francesmthompson's Reviews (976)

It must be nearly twenty years since I read and adored Rachel's Holiday. My fondness for that book made me want to read this one and while the structure was strong and fairly interesting, the characters, plot and dialogue all fell a bit flat for me. I feel Keyes is capable of so much more but she's being forced to comply with post-50 shades rules of romance fiction (eg must include at least one bondage sex scene) and this is a little disappointing.

So frighteningly original, moving and tender... especially for a book published nearly 90 years ago.

I liked this book a lot, but was a little disappointed, or rather saddened, by how it all ended. I suppose it was because the build-up was so natural and still magnetic, pulling me into the pages, but the ending or maybe even the last quarter of the book felt a little flat in comparison. However, I will still be seeking out the author's other two novels because this plus Station Eleven proves what a brilliantly diverse and capable author she is.

Read after it was recommended by a friend who experienced similar relationship ups and downs after having a baby. In short, I loved the science and research bits, but found some of the examples really VERY unrealistic and "convenient" in a slightly contrived way...

A lovely little book that reminded me that books are about a lot more than stories and words... sometimes turning the pages to reveal a beautiful illustration or discovering a few sentences that enlighten me is just as enjoyable.