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Letters In Cardboard Boxes
Winner of the First Horizon Award for superior work by a debut writer, Letters In Cardboard Boxes tells the story of an eccentric grandmother and her granddaughter alongside a series of fantastical letters they once exchanged.
Their letters once traversed the East River to help Parker escape the loneliness of a childhood without her globe-trekking parents and communicate during her turbulent teenage years. Now, nearly a decade later, Parker begins to rediscover this letter writing tradition, as well as the family’s untold stories and, unexpectedly, letters from her grandmother’s own youth that paint a very different portrait of the woman who raised her.
Letters carries us through the universally-shared experience of loss and the process of coping with life’s unexpected twists and turns. Through unusual and bold characters, the story moves through some of its heavier themes with honesty and humor.
Their letters once traversed the East River to help Parker escape the loneliness of a childhood without her globe-trekking parents and communicate during her turbulent teenage years. Now, nearly a decade later, Parker begins to rediscover this letter writing tradition, as well as the family’s untold stories and, unexpectedly, letters from her grandmother’s own youth that paint a very different portrait of the woman who raised her.
Letters carries us through the universally-shared experience of loss and the process of coping with life’s unexpected twists and turns. Through unusual and bold characters, the story moves through some of its heavier themes with honesty and humor.
260 pages, Paperback
First published September 9, 2011
4 people are currently reading
1233 people want to read
About the author
Abby Slovin
1 book108 followersAbby Slovin was born in the summer of 1983 and lived in the same house on Long Island until attending the University of Michigan. She has a deep love for New York City, Brooklyn especially, where much of her family has its roots. She loves to spend time outdoors, travel, research family genealogy, and relax at home in Jersey City with her husband, Dominick and dog, Grumpy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
February 25, 2012
The story of Parker, a woman in her late twenties, who begins to reconnect with her grandmother who is in the earlier stages of dementia. As her dementia becomes a larger issue, Parker moves into her grandmother's house with her, and discovers a box of letters of her grandmother's. Between these letters and her own cardboard box of postcards and letters her grandmother had sent her through the years, Parker begins to re-examine the woman who raised her in her parent's absence.
Abby Slovin's connection with her characters is what makes this book as special as it is. You can feel how real they are, that she knew who they were inside and out, lived with them inside her head and heart for longer than the process of writing this book. For a self-published, debut author, this is a remarkably well written book. I don't doubt that some publishing house would "polish" it up a little, but in the end what I loved about this book, and part of why I find passages still crossing my mind a month after finishing it, is the lack of that professional "zhuzh." A charming and endearing story despite the sadness.
Abby Slovin's connection with her characters is what makes this book as special as it is. You can feel how real they are, that she knew who they were inside and out, lived with them inside her head and heart for longer than the process of writing this book. For a self-published, debut author, this is a remarkably well written book. I don't doubt that some publishing house would "polish" it up a little, but in the end what I loved about this book, and part of why I find passages still crossing my mind a month after finishing it, is the lack of that professional "zhuzh." A charming and endearing story despite the sadness.
April 16, 2012
Please note: I first read this book 6/23-24/2011; I am reposting this review to celebrate it winning the First Horizon award for 2012!
Book info Genre: Literary fiction Reading level: Adult
Disclosure: I received a free eBook ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
My Synopsis: Parker was raised by her grandmother Dotty while her parents, anthropologists, traveled the world and rarely visited. Because Parker was never able to travel the world and often felt lonely (especially when her parents declared, when she was 12, that she could stay by herself in their apartment rather than always staying with her grandmother), she and her grandmother developed a habit of writing each other letters, pretending they were writing from various locations around the country, and around the world. Parker saved those letters in a cardboard box in her closet.
Since her late teens, however, Parker cut off these fanciful letters. Now, at 29, she rarely even thinks to check her mailbox, so she doesn’t know how long the letter has been waiting in there – only that it was written five days ago. The letter is written in a different hand than her grandmother’s, and says that her grandmother is very ill, not likely to live the night, and would Parker mind donating Dotty’s clothes and taking over mentoring a high school girl, Tanya, whom Dotty has been mentoring on Wednesday nights. As Parker sits trying to understand this, the phone rings – it’s her grandmother. It turns out it was a false alarm, but Dotty still wants Parker to take over mentoring Tanya. Dotty had just forgotten about the letter until she was contacted as to why no one had shown up to mentor Tanya.
My Thoughts: This strange event begins Letters in Cardboard Boxes, a poignant and moving story about Parker and her relationships – or lack thereof – as she tries to come to grips with the fact that Dotty is sinking into dementia. It deals with how Parker deals with the situation, how she develops relationships with Tanya, and Jerry – Dotty’s next-door neighbor. Scattered throughout the book are letters – letters from Dotty to Parker; Parker to Dotty; and mysterious letters that Parker discovered in another cardboard box, love letters from a mysterious boy to Dotty from when she was younger. The story shows how Parker grows from a neurotic woman with little self-confidence to a blossoming into a person very similar to Dotty.
This book is very well-written and created in me a strong, visceral reaction – I found it very uncomfortable at times, because it reminded me of similar times with my grandmother. This strong reaction shows that Ms. Slovin knows how to connect with her readers at an emotional level, and how to elicit strong reactions through nothing so much as the ungilded truth. Despite the highly competent writing, at first I didn’t like the book – because of the strong reaction it provoked. Once I realized this, I saw the story from a new perspective and realized that this is a true work of art. It should be appreciated as such and therefore I highly recommend that you read this story and tell all your friends to as well.
Book info Genre: Literary fiction Reading level: Adult
Disclosure: I received a free eBook ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
My Synopsis: Parker was raised by her grandmother Dotty while her parents, anthropologists, traveled the world and rarely visited. Because Parker was never able to travel the world and often felt lonely (especially when her parents declared, when she was 12, that she could stay by herself in their apartment rather than always staying with her grandmother), she and her grandmother developed a habit of writing each other letters, pretending they were writing from various locations around the country, and around the world. Parker saved those letters in a cardboard box in her closet.
Since her late teens, however, Parker cut off these fanciful letters. Now, at 29, she rarely even thinks to check her mailbox, so she doesn’t know how long the letter has been waiting in there – only that it was written five days ago. The letter is written in a different hand than her grandmother’s, and says that her grandmother is very ill, not likely to live the night, and would Parker mind donating Dotty’s clothes and taking over mentoring a high school girl, Tanya, whom Dotty has been mentoring on Wednesday nights. As Parker sits trying to understand this, the phone rings – it’s her grandmother. It turns out it was a false alarm, but Dotty still wants Parker to take over mentoring Tanya. Dotty had just forgotten about the letter until she was contacted as to why no one had shown up to mentor Tanya.
My Thoughts: This strange event begins Letters in Cardboard Boxes, a poignant and moving story about Parker and her relationships – or lack thereof – as she tries to come to grips with the fact that Dotty is sinking into dementia. It deals with how Parker deals with the situation, how she develops relationships with Tanya, and Jerry – Dotty’s next-door neighbor. Scattered throughout the book are letters – letters from Dotty to Parker; Parker to Dotty; and mysterious letters that Parker discovered in another cardboard box, love letters from a mysterious boy to Dotty from when she was younger. The story shows how Parker grows from a neurotic woman with little self-confidence to a blossoming into a person very similar to Dotty.
This book is very well-written and created in me a strong, visceral reaction – I found it very uncomfortable at times, because it reminded me of similar times with my grandmother. This strong reaction shows that Ms. Slovin knows how to connect with her readers at an emotional level, and how to elicit strong reactions through nothing so much as the ungilded truth. Despite the highly competent writing, at first I didn’t like the book – because of the strong reaction it provoked. Once I realized this, I saw the story from a new perspective and realized that this is a true work of art. It should be appreciated as such and therefore I highly recommend that you read this story and tell all your friends to as well.
June 15, 2011
Quoted directly from upcoming author Abby Slovin’s very own web site about Letters in a Cardboard Box, the story is about “Letters In Cardboard Boxes tells the story of an eccentric grandmother and her granddaughter, Parker, alongside a series of fantastical letters they exchanged throughout their lives. Their letters once traversed the East River to help Parker escape the loneliness of a childhood without her globe-trekking parents and communicate during her turbulent teenage years. Now, nearly a decade later, Parker begins to rediscover the evidence of this letter writing tradition, as well as the family’s untold stories and, unexpectedly, letters from her grandmother’s own youth that paint a very different portrait of the woman who raised her.
Letters carries us through the universally-shared experience of loss and the process of coping with life’s unexpected twists and turns. Through unusual and bold characters, the story moves some of its heavier themes with honesty and humor.” http://www.abbyslovin.com/letters-in-...( I took the above from the link at your website. I hope you don’t mind me quoting you in there. I just thought it would be a good way of sharing your thoughts over the story as well to give it that personal touch from you and not just have it be a random reviewer making commentary, you know?)
But, In my opinion this story was a very colorful coming of age story that follows the lives of 4 very touching characters: That of Parker Simpleton (protagonist), Dorothy Sultan, the loving, quirky, and often confused grandmother, Tanya the young, outspoken, but very wise teenager that Dorothy and then later Parker mentors, and lastly that of the knowledgeable, gentle, caring neighbor Jerry. These 4 characters separately bring so much to the table based on each of their personal journeys that tie back into one road that they all share. And that shared road is that of riding the highs and lows of life. Each coping in the way they can when the lows hit and riding their own highs as best they can. And watching this process unfold was truly moving to me. And made it well worth the read for me, even though I have not personally experienced what the characters have in the story, I truly value the experience of getting to know each of these characters.
