Family Drama

This one hit awfully close to home since I have a brother who is TOTALLY a Leo and it was both frustrating and fascinating to spend time inside the head of a person who is so completely self-centered. Without my own personal experience I'm not sure I would believe that Leo was as shallow and petty as he turns out to be but I know that people like him do exist.

It was also uncomfortable and all too familiar to see how the people in Leo's life came to terms with his behavior and their own feelings towards him. It's hard to admit that you are better off without a person who shares your blood but it sure can happen.

I found most of the Plumb children sympathetic despite their many poor decisions because for the most part they were motivated by the right things and I was glad to see how life turned out for most of them.

Not the funny book I expected but still a worthwhile trip. ( )

Intriguing characters, and reminds me of how This Is Us centers around one family but explores the lives of everyone who touches them. A slow and steady rebuilding of a family and many families inside that family. ( )

I had high hopes for this book and was looking forward to a great read. Unfortunately I was disappointed. I gave the book 3 stars because the author knows how to write. But as far as the story, characters, etc. are concerned, I really didn't care about many of them. Leo and Stephanie are the only two that I had some connection with. The story meandered along through a maze that I don't think the author knew how to get out of. The ending was a huge letdown and the epilogue appears to have been written as an afterthought, possibly at the suggestion of the publisher. ( )

This book came highly recommended by a couple of sources, and I have to admit, I didn’t think it would be my cup of tea. It took me a while to get into it - maybe 100 pages or so - which isn’t unusual for me. What is unusual, however, is that I’d stick with a book that didn’t entirely captivate me, for that long. I would (and have) abandoned many other novels long before then. But something about Sweeney’s writing style sucked me in and refused to let go. The chapters are short, the dialogue snappy, the prose descriptive and engaging. The characters aren’t atrocious - despite what many other readers say. I saw a lot of humanity in them, good and bad. They came across as real people, with needs, wants, desires, regrets. I think that’s what I appreciated most of all… the fact that these weren’t cookie cutter, black-and-white people. They were complex, and often unlikeable. After reading Gone Girl, I’m starting to realize more and more that I really like unlikeable characters. Go figure. I was under the impression I’d have to be madly in love with the characters to like the book, but it turns out that’s not the case at all. Likeable characters aren’t necessary for me to be swept away by a novel, as was definitely the case here. I really enjoyed this book, and I’m so glad I read it. ( )