always been a combination of humour and emotion however The Hope Family Calendar is amazing. When I kindly received the ARC, the press release received with it stated ‘The Hope Family Calendar is a new direction for Mike….has written his most emotional novel yet’, I was both excited and a little anxious with the new direction – however it most definitely do not disappoint!
The Hope Family Calendar is told from the first person perspective of both Tom and Linda which gives a well-rounded narration to the story. Tom is drowning in his own grief following the tragic death of his beloved wife, Laura. Linda, Laura’s mother, is basically taking care of the family single-handed whilst Tom tries to escape his grief by working all the hours he can and drowning his sorrows in the bottom of an alcoholic drink. Evie and Lola are being cared for by Linda and their father is just someone who occasionally comes home before they are in bed.
Linda knows that this isn’t healthy for any of them so takes drastic measures by going to Australia for 6 month to visit her friend, Moira. Tom, still in the self-pitying, selfish stage of his grief is angered by his perception, ironically, of Linda’s selfishness. Thrown into the deep end, Tom has two choices whether to sink or swim.
What follows is the emotional fall out from Linda’s departure for them all, how both Tom and Linda cope without one another, both dealing with their own grief and the idea of moving forward, moving on.
As I have already alluded to, this book is beautifully written, the words just flow off the page and I really felt like I was part of the family; experiencing the ups and downs, feeling the happiness and the despair.
I loved all the characters, although at times I just wanted to give Tom a shake and tell him to pull himself together for the girls! Linda is a wonderful grandmother and extremely patient mother-in-law. I particularly liked Clive, the older gentleman who rebelled against a grief counselling group with Tom; he helped Tom deal with his emotions and despite the age difference, they formed a strong friendship.
The Hope Family Calendar is both brilliantly funnily and heartrendingly sad, I did not want this book to end and actually slowed down my reading to make it last that little bit longer. This is one of those books that will stay with me for a long time and I will truly miss the Hope family.
I kindly received an ARC from the publisher via Book Bridgr in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Thank you to Louise Swannell at Hodder & Stoughton and Mike Gayle.
tasha34's review against another edition
5.0
There have only been a few books that I have read that have brought a tear to my eye. This was one of them.
Real and touching , how life goes on after a death and how a family cope and grieve. Loved it.
Many thanks to NetGalley for giving me a chance to read it.
Real and touching , how life goes on after a death and how a family cope and grieve. Loved it.
Many thanks to NetGalley for giving me a chance to read it.
mrsbooknerd's review
2.0
I've selected a two-star rating for 'The Hope Family Calendar' because 'it was okay'. I just didn't really connect to either Tom or Linda as characters, and I felt that while there could have been a lot of really deep emotion, it was just dominated by anger.
I actually enjoyed the fact that there wasn't much of a plot and that the focus was placed on the devastation of a family following the loss of Claire, the wife and mother. I was interested in how Tom stepped up, I felt an early sympathy with him, like a really deep connection to his emotional response to Claire's death. But I soon found him a tad repetitive, selfish and uninteresting. His later anger and his constant self-pity when there were two little people that needed him to step up turned my initial like into disinterest and a little dash of dislike.
Linda was quite possible the most boring character. I'm disappointed that we didn't get to see her grief as a mother until the very end, and then briefly and without any real connection. Her focus had shifted from being a mother to Claire, to being a mother-substitute to the girls. I was just so indifferent to her. I also hated her sub-plot.
Overall, I actually liked the simplicity of the storytelling and that the focus was on a family rebuilding after devastating drama. I just wanted the emotion to be the driving force rather than these weirdly constructed and emotional flat subplots.
I actually enjoyed the fact that there wasn't much of a plot and that the focus was placed on the devastation of a family following the loss of Claire, the wife and mother. I was interested in how Tom stepped up, I felt an early sympathy with him, like a really deep connection to his emotional response to Claire's death. But I soon found him a tad repetitive, selfish and uninteresting. His later anger and his constant self-pity when there were two little people that needed him to step up turned my initial like into disinterest and a little dash of dislike.
Spoiler
I felt that the whole Claire-was-cheating story was so obvious from the very first pages when Tom tell us about Linda reacting to being told that Claire was travelling on the road she died on. It certainly added another layer to the grief that Tom felt, but again, I didn't really feel that it added much to the plot, only to set Tom's progress back a few steps toward the end of the novel.Linda was quite possible the most boring character. I'm disappointed that we didn't get to see her grief as a mother until the very end, and then briefly and without any real connection. Her focus had shifted from being a mother to Claire, to being a mother-substitute to the girls. I was just so indifferent to her. I also hated her sub-plot.
Spoiler
I understand that she went to Australia to force Tom's hand, and I liked that she 'found' the old Linda there, but I just found the whole thing ridiculously forced and coincidental, and to be honest it added nothing to the story. It was kind of contradictory as well, Linda said she had knuckled down and moved on from her ex leaving her pregnant with Claire and that it hadn't mattered to her, and yet, it became this huge thing.Overall, I actually liked the simplicity of the storytelling and that the focus was on a family rebuilding after devastating drama. I just wanted the emotion to be the driving force rather than these weirdly constructed and emotional flat subplots.
aditurbo's review against another edition
3.0
As many have already commented, this book is missing something. I think it may be a little more "darkness" or going deeper into grief and loss. Everything is very sweet in this novel, everyone goes through a developmental "arc", everything is very proper and predictable. You know that everyone is going to get to a better place in their lives, and how they are going to get there. You like reading about these people, but they're a bit too "normal", and go straight and without argument into all of the niches the writer has prepared for them in advance. It's a nice read, but I usually want more than "nice" in the books I read.
uptoolatereading's review against another edition
5.0
I read a couple of Mike Gayle books years ago and didn't enjoy them, but had heard a lot of good things about this book. I am glad I tried this book as I loved it. Really heartfelt story full of lovely characters that you actually cared about and wanted to read on to see what would happen. After reading this I am going to search out more Mike Gayle.
nellephant's review against another edition
2.0
I'm a bit on the fence with this book.
I liked it, the story is well told.
Tom, Evie and Lola are well written characters but there was something about Linda that irritated me so much.
She set my teeth on edge and towards the end I was getting really fed up with her.
I liked it, the story is well told.
Tom, Evie and Lola are well written characters but there was something about Linda that irritated me so much.
She set my teeth on edge and towards the end I was getting really fed up with her.
photogfrog's review
4.0
Better than the last book but a tough read for someone who recently lost her dad. Tear-jerker ahoy!