Letters carries us through the universally-shared experience of loss and the process of coping with life’s unexpected twists and turns. Through unusual and bold characters, the story moves some of its heavier themes with honesty and humor.” http://www.abbyslovin.com/letters-in-...( I took the above from the link at your website. I hope you don’t mind me quoting you in there. I just thought it would be a good way of sharing your thoughts over the story as well to give it that personal touch from you and not just have it be a random reviewer making commentary, you know?)
But, In my opinion this story was a very colorful coming of age story that follows the lives of 4 very touching characters: That of Parker Simpleton (protagonist), Dorothy Sultan, the loving, quirky, and often confused grandmother, Tanya the young, outspoken, but very wise teenager that Dorothy and then later Parker mentors, and lastly that of the knowledgeable, gentle, caring neighbor Jerry. These 4 characters separately bring so much to the table based on each of their personal journeys that tie back into one road that they all share. And that shared road is that of riding the highs and lows of life. Each coping in the way they can when the lows hit and riding their own highs as best they can. And watching this process unfold was truly moving to me. And made it well worth the read for me, even though I have not personally experienced what the characters have in the story, I truly value the experience of getting to know each of these characters.
April 12, 2012
Parker has been raised by her Grandmother, Dotty, because her parents, social anthropologists are always away doing research. They rarely come home. Parker and Dotty are close. Dotty used to send Parker letters as though she had been travelling to exotic places when really she lived in Brooklyn and Parker was in Manhattan. Dotty begins to show signs of Alzheimer’s (which Parker failed to really notice). The theme of the book is the 5 stages of grief that Parker goes through in dealing with Dotty’s deterioration. There are encounters with a 17 yr old (Tanya) that Dotty had been mentoring, and Parker begins meeting in her stead; the neighbor, Jerry, who had known Dotty when they were young, who wrote letters to her (which Parker found in boxes in Dotty’s house) and who loved her but was not considered suitable by Dotty’s parents; the loser/user boyfriend; the girlfriend, Jill, who met with Parker for Sunday brunch and served no purpose in the story.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and had high hopes for it. I really wanted to like it, but it was just okay. I felt the writing was inconsistent, as though at times the author was trying too hard to say something profound and at others sounding very high-school-composition class. I didn’t like any of the characters in particular, except for Dotty and maybe Jerry. I wanted to know more about what was in all the letters Parker found in Dotty’s house. The letters to Parker, the letters from Parker, the letters from Jerry, especially those. Although Parker essentially was raised by Dotty, she didn’t know much about her. That just wasn’t quite believable. Neither was the whole dynamic of the Tanya / Parker relationship. I found myself wanting to know more about Jerry. Why wasn’t he acceptable for Dotty’s parents? Race? Religion? Ethnic background? He grew up living next door to Dotty, but Parker never really asked him about Dotty was like during that time. What was in his letters? Parts of the novel could have been reduced or left out entirely. The brunch scenes, and most of the time with the lame boyfriend. I wish I could have like the book more, but I was disappointed. Hopefully the next book by this author will be better.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and had high hopes for it. I really wanted to like it, but it was just okay. I felt the writing was inconsistent, as though at times the author was trying too hard to say something profound and at others sounding very high-school-composition class. I didn’t like any of the characters in particular, except for Dotty and maybe Jerry. I wanted to know more about what was in all the letters Parker found in Dotty’s house. The letters to Parker, the letters from Parker, the letters from Jerry, especially those. Although Parker essentially was raised by Dotty, she didn’t know much about her. That just wasn’t quite believable. Neither was the whole dynamic of the Tanya / Parker relationship. I found myself wanting to know more about Jerry. Why wasn’t he acceptable for Dotty’s parents? Race? Religion? Ethnic background? He grew up living next door to Dotty, but Parker never really asked him about Dotty was like during that time. What was in his letters? Parts of the novel could have been reduced or left out entirely. The brunch scenes, and most of the time with the lame boyfriend. I wish I could have like the book more, but I was disappointed. Hopefully the next book by this author will be better.
June 22, 2017
اونقدر خوندنش سریغ اتفاق افتاد که اصلا متوجه گذر زمان نشدم.
احساسات متضادی بعد از خوندنش بهم دست داد. نکته واقعا جالبی که داشت این بود که داستان در پنج بخش نوشته شده که در واقع این پنج بخش، همون پنج مرحله مختلف غم و اندوهه. واسه همین کاملا منطقی بود که پاکر چجوری از بین شرایط مختلف احساسیش عبور کرد. توصیفات بعضی از این احساسات خوب و بقیه هم متوسط بودن. در آخر، کتاب خوبی بود و به اونهایی که در حال مراقبت از خانواده یا دوستاشون هستن یا اخیرا واقعه احساسی سنگینی مثل از دست دادن عزیزی رو تجربه کردن، پیشنهاد میشه.
احساسات متضادی بعد از خوندنش بهم دست داد. نکته واقعا جالبی که داشت این بود که داستان در پنج بخش نوشته شده که در واقع این پنج بخش، همون پنج مرحله مختلف غم و اندوهه. واسه همین کاملا منطقی بود که پاکر چجوری از بین شرایط مختلف احساسیش عبور کرد. توصیفات بعضی از این احساسات خوب و بقیه هم متوسط بودن. در آخر، کتاب خوبی بود و به اونهایی که در حال مراقبت از خانواده یا دوستاشون هستن یا اخیرا واقعه احساسی سنگینی مثل از دست دادن عزیزی رو تجربه کردن، پیشنهاد میشه.
November 14, 2012
Four and a half stars: A poignant and emotional journey through the five stages of grief.
Parker usually doesn't stop to get the mail. What is the point? Hardly anyone takes the time to write letters anymore and it is usually just junk flyers and bills. Today in an effort to avoid the irritating questions from her nosy neighbor, Parker stops and gathers her mail. She tosses it on the table and doesn't give it a second thought until later that evening when her boyfriend calls to cancel their plans. She inadvertently knocks the stack of mail on the floor, and while she listens to her boyfriend's excuse she gathers it up, and amongst the catalogs there is a letter from her grandmother. Parker tears it open and her heart stops as she reads the words: "I may be dying, I am very ill and may not survive the night." As she stares at the letter her world comes crashing down around her, and she is brought back to reality by the phone ringing. It is her grandmother. She is not dead! Relief and then anger floods through her, why would she write such a thing? Parker soon learns the truth, her grandmother is not well. As she desperately tries to cling to her rock, her world begins to unravel around her. Parker set out on a heart wrenching journey and discovers a few things along the away about love, thanks to some letters tucked away in a cardboard box. Can Parker find her way back and learn to live?
What I Liked:
*It isn't often that a book comes along and totally grabs a hold of you and shreds your emotions. This book was one of those remarkable reads that has left an indelible mark on me. My heart ached for my beloved grandparents as I read this book. It was a stark reminder to not take your loved ones for granted, not for one minute. If you are lucky enough to still have your grandparents, reach out to them and hear their stories and learn about their past before your chance is erased. I am truly grateful that in my younger years I had the wisdom and foresight to do just that. I had four amazing grandparents and I am so grateful that I was able to spend ample amounts of time with them while growing up, and I was able to hear so many of their stories. Of course, it feels like it was not enough now that they are all gone and I am left with this big aching hole in my heart. This book brought so many of those emotions back to me, and I was changed by this read.
*This is a certainly one of those reads that will truly make you feel. In the beginning, we are introduced to Parker, a lonely girl who lives a reclusive lifestyle. Her parents began leaving her alone at twelve to traverse the globe and pursue their careers. Her grandmother stepped in a raised her and started a tradition of letter writing. Parker is one of those characters who is flawed and broken. I admit, she is not easy to relate to and she is difficult. However, following someone who is broken and learns to find her way is always rewarding, and this book shows how Parker goes through the five stages of grief as she tries to help her Grandma battle Alzheimer's and slowly finds a new beginning. If you enjoy books that share tremendous growth and transformation, this is one to check out.
*I loved the incorporation of the letters in this book. There are many letters between Parker and her grandmother while she grew up. The two played a game where they sent letters from places they were supposedly visiting all over the globe, while in reality neither one of them ever left NYC. I loved how the letters had such special and insightful messages on growing up. I also liked the letters between her Grandmother and a lost love. They were voices from a bygone era, touching and tender. *This book left me wondering what future generations will glean from our society, since we don't take the time to write letters or journals much anymore. Our words are reduced to short emails and cryptic text messages. Sadly, so much of our communication will likely be lost. Perhaps it is time to consider jotting down your thoughts to preserve them for your children. I can only imagine how amazing it would be to discover a trove of letters written by my grandparents. I cling to some of the last letters and cards that my grandparents sent before they passed. What legacy will we leave behind for our children?
*While Parker was the main character, she wasn't the shining star. I struggled with her, but thankfully there are some amazing secondary characters, such as her Grandmother, Jerry her aging next door neighbor and even the philosopher bum. Her Grandmother is amazing with her quirky antics and her wonderful advice. I was blown away time and time again by the wisdom in Ms. Slovin's words. Her writing style is memorable and amazing.
And The Not So Much:
*I wanted more on the letters between Parker's grandma and her long lost love. I was fascinated by this window back in time and wished that I could spend more time in the past.
*I adored Jerry, and wanted desperately to know more on his backstory about what happened to him after he left and how the reunion was for him when he returned all those years later.
