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Everyone She Loved: A Novel (2009)

by Sheila Curran(Favorite Author)

2.89 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

1416590668 (ISBN13: 9781416590668)

languge

English

genre

Fiction

publisher

Atria

review 1: ok, I scrolled through some other reviews to make sure this was not going to be too harsh. I did find some redeeming aspects to this book. I picked it up because I noticed it twice at my local library. I thought it was funny the cover would attract me twice, so I tried it. I did not find the characters nearly as awful as some of the other reviewers. But they were also not "inspirational" or "loveable" as some described them. But the characters were not my real problem with this book. The premise itself is ok, but the plot takes some really unnecessary, contrived twists. Give us some credit, ok Curran! The dialogue is also needlessly complected. So the author has a good vocabulary, we get it. Here comes the spoiler. Shiobahn does not at all get what she deserves. She is the... more worst character in this whole story. If not for her insane tampering with this otherwise not awful family, there would have been nowhere for the plot to go. And at the same time, I found myself hating every bit about her. This is probly the meanest thing I have to say about her--she deserved every bit of awfulness that she had gone through. But as the book wound to a close I wanted her to end up in prison or somewhere worse with those awful twins. Sadly it did not end that way. And actually, the ending--though I think it was supposed to tie up loose ends--was abrupt, unimaginative and incomplete. can't say I will give this author another try, but never say never. This is not the worst thing I have ever read!
review 2: I had expected to enjoy this book- the premise was interesting and I thought the book would be a fun read. Unfortunately, any fun was sucked out by the overly-complicated and ridiculous plot, and the completely unsympathetic cast of characters. At one point I thought the book might drift far enough into absurdity to become a farce, but it never quite hit the satirical note required to pump it up to that level. The only people in the book that evoked any emotional response other than irritation were the two poor daughters and their dog. Heck, even the evil British cousins were more enjoyable than the main characters; all they were missing was a maniacal laugh to make them the perfect soap-opera villans. All in all, a disappointing read. 2 stars because of the kids and the way they were portrayed- though the adults around them behaved like idiots, their pain as they dealt with the loss of their mother was the most honest, meaningful, and successful part of this novel. less

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