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leemac027's review
4.0
This is a book I relaxed in to. An odd thing to say perhaps, but it was the way the characters are revealed in a series of short chapters that brings you in to their intimate thoughts, that I found really engaging.
It's about family; Bernie and David, their daughters Susie and Allison, and Allison's daughter Monica. It's about their relationships, how their lives unfold together and separately, their triumphs, tragedies and missteps. The book shows the inter-generational impact of relationships. What happened to the grandparents when they were growing up, influenced how they interacted with their own children which has ongoing implications for their grandchildren. This comes out so strongly in the narrative.
There is a lot of sadness, blame, regret and dysfunction but to me it seemed to reflect the dynamics of family life and how each individual can react so differently to the same situation - it all depends on your perspective.
A beautifully written work.
It's about family; Bernie and David, their daughters Susie and Allison, and Allison's daughter Monica. It's about their relationships, how their lives unfold together and separately, their triumphs, tragedies and missteps. The book shows the inter-generational impact of relationships. What happened to the grandparents when they were growing up, influenced how they interacted with their own children which has ongoing implications for their grandchildren. This comes out so strongly in the narrative.
There is a lot of sadness, blame, regret and dysfunction but to me it seemed to reflect the dynamics of family life and how each individual can react so differently to the same situation - it all depends on your perspective.
A beautifully written work.
rachhenderson's review
3.0
The Crying Room is about Bernie, her daughters, Susie and Allison, and Allison's daughter, Monica, who moves in with Susie in her teenage years. Bernie wasn't a very loving mother, and Allison was similar. It's almost a series of short stories, jumping between the women and to different points in time in each chapter. It becomes apparent that some of the chapters are works of fiction, written by Monica, so it's sometimes a little confusing to know what really happened and what didn't.
I didn't hate it but I didn't love it.
I didn't hate it but I didn't love it.
thunderhead's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
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