*I wished that there was more on the relationship between Tanya and Parker's grandma. There are only brief snippets on the friendship between the two and I wanted to know the details on how they bonded and how Dotty helped save Tanya. In general, I wanted more details on Tanya, about her life and her burdens. I felt like I was missing something when it came to Tanya.
*I was thoroughly disgusted by Parker's absentee parents and fervently hoped that there would be some change or reconciliation, but alas, just as everything doesn't always work out in real life, it is true in this book. Even though I was disappointed that there were not a lot of happy endings in this book, I was glad that it maintained that note of realism. Life is hard and it isn't fair, but make the best of what you have, and that is how this book plays out.
*At the end, I felt a little cheated. I wanted an epilogue to see how everything played out for Parker. I needed to know that she was okay and that she indeed found her way. I wanted to see the peace and the final outcomes regarding her grandmother.
Letters in Cardboard Boxes is one of those books that will linger in my head for a long time to come. Reading it, at times, was emotional for me and I won't lie, I shed a few tears as my heart ached for my own grandparents. Life is short and sometimes it is extremely difficult. This book reminds you to grab on with both hands and take the time to hold onto those things that really matter. Don't waste another minute, pick up that phone and talk to your parents, grandparents, siblings and friends. Make sure they know how you feel and take the time to truly listen to them. Don't look back and say what if.... I highly encourage you to check out this beautiful and heart breaking book.
Favorite Quotations:
"She stood there, staring at the empty mail box as it hung open, empty mail box as it hung open, empty, resembling a mouth its tongue hanging out as it mocked Parker in her quest to actually find mail."
"With a second inhale, she recalled last year's Thanksgiving and the Thanksgiving before that. They all smelled the same to her, the familiar aroma of something safe like s'mores and a crackling fire in the summertime."
"Tanya nodded with wide eyes and Parker pitied her at that moments, knowing all too well that the girl was at an age when ideas felt extreme, like typhoons and hurricanes and volcanic eruptions-each coming and going."
"Parker remembered being herself at a younger age; the younger self who felt distant as a yearbook picture. And yet, despite its distance to her in years, she still remembered the anger she felt towards everything and nothing all at once."
"Give a man some time, Parker, but not a moment longer than you know for sure he's not a good man. You must try your very best not to settle for anything less than a good man. He must be solid and decent and kind."
"Later, as she slowly walked to the subway, Parker stared at the bare branches along Saint Marks Place as they swayed with the wind, reaching for one another, and longed for the warmth of a million little leaves and their multicolored smiles."
"Parker realized that age was rarely a measure for what a person could handle, what constituted a fair load to take on, and age was rarely an accurate predictor of the outcome of any situation."
"Life can get a little depressing without the promise of something better, Tanya. The future is always in front of you."
"Doesn't it just hurt, right in the chest..." He touched his hand to the breast of his baby blue shirt and rested it there. "How quickly time goes?"
"My Grandma was right here the whole time and I never asked. Never listened. And I lost all her secrets."
I won a copy for this book and was not compensated for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
Parker usually doesn't stop to get the mail. What is the point? Hardly anyone takes the time to write letters anymore and it is usually just junk flyers and bills. Today in an effort to avoid the irritating questions from her nosy neighbor, Parker stops and gathers her mail. She tosses it on the table and doesn't give it a second thought until later that evening when her boyfriend calls to cancel their plans. She inadvertently knocks the stack of mail on the floor, and while she listens to her boyfriend's excuse she gathers it up, and amongst the catalogs there is a letter from her grandmother. Parker tears it open and her heart stops as she reads the words: "I may be dying, I am very ill and may not survive the night." As she stares at the letter her world comes crashing down around her, and she is brought back to reality by the phone ringing. It is her grandmother. She is not dead! Relief and then anger floods through her, why would she write such a thing? Parker soon learns the truth, her grandmother is not well. As she desperately tries to cling to her rock, her world begins to unravel around her. Parker set out on a heart wrenching journey and discovers a few things along the away about love, thanks to some letters tucked away in a cardboard box. Can Parker find her way back and learn to live?
What I Liked:
*It isn't often that a book comes along and totally grabs a hold of you and shreds your emotions. This book was one of those remarkable reads that has left an indelible mark on me. My heart ached for my beloved grandparents as I read this book. It was a stark reminder to not take your loved ones for granted, not for one minute. If you are lucky enough to still have your grandparents, reach out to them and hear their stories and learn about their past before your chance is erased. I am truly grateful that in my younger years I had the wisdom and foresight to do just that. I had four amazing grandparents and I am so grateful that I was able to spend ample amounts of time with them while growing up, and I was able to hear so many of their stories. Of course, it feels like it was not enough now that they are all gone and I am left with this big aching hole in my heart. This book brought so many of those emotions back to me, and I was changed by this read.
*This is a certainly one of those reads that will truly make you feel. In the beginning, we are introduced to Parker, a lonely girl who lives a reclusive lifestyle. Her parents began leaving her alone at twelve to traverse the globe and pursue their careers. Her grandmother stepped in a raised her and started a tradition of letter writing. Parker is one of those characters who is flawed and broken. I admit, she is not easy to relate to and she is difficult. However, following someone who is broken and learns to find her way is always rewarding, and this book shows how Parker goes through the five stages of grief as she tries to help her Grandma battle Alzheimer's and slowly finds a new beginning. If you enjoy books that share tremendous growth and transformation, this is one to check out.
*I loved the incorporation of the letters in this book. There are many letters between Parker and her grandmother while she grew up. The two played a game where they sent letters from places they were supposedly visiting all over the globe, while in reality neither one of them ever left NYC. I loved how the letters had such special and insightful messages on growing up. I also liked the letters between her Grandmother and a lost love. They were voices from a bygone era, touching and tender. *This book left me wondering what future generations will glean from our society, since we don't take the time to write letters or journals much anymore. Our words are reduced to short emails and cryptic text messages. Sadly, so much of our communication will likely be lost. Perhaps it is time to consider jotting down your thoughts to preserve them for your children. I can only imagine how amazing it would be to discover a trove of letters written by my grandparents. I cling to some of the last letters and cards that my grandparents sent before they passed. What legacy will we leave behind for our children?
*While Parker was the main character, she wasn't the shining star. I struggled with her, but thankfully there are some amazing secondary characters, such as her Grandmother, Jerry her aging next door neighbor and even the philosopher bum. Her Grandmother is amazing with her quirky antics and her wonderful advice. I was blown away time and time again by the wisdom in Ms. Slovin's words. Her writing style is memorable and amazing.
And The Not So Much:
*I wanted more on the letters between Parker's grandma and her long lost love. I was fascinated by this window back in time and wished that I could spend more time in the past.
*I adored Jerry, and wanted desperately to know more on his backstory about what happened to him after he left and how the reunion was for him when he returned all those years later.
*I wished that there was more on the relationship between Tanya and Parker's grandma. There are only brief snippets on the friendship between the two and I wanted to know the details on how they bonded and how Dotty helped save Tanya. In general, I wanted more details on Tanya, about her life and her burdens. I felt like I was missing something when it came to Tanya.
*I was thoroughly disgusted by Parker's absentee parents and fervently hoped that there would be some change or reconciliation, but alas, just as everything doesn't always work out in real life, it is true in this book. Even though I was disappointed that there were not a lot of happy endings in this book, I was glad that it maintained that note of realism. Life is hard and it isn't fair, but make the best of what you have, and that is how this book plays out.
*At the end, I felt a little cheated. I wanted an epilogue to see how everything played out for Parker. I needed to know that she was okay and that she indeed found her way. I wanted to see the peace and the final outcomes regarding her grandmother.
Letters in Cardboard Boxes is one of those books that will linger in my head for a long time to come. Reading it, at times, was emotional for me and I won't lie, I shed a few tears as my heart ached for my own grandparents. Life is short and sometimes it is extremely difficult. This book reminds you to grab on with both hands and take the time to hold onto those things that really matter. Don't waste another minute, pick up that phone and talk to your parents, grandparents, siblings and friends. Make sure they know how you feel and take the time to truly listen to them. Don't look back and say what if.... I highly encourage you to check out this beautiful and heart breaking book.
Favorite Quotations:
"She stood there, staring at the empty mail box as it hung open, empty mail box as it hung open, empty, resembling a mouth its tongue hanging out as it mocked Parker in her quest to actually find mail."
"With a second inhale, she recalled last year's Thanksgiving and the Thanksgiving before that. They all smelled the same to her, the familiar aroma of something safe like s'mores and a crackling fire in the summertime."
"Tanya nodded with wide eyes and Parker pitied her at that moments, knowing all too well that the girl was at an age when ideas felt extreme, like typhoons and hurricanes and volcanic eruptions-each coming and going."
"Parker remembered being herself at a younger age; the younger self who felt distant as a yearbook picture. And yet, despite its distance to her in years, she still remembered the anger she felt towards everything and nothing all at once."
"Give a man some time, Parker, but not a moment longer than you know for sure he's not a good man. You must try your very best not to settle for anything less than a good man. He must be solid and decent and kind."
"Later, as she slowly walked to the subway, Parker stared at the bare branches along Saint Marks Place as they swayed with the wind, reaching for one another, and longed for the warmth of a million little leaves and their multicolored smiles."
"Parker realized that age was rarely a measure for what a person could handle, what constituted a fair load to take on, and age was rarely an accurate predictor of the outcome of any situation."
"Life can get a little depressing without the promise of something better, Tanya. The future is always in front of you."
"Doesn't it just hurt, right in the chest..." He touched his hand to the breast of his baby blue shirt and rested it there. "How quickly time goes?"
"My Grandma was right here the whole time and I never asked. Never listened. And I lost all her secrets."
I won a copy for this book and was not compensated for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
January 4, 2015
To be honest, I have been trying to write this review for over a week. It is extremely difficult because this novel struck a cord in my heart. When something this beautiful comes along it is hard to put into words how you feel about it. At least for me… I am not the best reviewer by far. But, I will try.
“Letters in Cardboard Boxes” is a sentimental and sincere novel. It follows three generations of women as they struggle to hold on to each other. Dotty is the fun-loving, effervescent grandmother and mentor until she begins to fall ill. Parker is Dotty’s granddaughter, and even at the age of 29 cannot possibly imagine the loss of her rock, Dotty. Tanya is a teenager with an old soul that Dotty mentored after school.
First off, the writing of Abby Slovin is brilliant! It pulls you in and makes you want to get to know the characters and find out what happens next in their lives. Here are some quotes from “Letters in Cardboard Boxes” that I think definitely showcases the writing talent of Slovin.
“Parker felt the cement walls in her tiny apartment begin to expand: the “just in case” scenario was unfathomable. She did not have a single memory that did not include her grandmother in some way. The woman was central, essential even, in a way that Parker very rarely acknowledged.”
“Denial can be so convenient when it suits your purpose”
“Fact is just fiction with different storytellers.”
“Boys your age are not men just yet, and some of them never will be. Give a man some time, Parker, but not a moment longer than you know for sure he’s not a good man. You must try your very best not to settle for anything less than a good man. He must be solid and decent and kind.”
The goodreads synopsis is spot on when it says “the story moves through some of its heavier themes with honesty and humor.” This book could have completely gone into depressing, dark territory in a really heavy way with the subject of Dotty’s illness and state of mind. However, Slovin continued to focus on the ties that bind the three women together and they continued to find new, innovative ways to be in each other’s lives. So, there was a heaping dose of inspiration to be absorbed from this novel.
Letters was a peek into a beautiful relationship full of unconditional love. One that is rare in these times. It was refreshing to see how Parker battled her grandmother’s aging. For an author to be so flat out honest within the comfort area of the character is, well, remarkable. And then, to experience the growth of the characters as their comfort area expands and shifts is equally remarkable.
I would highly recommend this book to any person of any age. It is a poignant story that almost anyone can relate to which translates into an excellent novel.
5 stars to “Letters in Cardboard Boxes” for a beautiful story with delicate writing of strong characters.
“Letters in Cardboard Boxes” is a sentimental and sincere novel. It follows three generations of women as they struggle to hold on to each other. Dotty is the fun-loving, effervescent grandmother and mentor until she begins to fall ill. Parker is Dotty’s granddaughter, and even at the age of 29 cannot possibly imagine the loss of her rock, Dotty. Tanya is a teenager with an old soul that Dotty mentored after school.
First off, the writing of Abby Slovin is brilliant! It pulls you in and makes you want to get to know the characters and find out what happens next in their lives. Here are some quotes from “Letters in Cardboard Boxes” that I think definitely showcases the writing talent of Slovin.
“Parker felt the cement walls in her tiny apartment begin to expand: the “just in case” scenario was unfathomable. She did not have a single memory that did not include her grandmother in some way. The woman was central, essential even, in a way that Parker very rarely acknowledged.”
“Denial can be so convenient when it suits your purpose”
“Fact is just fiction with different storytellers.”
“Boys your age are not men just yet, and some of them never will be. Give a man some time, Parker, but not a moment longer than you know for sure he’s not a good man. You must try your very best not to settle for anything less than a good man. He must be solid and decent and kind.”
The goodreads synopsis is spot on when it says “the story moves through some of its heavier themes with honesty and humor.” This book could have completely gone into depressing, dark territory in a really heavy way with the subject of Dotty’s illness and state of mind. However, Slovin continued to focus on the ties that bind the three women together and they continued to find new, innovative ways to be in each other’s lives. So, there was a heaping dose of inspiration to be absorbed from this novel.
Letters was a peek into a beautiful relationship full of unconditional love. One that is rare in these times. It was refreshing to see how Parker battled her grandmother’s aging. For an author to be so flat out honest within the comfort area of the character is, well, remarkable. And then, to experience the growth of the characters as their comfort area expands and shifts is equally remarkable.
I would highly recommend this book to any person of any age. It is a poignant story that almost anyone can relate to which translates into an excellent novel.
5 stars to “Letters in Cardboard Boxes” for a beautiful story with delicate writing of strong characters.
March 19, 2012
Okay, so once again, the cover hooked me. And once again, I loved the story in the book! Pretty good system I've got here ~ great covers = great books!
Seriously though, I loved everything about Letters in Cardboard Boxes. Well, maybe not everything, there were a couple of things I didn't like, but more on that in a minute. I loved the relationship between Parker and her grandmother ~ what a neat relationship they had. And I loved the very mature and together teen, Tanya, who Parker thought she was doing a favor by mentoring, but who ends up becoming a great friend. And then there is Jerry, the neighbor who was very much a part of Parker's family's past and who is there for her now. And I loved how Parker and her grandmother thought a perfect way to spend an evening was to watch old movies all night and to finish off a whole pie. Gotta love it!
The letters that Parker and her grandmother wrote to each other started out as a way for them to stay in touch when Parker was young. The letters came from places they imagined, from all over the world. But those short notes also contained very wise life lessons, written from grandmother to granddaughter.
Parker's life has really never been easy and with her grandmother getting up in age, there are some tough decisions to make. But surrounded by her new friends, who quickly become like family, and her grandmother's letters, she learns to do the right things.
This is a great book and I highly recommend it, especially if you like a story with real, likable characters.
Oh, and the one or two things I mentioned above that I didn't like ~ that would be Parker's parents! They were off galavanting all around the world leaving Parker to pretty much raise herself. How could they do that? Thank goodness for grandma!
Seriously though, I loved everything about Letters in Cardboard Boxes. Well, maybe not everything, there were a couple of things I didn't like, but more on that in a minute. I loved the relationship between Parker and her grandmother ~ what a neat relationship they had. And I loved the very mature and together teen, Tanya, who Parker thought she was doing a favor by mentoring, but who ends up becoming a great friend. And then there is Jerry, the neighbor who was very much a part of Parker's family's past and who is there for her now. And I loved how Parker and her grandmother thought a perfect way to spend an evening was to watch old movies all night and to finish off a whole pie. Gotta love it!
The letters that Parker and her grandmother wrote to each other started out as a way for them to stay in touch when Parker was young. The letters came from places they imagined, from all over the world. But those short notes also contained very wise life lessons, written from grandmother to granddaughter.
Parker's life has really never been easy and with her grandmother getting up in age, there are some tough decisions to make. But surrounded by her new friends, who quickly become like family, and her grandmother's letters, she learns to do the right things.
This is a great book and I highly recommend it, especially if you like a story with real, likable characters.
Oh, and the one or two things I mentioned above that I didn't like ~ that would be Parker's parents! They were off galavanting all around the world leaving Parker to pretty much raise herself. How could they do that? Thank goodness for grandma!
March 21, 2012
I received this book directly from the author Abby Slovin. However, I am writing this review without bias.
When I can read a book in a days time, then I know it was one that I thoroughly enjoyed and that is exactly what happened with Letters in Cardboard Boxes. The story's main character is Parker. Throughout the story we learn about her relationship with her Grandmother. Parker was left home alone by her parents at an early age while her parents traveled around the world. Parker was left under the supervision of her Grandmother and they became extemely close. Sadly Parker learns that her Grandmother's mental capacity is declining. This is understandingly devestating as Parker now has to face the fact she may soon lose the only person in her life that was ever truly there for her. Throughout Parker's life her Grandmother would send her letters pretending to be in foreign places, Parker kept these letters and at this difficult time in her life has gone back into her letters and a much happier time in her life with her Grandmother. Parker's Grandmother knows that times are going to be hard for Parker and so she sets Parker up to take over her mentor job at the High School for a young girl named Tanya. Tanya comes from a difficult life and a difficult world and Parker's grandmother believes that they can both help each other in different ways.
This story was very interesting to me and kept me wanting to read more and more. I felt that the author, Abby Slovin did a great job with this book, both in her writing style and storyline. I would highly recommend this book.
When I can read a book in a days time, then I know it was one that I thoroughly enjoyed and that is exactly what happened with Letters in Cardboard Boxes. The story's main character is Parker. Throughout the story we learn about her relationship with her Grandmother. Parker was left home alone by her parents at an early age while her parents traveled around the world. Parker was left under the supervision of her Grandmother and they became extemely close. Sadly Parker learns that her Grandmother's mental capacity is declining. This is understandingly devestating as Parker now has to face the fact she may soon lose the only person in her life that was ever truly there for her. Throughout Parker's life her Grandmother would send her letters pretending to be in foreign places, Parker kept these letters and at this difficult time in her life has gone back into her letters and a much happier time in her life with her Grandmother. Parker's Grandmother knows that times are going to be hard for Parker and so she sets Parker up to take over her mentor job at the High School for a young girl named Tanya. Tanya comes from a difficult life and a difficult world and Parker's grandmother believes that they can both help each other in different ways.
This story was very interesting to me and kept me wanting to read more and more. I felt that the author, Abby Slovin did a great job with this book, both in her writing style and storyline. I would highly recommend this book.
June 4, 2012
Loosing someone you love is never easy and Parker finds this out when her grandmother gets sick. Parkers grandmother was everything to her. She raised her when her parents were too busy traveling the world through their jobs and tried to make her life as exciting as she could. Parker and her grandmother would write letter to each other on the "trips" that they took and this lasted up until the Parker became an adult. But when Parker is dealing with her grandmothers sickness she finds those letters that they wrote back and forth to each other and relives her youth and her grandmothers when she finds ones from her past life growing up.
This book lets you see the trials of dealing with a loved one being lost slowing and not knowing how to deal with it. Recently I have personally been dealing with a loved one with dimensia and this book helped me deal with some of the trials that I will be going through. This book will also let you remember what writing letter actually meant. Writing emails is so impersonal and doesn't seem the same. I remember growing up and waiting for the mailman to bring me letters from my friends that moved away and I still pull them out and read them. My daughter likes to hear the stories writing amongst those pages also. Written letters are becoming a lost art and this book reminds you how important they really are.
Great book and I would recommend it to everybody to read...I fact I have three people waiting to read it as I'm writing this review to you..Enjoy this book and pass it on!
This book lets you see the trials of dealing with a loved one being lost slowing and not knowing how to deal with it. Recently I have personally been dealing with a loved one with dimensia and this book helped me deal with some of the trials that I will be going through. This book will also let you remember what writing letter actually meant. Writing emails is so impersonal and doesn't seem the same. I remember growing up and waiting for the mailman to bring me letters from my friends that moved away and I still pull them out and read them. My daughter likes to hear the stories writing amongst those pages also. Written letters are becoming a lost art and this book reminds you how important they really are.
Great book and I would recommend it to everybody to read...I fact I have three people waiting to read it as I'm writing this review to you..Enjoy this book and pass it on!
January 4, 2012
Sometimes it was okay, some times I liked it, and sometimes I really liked it alot. It just was not consistently interesting enough for me to finish.
Some things drove me crazy, and other things I enjoyed.
So many descriptive sentences that just didnt make sense to me.
Unfortunately, I just kept losing interest, and did not finish. I made it to page 170 +/- (at that point I was skimming).
Maybe I will go back at another time to finish. I was waiting for something to keep me hooked in to keep reading, but it just wasn't happening.
I know that so many other people really enjoyed this, so I hope my opinion won't deter someone else from reading it. Maybe the fact that it was an ebook was hard for me also. I am just not a big fan of reading a book electronically. Maybe my opinion would be different if I was holding the book in my hand? I don't know.
Spoilers of sorts below.........
I did not see the relevence of Parker's parents, and was irritated when they showed up at the house, after her Grandmother went to the facility. I just felt no attachment to the characters, except maybe between Parker and her Grandmother. I dont feel like her parents even need to make an appearance at all in the novel.
The other characters seemed to flow in and out, but never held a strong spot.
I also don't understand how Jerry was unknown to Parker all these years? How would she not have met him before? Even Tanya did.
Some things drove me crazy, and other things I enjoyed.
So many descriptive sentences that just didnt make sense to me.
Unfortunately, I just kept losing interest, and did not finish. I made it to page 170 +/- (at that point I was skimming).
Maybe I will go back at another time to finish. I was waiting for something to keep me hooked in to keep reading, but it just wasn't happening.
I know that so many other people really enjoyed this, so I hope my opinion won't deter someone else from reading it. Maybe the fact that it was an ebook was hard for me also. I am just not a big fan of reading a book electronically. Maybe my opinion would be different if I was holding the book in my hand? I don't know.
Spoilers of sorts below.........
I did not see the relevence of Parker's parents, and was irritated when they showed up at the house, after her Grandmother went to the facility. I just felt no attachment to the characters, except maybe between Parker and her Grandmother. I dont feel like her parents even need to make an appearance at all in the novel.
The other characters seemed to flow in and out, but never held a strong spot.
I also don't understand how Jerry was unknown to Parker all these years? How would she not have met him before? Even Tanya did.
January 8, 2012
Wow! How time flies - I read this book at the beginning of the month and and just realized that I didn't post my review yet. Sheesh, I must be slacking...
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for a review. I really enjoyed reading this story and was filled with mixed emotions throughout.
I had no idea that the story is organized in five parts to coincide with psychology's five stages of grief. I read about this fact in the "Discussion Corner" section at the end of the book. Once I read that, it made perfect sense that Parker underwent so many different changes in her emotional state. Some of the changes were smooth, but others seemed much more abrupt.
Since I'm a Dorothy, I've grown up with people always telling me about their Gramma Dotty or their Great Aunt Dorothy and I always have had a picture in my mind of what a "Dorothy" from that age would look like. The Dotty in this book perfectly fit that image.
Overall, I thought this was a great story and certainly appropriate for those of us who are caring for our older family and friends and especially those who are having a difficult time adjusting to the changes.
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for a review. I really enjoyed reading this story and was filled with mixed emotions throughout.
I had no idea that the story is organized in five parts to coincide with psychology's five stages of grief. I read about this fact in the "Discussion Corner" section at the end of the book. Once I read that, it made perfect sense that Parker underwent so many different changes in her emotional state. Some of the changes were smooth, but others seemed much more abrupt.
Since I'm a Dorothy, I've grown up with people always telling me about their Gramma Dotty or their Great Aunt Dorothy and I always have had a picture in my mind of what a "Dorothy" from that age would look like. The Dotty in this book perfectly fit that image.
Overall, I thought this was a great story and certainly appropriate for those of us who are caring for our older family and friends and especially those who are having a difficult time adjusting to the changes.
August 4, 2012
This is a stroy about love and loss. It's about regret and acceptance. And it is extremely well done. Parker is a young professional, busily going about her life mostly self-absorbed. She has a close relationship with her grandmother, who practically raised her in the absence of her globe-trotting parents. Parker has issues, but as her grandmother becomes increasingly lost in dementia, she struggles to find meaning in all facets of her life. She finds letters that she and her grandmother exchanged to cope with her feelings of abandonment as a child, letters that are now priceless for their love and wisdom. As Parker moves through the stages of grief, she finds support in two rather unlikely companions, who open her eyes to all sorts of possibilties and realizations. The writing is clear and the imagery is striking. I cared about these characters, who are so well-drawn that I could feel their emotions as they felt them. Most of all, I loved the letters, written by a grandmother out of an unconditional love for a lonely little girl who doesn't appreciate them until much, much later. This is a story I will treasure.
January 26, 2012
I really wanted to LOVE this book. I won it from Goodreads and the author wrote me a note- hopeful that I'd want to share it with all my friends. Instead, I never really got sucked in the way I'd wanted. The main character has a grandmother who raised her, thanks to absent professional parents. The grandmother, a fun woman who writes crazy letters to her granddaughter, pretends to be traveling the world to cheer her up. These tender notes often end with a simple invite to come over for some TLC. When Alzheimer's suddenly interrupts the predictable and stable world she and Parker have both come to depend on, Parker semi-falls apart. I'm not sure I ever liked Parker, but quite liked the grandmother, the neighbor and even the homeless man. However, the main characters were a little hard to believe. darn. Not a predictable story, but one that kept promising to be so much more than it was...
May 9, 2012
I started this book thinking only of the relationship of grandmother and granddaughter writing letters much like my own grandmother and I used to share. I hadn't realized Parker's grandmother would suffer from Alzheimer's just as my own grandmother had. I loved the characters and the relationships developed in the book. I was kind of disappointed that it took Parker so long to find out who the other letters were from. I also didn't care for the ending and found some of the editing errors distracting. All on all it was a good read. A story I could identify with and characters I felt like I might know.
May 28, 2023
This is a very sweet and endearing book. I really enjoyed the symbolism of the stars dying out even though we can still see their light and how well they fit with not only the issues with the grandmother but with different relationships as well. It brought back many fond memories of me and my grandmother and even reminded me of the young girl that I mentored and still stay in contact with.
This is a good book and one I think most can relate to.
This is a good book and one I think most can relate to.
December 15, 2011
Although I gave this book 2 stars it doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy parts of it. I thought the characters lacked depth and I questioned whether or not the parents even needed to be in it at all. I thought the old man next door was a character that could have had a bigger role in the book. I would have loved to see some sort of happy ending between him and Dotty. You may enjoy this book so don't pass it by.
Currently reading
September 25, 2012Copy arrived today. Yeah! Big decision. I swore I was only taking electronic books on vacation. But ... so tempting. There still is nothing like paper print!
March 20, 2012
I saw this book listed on the goodreads first reads program and signed up to win. I remember being disappointed when I lost. The synopsis hooked me. When I was contacted by the author later, I was so ecstatic and couldn't wait to get started. My grandmother and I are close and have always been close, which is why I wanted to read this book so badly.
The story begins with Parker. She is a woman with no direction, raised by her grandmother (for the most part) because her parents travel often. I immediately thought of Leonard from The Big Bang Theory for some reason, because his parents were both professional psychologists and weren't really there for him emotionally and I sensed that was exactly what was happening with Parker.
I loved and hated Parker. She was one of those characters that reflect all of our insecurities. She has no self esteem, lacks confidence, is socially awkward, and as a side effect, forms pointless relationships with people that have no depth. She needed to grow. When her grandmother becomes ill, she is forced to connect with other people and grow up.
During Parker's childhood, her grandmother and she would exchange letters pretending they were on some grand adventure, though neither of them left New York.
I'm going to refrain from telling any more of the story because it's just one of those things I think you have to read and experience for yourself. It's full of growth, emotion, love, loss, regret, etc. While this novel definitely made me email my own grandmother, it isn't one of those novels that try too hard to make you cry or rethink your life, which I found extremely refreshing. Instead of forcing you to feel a certain way, the story flows naturally and leads you on your own journey.
I felt like I could relate a lot to Parker, though half the time I just wanted to scream at her. She was frightened of herself and never let herself simply be comfortable in her own shoes. I used to be like that and I just wanted to either yell at her or invite her over for a cup of a coffee and dose of advice. I love characters like that because they feel real to me and become multidimensional instead of flat and predictable.
The story was broken up into parts, which symbolized the growth of Parker in coming to terms with what happened and the stages of grief. I liked how it was broken up and I thought it was clever and organized. The writing was excellent and I felt like I really got to know the characters. I can't stress enough how much it irks me to read a book that lacks character building, so I thoroughly enjoyed this story because of how the characters were presented and built upon.
Letters represented a lot in this book. As I said earlier, Parker and her grandmother exchanged letters that helped Parker cope with her teenage years. Her grandmother also sent letters to a teenager she mentored. Letters were also in box that Parker found between her grandmother and an unknown love interest. I felt like letters were windows into the soul, not just Parker's, but the people she connected with and her grandmother as well.
I recently found a journal at the bookstore entitled The Book of Myself. In it were questions that began with childhood and kept going throughout life stages. It was invented by a grandfather and grandson. When I saw this, I purchased one for my grandmother and one for my husband's grandmother. While I am much closer to my grandmother than my husband is with his, I felt like there is still so much we don't know about life back then. Both of our grandmothers are single now, so I wonder about falling in love and what not along the way. In a sense, having our grandmothers fill these books out is like finding a box of letters they may have saved. You found out so much about a person through letters and journals and I couldn't help but think about this when I was reading this book.
As a young adult, I sometimes have to force myself to stop and slow down and reconnect with people that are close to me. I guess at this age, most of us think there is still so much time ahead. But what if something happens to our older family members and we start to formulate questions that we can't get answers to anymore?
This book definitely made me think about this more and like I mentioned, email my grandmother to let her know that I am thinking about her. You never know what may happen.
And it's not death that I'm necessarily referring to.
For example, one of my family members had a stroke about a year ago. She's pretty young and she recovered for the most part, but she's left with aphasia. She can understand you, but she cannot speak very well. She is getting better at writing and it's usually easy to understand her through questions and charade type activities, but every once in a while I think about how much I miss being able to sit down and talk to her the way we used to. Now she can't tell me things I don't already have some idea about, since a major part of understanding her is a guessing game. I am so thankful that she's here and she's okay, it's just that I miss some things sometimes. So, as I said, you never know what may happen to the people you love and it's probably best to start expanding your relationships with them. And it's probably best to start expanding your relationship with yourself, because you can't build meaningful relationships without that.
Anyway, I can't stress enough that this book is wonderful and thought provoking, but it's not one of those inspirational forced messages that you get from some books. It's natural, flowing, beautifully written, and interesting.
http://meganm922.blogspot.com/2012/03...
The story begins with Parker. She is a woman with no direction, raised by her grandmother (for the most part) because her parents travel often. I immediately thought of Leonard from The Big Bang Theory for some reason, because his parents were both professional psychologists and weren't really there for him emotionally and I sensed that was exactly what was happening with Parker.
I loved and hated Parker. She was one of those characters that reflect all of our insecurities. She has no self esteem, lacks confidence, is socially awkward, and as a side effect, forms pointless relationships with people that have no depth. She needed to grow. When her grandmother becomes ill, she is forced to connect with other people and grow up.
During Parker's childhood, her grandmother and she would exchange letters pretending they were on some grand adventure, though neither of them left New York.
I'm going to refrain from telling any more of the story because it's just one of those things I think you have to read and experience for yourself. It's full of growth, emotion, love, loss, regret, etc. While this novel definitely made me email my own grandmother, it isn't one of those novels that try too hard to make you cry or rethink your life, which I found extremely refreshing. Instead of forcing you to feel a certain way, the story flows naturally and leads you on your own journey.
I felt like I could relate a lot to Parker, though half the time I just wanted to scream at her. She was frightened of herself and never let herself simply be comfortable in her own shoes. I used to be like that and I just wanted to either yell at her or invite her over for a cup of a coffee and dose of advice. I love characters like that because they feel real to me and become multidimensional instead of flat and predictable.
The story was broken up into parts, which symbolized the growth of Parker in coming to terms with what happened and the stages of grief. I liked how it was broken up and I thought it was clever and organized. The writing was excellent and I felt like I really got to know the characters. I can't stress enough how much it irks me to read a book that lacks character building, so I thoroughly enjoyed this story because of how the characters were presented and built upon.
Letters represented a lot in this book. As I said earlier, Parker and her grandmother exchanged letters that helped Parker cope with her teenage years. Her grandmother also sent letters to a teenager she mentored. Letters were also in box that Parker found between her grandmother and an unknown love interest. I felt like letters were windows into the soul, not just Parker's, but the people she connected with and her grandmother as well.
I recently found a journal at the bookstore entitled The Book of Myself. In it were questions that began with childhood and kept going throughout life stages. It was invented by a grandfather and grandson. When I saw this, I purchased one for my grandmother and one for my husband's grandmother. While I am much closer to my grandmother than my husband is with his, I felt like there is still so much we don't know about life back then. Both of our grandmothers are single now, so I wonder about falling in love and what not along the way. In a sense, having our grandmothers fill these books out is like finding a box of letters they may have saved. You found out so much about a person through letters and journals and I couldn't help but think about this when I was reading this book.
As a young adult, I sometimes have to force myself to stop and slow down and reconnect with people that are close to me. I guess at this age, most of us think there is still so much time ahead. But what if something happens to our older family members and we start to formulate questions that we can't get answers to anymore?
This book definitely made me think about this more and like I mentioned, email my grandmother to let her know that I am thinking about her. You never know what may happen.
And it's not death that I'm necessarily referring to.
For example, one of my family members had a stroke about a year ago. She's pretty young and she recovered for the most part, but she's left with aphasia. She can understand you, but she cannot speak very well. She is getting better at writing and it's usually easy to understand her through questions and charade type activities, but every once in a while I think about how much I miss being able to sit down and talk to her the way we used to. Now she can't tell me things I don't already have some idea about, since a major part of understanding her is a guessing game. I am so thankful that she's here and she's okay, it's just that I miss some things sometimes. So, as I said, you never know what may happen to the people you love and it's probably best to start expanding your relationships with them. And it's probably best to start expanding your relationship with yourself, because you can't build meaningful relationships without that.
Anyway, I can't stress enough that this book is wonderful and thought provoking, but it's not one of those inspirational forced messages that you get from some books. It's natural, flowing, beautifully written, and interesting.
http://meganm922.blogspot.com/2012/03...
November 22, 2017
This was one of my least favorite reads this year. The story shows one families interactions with each other and reality. The central characters rely on each other after other family members leave them for all intents and purposes. The reality they deal with is heartbreaking. It was challenging to read because of the emotions it brought out.
July 16, 2013
Letters in Cardboard Boxes is a very realistic, well developed character study, that deals with fairly full and complex family dynamic issues in a sensitive and undramatic way, and is really given extra dimension by virtue of it's web-based publication.
The story
Parker has always relied on the special relationship she's had with her grandmother Dotty; the person she is closest to in the whole world. It's a bond lived not only in person, but also through a series of letters her grandmother sent her during her childhood. It's really all that makes her life anything more than a hollow charade, and she never even considered that this relationship isn't destined to last forever.
When it is revealed to Parker that her grandmother is ill, she also discovers a plethora of other things she didn't know about her grandmother. The fact that she mentors a troubled teen, her relationships from the past and the present, how she lived, and lives, her life in ways that don't involve Parker. And as Parker makes these discoveries, she not only learns things about her grandmother, but also about herself, and about letting go.
The style
Letters in Cardboard Boxes is written in the third person limited perspective, solely from Parker's point of view. The major characters are, of course, Parker and Dotty, and Tanya; the girl Dotty mentors. The story unfolds not only through the thoughts and actions of Parker, but also through letters, written between Dotty and Parker, and later old letters between Dotty and an unknown love. The pacing is solid, with the development and revelations well spaced and tear jerky in all the appropriate moments.
All the characters are very strong. Dotty is excellently rounded as an eccentric but frail old lady, and develops into a real person, an unknown quantity, for both Parker and the reader. Tanya's frailty is evident through her teenage over-confidence, and there are aspects to her personality that both draw out and compliment Parker. But Parker is the real success here, character-wise. At twenty nine, her development as a person is still far from complete. She is unsure about everything, a little bit tired, and due to previous trauma in her family life and the way she deals with stress, she is utterly incapable of expressing her feelings or coping with life in general. She can't relate well to men, but she's also very self-aware. The way she becomes overwhelmed by small things, or reacts unreasonably to trifles, actually at times made me feel frustrated because it's so spot on as a human response. And in creating such an empathetic and flawed character, the reader can relate with no problem at all.
And there is an extra dimension to Letters in Cardboard Boxes which, in my opinion, makes it really, really interesting; the novel is being published, like the serials of old, in a series of weekly installments on the website. It also contains a series of discussions with the author, somewhat like, I would imagine, having a book club where the author is invited, and also some photographs inspired by the novel. The website is very aesthetically pleasing and nicely done, and due to the nature of the publication – the serial releases, the discussions, and the 'unpublished' letters between Parker and Dotty that are being released – the website has a really dynamic feel to it, as though the novel, like Parker, is continually developing and growing and changing at the whim of the world. It's such a great and interesting way to publish, and it's even more interesting given the focus of Letters in Cardboard Boxes on traditional methods of communication for comfort; letter-writing.
Who is this book for?
Mainly for women and girls, not that the guys wouldn't get something out of it, but it really is exploring a female dynamic within the structure of a family.
If you like this book, you would also like...
Okay, I hate to harp on about these ones, and I probably over-recommend them, but if you're interested in novels that relate to family dynamics with a uniquely female twist and a large dose of honesty, you just can't go past Rebecca Wells. She's like the queen of the genre. So if you want more of this kind of thing, she's where you want to look. The other aspect is, of course, the web-based publication, and if anyone else knows other authors that have done this, please comment!
April 1, 2012
Even before I read it, I liked the idea of this book: the “jacket” blurb made me think of how we never wholly know anyone in our lives, since there are always portions for which we are not present. I liked the idea of Parker getting to know the young girl/woman her Grandmother had been and seeing how that knowledge changed Parker's view of her Grandmother and herself. I was delighted, then, when Abby Slovin offered me a eBook copy to review.
With my usual focus (some might call it addiction), I read the book within 24 hours. There are few books that take me longer...or is it that I just refuse to leave the alternative universe until I must? One day I may learn to ration my reading. As usual, I shall do my best to avoid plot spoilers – I do so dislike reviews that remove the necessity of reading the book!
The book is split into five parts, the five stages of Parker and her Grandmother’s experiences in this period. I'm not all that bothered by chapters and sections – in a print book, I often don't notice chapters passing – however I find on a Kindle, they are more obvious and in this case, the Parts worked well.
I had expected a book with the eponymous letters forming the majority of the text, but this was not the case. Abby Slovin uses the letters of Parker's youth to salt the present day story, drawing the reader's eye to the parallels with past and present behaviour and thoughts. As in a well seasoned dish the right amount of salt brings out the flavours of the other ingredients, so Abby's use of the letters gives us timely insight into the characters' relationship.
The story starts quite slowly and I found Parker a touch annoying, but as I got to know her and understand her personal demons, I found myself with more sympathy for her – even when I wanted her to take a different course of action. The story weaves in a small cast of supporting characters, who touch Parker's life in the ways other people often touch ours – sometimes fleetingly, sometimes profoundly and sometimes in a timely manner.
On a practical note, the Kindle formatting wasn't good. There were lots of spurious carriage returns and half sentence paragraphs. I might not notice chapters, but paragraphing is important to my way of reading; sometimes I had to go back over a section and read it “without” the paragraph breaks to get the meaning. It was particularly irritating and confusing during direct speech. One of my pet peeves is extended direct speech where the speakers are not clearly defined throughout; the Kindle formatting again made rereading and decoding necessary in places.
Having said that, it is an issue that is fixable and doesn't detract from the well written and thought-provoking book. There were several points in the book when I shed tears – for the characters? Yes. For myself? Not telling! There are also points of humour and things to make the reader think. There were a couple of plot developments that had me wanting to shake Parker and a couple where I think the author understood the reality of the situation differently from my experience. I can't say more as it would be a plot spoiler!
As with many modern books, Abby Slovin includes a set of suggested discussion topics for a book club. I'm not sure yet what I think of this habit. I know people might say I don't have to read them, but I find it difficult to “close” the book at that point, especially when, as in this case, the formatting ran the last line straight into them. Maybe inserting a “Chapter page” for that section would enable me to leave before the questions. I can see that the questions would be useful for a book club – and these were well thought out and provoking – but I still have the feeling that pulling a book apart destroys its magic, something I have believed since I first had to write literary decompositions in high school.
All in all, this was an enjoyable work and I regard the time reading it and writing this review well spent. It will join the select list of books that I reread. I recommend Letters in Cardboard Boxes to anyone who has relatives.
With my usual focus (some might call it addiction), I read the book within 24 hours. There are few books that take me longer...or is it that I just refuse to leave the alternative universe until I must? One day I may learn to ration my reading. As usual, I shall do my best to avoid plot spoilers – I do so dislike reviews that remove the necessity of reading the book!
The book is split into five parts, the five stages of Parker and her Grandmother’s experiences in this period. I'm not all that bothered by chapters and sections – in a print book, I often don't notice chapters passing – however I find on a Kindle, they are more obvious and in this case, the Parts worked well.
I had expected a book with the eponymous letters forming the majority of the text, but this was not the case. Abby Slovin uses the letters of Parker's youth to salt the present day story, drawing the reader's eye to the parallels with past and present behaviour and thoughts. As in a well seasoned dish the right amount of salt brings out the flavours of the other ingredients, so Abby's use of the letters gives us timely insight into the characters' relationship.
The story starts quite slowly and I found Parker a touch annoying, but as I got to know her and understand her personal demons, I found myself with more sympathy for her – even when I wanted her to take a different course of action. The story weaves in a small cast of supporting characters, who touch Parker's life in the ways other people often touch ours – sometimes fleetingly, sometimes profoundly and sometimes in a timely manner.
On a practical note, the Kindle formatting wasn't good. There were lots of spurious carriage returns and half sentence paragraphs. I might not notice chapters, but paragraphing is important to my way of reading; sometimes I had to go back over a section and read it “without” the paragraph breaks to get the meaning. It was particularly irritating and confusing during direct speech. One of my pet peeves is extended direct speech where the speakers are not clearly defined throughout; the Kindle formatting again made rereading and decoding necessary in places.
Having said that, it is an issue that is fixable and doesn't detract from the well written and thought-provoking book. There were several points in the book when I shed tears – for the characters? Yes. For myself? Not telling! There are also points of humour and things to make the reader think. There were a couple of plot developments that had me wanting to shake Parker and a couple where I think the author understood the reality of the situation differently from my experience. I can't say more as it would be a plot spoiler!
As with many modern books, Abby Slovin includes a set of suggested discussion topics for a book club. I'm not sure yet what I think of this habit. I know people might say I don't have to read them, but I find it difficult to “close” the book at that point, especially when, as in this case, the formatting ran the last line straight into them. Maybe inserting a “Chapter page” for that section would enable me to leave before the questions. I can see that the questions would be useful for a book club – and these were well thought out and provoking – but I still have the feeling that pulling a book apart destroys its magic, something I have believed since I first had to write literary decompositions in high school.
All in all, this was an enjoyable work and I regard the time reading it and writing this review well spent. It will join the select list of books that I reread. I recommend Letters in Cardboard Boxes to anyone who has relatives.
May 31, 2015
Letters in Cardboard boxes was a story about so many things, about loss, love, forgiveness, sadness, friendships, family, and much more. This book provoked in me a series of different emotions. I felt sadness, not just plain sadness, I felt it in a multitude of ways. I felt it like an emptiness you feel when something big is gone from your life, I felt like a heavy burden when you feel there is nothing you can do to change the outcome of the future, and I felt it in a heart-aching way when your heart is broken by your own doings or others. Aside from sadness, I also felt joy, anger, envy, resentfulness, loneliness, love, the warmth of unexpected companionship, triumph, and more. After all these things I could feel the way Parker felt like she was sinking in a whirlpool of all these emotions combined. This book was very well written to instill these feelings in the reader so effortlessly.
This story takes you on the journey of one woman's loss of her Grandmother. The woman's name is Parker, and her Grandmother has been the only one constant in her whole life, making loosing her an emotional roller coaster that she's stuck on against her will. Parker's parents travel the world for their careers, leaving Parker at home. She wasn't alone though because she had her Grandmother. They were the best of friends, even though, of course, they had their rough patches in Parker's teenage years as she was feeling abandoned by her parents and angry at them for not being around like everyone else's parents. But even when Parker lashed out in her anger, her Grandmother stayed strong by her side.
Upon realizing that her Grandmother is sick and that she is loosing her, she starts remembering all the love her Grandmother has shown her growing up and feels that maybe she didn't return the sentiment as much as she should have. They used to send letters to each other often, pretending that they were vacationing in far away places. I loved reading some of the letters Parker's Grandmother wrote to her, she would use the location and theme of her letter to send a heartfelt message to her granddaughter, it was beautiful really. Parker really has no one else, until she meets two close friends of her grandmothers that ,aside from the the sickness taking place, she probably never would have known. One being a young girl her grandmother was mentoring at a nearby high school, the other an older gentleman who happened to be madly in love with her grandmother but due to certain circumstance they could not be together. With these two new found companions at her side, she takes this incredibly hard journey of letting go of the person she loves most and losing a major piece of her life.
The road is a hard, emotional struggle to say the least. This was a great read, and really reaches into you, makes you think what it would be like to have to lose that person you hold dearest to you.You will most likely feel your heart break while reading this.
I would recommend this book for sure. It's a great story for anyone who's lost someone, or even if you haven't, Slovin's wonderful writing can take you to that place.
Read this review and more on http://underthecovers-ja.blogspot.com/
This story takes you on the journey of one woman's loss of her Grandmother. The woman's name is Parker, and her Grandmother has been the only one constant in her whole life, making loosing her an emotional roller coaster that she's stuck on against her will. Parker's parents travel the world for their careers, leaving Parker at home. She wasn't alone though because she had her Grandmother. They were the best of friends, even though, of course, they had their rough patches in Parker's teenage years as she was feeling abandoned by her parents and angry at them for not being around like everyone else's parents. But even when Parker lashed out in her anger, her Grandmother stayed strong by her side.
Upon realizing that her Grandmother is sick and that she is loosing her, she starts remembering all the love her Grandmother has shown her growing up and feels that maybe she didn't return the sentiment as much as she should have. They used to send letters to each other often, pretending that they were vacationing in far away places. I loved reading some of the letters Parker's Grandmother wrote to her, she would use the location and theme of her letter to send a heartfelt message to her granddaughter, it was beautiful really. Parker really has no one else, until she meets two close friends of her grandmothers that ,aside from the the sickness taking place, she probably never would have known. One being a young girl her grandmother was mentoring at a nearby high school, the other an older gentleman who happened to be madly in love with her grandmother but due to certain circumstance they could not be together. With these two new found companions at her side, she takes this incredibly hard journey of letting go of the person she loves most and losing a major piece of her life.
The road is a hard, emotional struggle to say the least. This was a great read, and really reaches into you, makes you think what it would be like to have to lose that person you hold dearest to you.You will most likely feel your heart break while reading this.
I would recommend this book for sure. It's a great story for anyone who's lost someone, or even if you haven't, Slovin's wonderful writing can take you to that place.
Read this review and more on http://underthecovers-ja.blogspot.com/
April 24, 2012
Letters in Cardboard Boxes is a truly wonderful and moving story, that I think will be relate-able to many readers. It is beautifully written and reads brilliantly. It took me a little while to get fully engaged and interested in the storyline, but after that the pages flew in quickly and I fully enjoyed the story.
Parker has been raised by her eccentric grandmother, Dotty. The pair are very close and do quite allot together. Parker discovers Dotty is very ill, she is loosing her memory at an alarming rate. So Parker packs up her things and moves in with her Grandmother.
Parker finds a cardboard box full of letters that her Grandmother sent to her when she was growing up. Dotty always sent Parker letters and at first Parker loved their letter writing ritual, but as she grew up she thought it was silly and stopped sending letters back.
Dotty deteriorates further and further and soon she may not even remember who Parker even is. But Parker will always have the wonderful letters to remember her Grandmother by. Parker finds more letters and photographs in her Grandmothers belongings and she discovers some things about Dotty that she never knew before. She starts to regret not asking questions and getting to know Dotty when she had the chance.
Tanya is a sixteen year old girl that Dotty mentored. The pair were very close and Tanya relied on Dotty's presence and advice. But Dotty wants Parker to take over Tanya's mentoring sessions, Parker's not too sure. Tanya plays a key role in the book, Parker ends up relying on her. Tanya is described as an old soul in the book and I think that fits her perfectly.
I really don't want to ramble the whole storyline away, so I will let you discover the book for yourself. The ending was fantastic, I was so pleased for Parker, that she puts herself first. She went through such a transformation throughout the book and it was a delight to read. Abby Slovin handled the heavy topics in the story superbly, it never became too low, it had humour to keep it balanced.
I am one of those people who picks up a book and reads until the end of a chapter, but Letters is divided into 5 parts and that annoyed me a little bit. I understand now that the book was divided into 5 parts to coincide with psychology's 5 stages of grief, but I'm still not sure how I feel about no chapters.
All in all, a must read book from début author Abby Slovin, add it to your Goodreads shelf today, I highly recommend it.
My favourite characters:
Tanya: She is intelligent, different, fun and seems older than her years. I really enjoyed reading about her character.
Dotty: I absolutely loved Dotty's bold, wacky, fun personality, she is a great person that I would love to have as my grandmother. She is a real joy to read about and put a big smile on my face. It is such a shame that such a lively soul lost her memories.
http://fictionfascination.blogspot.co...
Parker has been raised by her eccentric grandmother, Dotty. The pair are very close and do quite allot together. Parker discovers Dotty is very ill, she is loosing her memory at an alarming rate. So Parker packs up her things and moves in with her Grandmother.
Parker finds a cardboard box full of letters that her Grandmother sent to her when she was growing up. Dotty always sent Parker letters and at first Parker loved their letter writing ritual, but as she grew up she thought it was silly and stopped sending letters back.
Dotty deteriorates further and further and soon she may not even remember who Parker even is. But Parker will always have the wonderful letters to remember her Grandmother by. Parker finds more letters and photographs in her Grandmothers belongings and she discovers some things about Dotty that she never knew before. She starts to regret not asking questions and getting to know Dotty when she had the chance.
Tanya is a sixteen year old girl that Dotty mentored. The pair were very close and Tanya relied on Dotty's presence and advice. But Dotty wants Parker to take over Tanya's mentoring sessions, Parker's not too sure. Tanya plays a key role in the book, Parker ends up relying on her. Tanya is described as an old soul in the book and I think that fits her perfectly.
I really don't want to ramble the whole storyline away, so I will let you discover the book for yourself. The ending was fantastic, I was so pleased for Parker, that she puts herself first. She went through such a transformation throughout the book and it was a delight to read. Abby Slovin handled the heavy topics in the story superbly, it never became too low, it had humour to keep it balanced.
I am one of those people who picks up a book and reads until the end of a chapter, but Letters is divided into 5 parts and that annoyed me a little bit. I understand now that the book was divided into 5 parts to coincide with psychology's 5 stages of grief, but I'm still not sure how I feel about no chapters.
All in all, a must read book from début author Abby Slovin, add it to your Goodreads shelf today, I highly recommend it.
My favourite characters:
Tanya: She is intelligent, different, fun and seems older than her years. I really enjoyed reading about her character.
Dotty: I absolutely loved Dotty's bold, wacky, fun personality, she is a great person that I would love to have as my grandmother. She is a real joy to read about and put a big smile on my face. It is such a shame that such a lively soul lost her memories.
http://fictionfascination.blogspot.co...
February 2, 2013
A powerful, emotional roller coaster. Letters in Cardboard Boxes tells the story of Parker and Dotty, granddaughter and grandmother, as they go through Dotty’s illness and the changes it brings to their lives
Parker is not prepared for the loss of the grandmother she knew. Dotty tried to prepare Parker for what was happening to her but was not able to find the words. Together they go through the changes. Dotty forgets her life and Parker. Parker does not want to let the Dotty she knew go. She fights every step of the way, feeling guilt for what she could have done to prevent it. Parker has to learn that she has no control over her Grandmother’s illness.
I felt such a strong connection to Parker. I know people that are like the people in her life. I loved Dotty. She tried to give Parker the security and love that Parker’s parents did not. Parker and Dotty’s relationship was based on love, not always easy, but what each needed. Parker has regrets but I could not fault her. She did what she could when her grandmother was failing. When Parker’s past comes out, I understood the why. Now that Parker needs someone, she has no one from her past. The woman who was the one friend she had leaves on bad terms because Parker pointed out the truth and she did not like it. Her boyfriend only sees her as a convenience. He is not there for her to lean on. She does not know how to ask. Her parents were in their own little world and could see nothing beyond themselves.
Fortunately Parker meets new people as her grandmother gets worse. Dotty was mentoring a teen, Tanya. She is a lot like Parker but a friendship grows between them where they learn to rely on each other, even with the age difference. Tanya knew the recent past of Dotty. Jerry lives next door and provides a window to Dotty’s past where he remained while the world moved on. Phila the philosopher states the platitudes we say when we do not know what to say. He is the calmness in contrast to Parker’s anger, regret, fear, and loneliness. Each came into her life when she needed their strengths to get her through the hopeless and helplessness she felt dealing with her grandmother and her own lives falling apart.
Keep a box of tissue handy. Each of us have gone through this or will go through it. Letters in Cardboard Boxes is a book that will resonate and stay with me throughout my life. It is a book tragedy and hope. The tragedy is of losing the past, of not making time for the past and the people in our pasts but the hope is there that we can get through it, that we can make changes that will keep the stories and personalities alive long after they are gone. This story will stay will me long after I have closed the cover.
Parker is not prepared for the loss of the grandmother she knew. Dotty tried to prepare Parker for what was happening to her but was not able to find the words. Together they go through the changes. Dotty forgets her life and Parker. Parker does not want to let the Dotty she knew go. She fights every step of the way, feeling guilt for what she could have done to prevent it. Parker has to learn that she has no control over her Grandmother’s illness.
I felt such a strong connection to Parker. I know people that are like the people in her life. I loved Dotty. She tried to give Parker the security and love that Parker’s parents did not. Parker and Dotty’s relationship was based on love, not always easy, but what each needed. Parker has regrets but I could not fault her. She did what she could when her grandmother was failing. When Parker’s past comes out, I understood the why. Now that Parker needs someone, she has no one from her past. The woman who was the one friend she had leaves on bad terms because Parker pointed out the truth and she did not like it. Her boyfriend only sees her as a convenience. He is not there for her to lean on. She does not know how to ask. Her parents were in their own little world and could see nothing beyond themselves.
Fortunately Parker meets new people as her grandmother gets worse. Dotty was mentoring a teen, Tanya. She is a lot like Parker but a friendship grows between them where they learn to rely on each other, even with the age difference. Tanya knew the recent past of Dotty. Jerry lives next door and provides a window to Dotty’s past where he remained while the world moved on. Phila the philosopher states the platitudes we say when we do not know what to say. He is the calmness in contrast to Parker’s anger, regret, fear, and loneliness. Each came into her life when she needed their strengths to get her through the hopeless and helplessness she felt dealing with her grandmother and her own lives falling apart.
Keep a box of tissue handy. Each of us have gone through this or will go through it. Letters in Cardboard Boxes is a book that will resonate and stay with me throughout my life. It is a book tragedy and hope. The tragedy is of losing the past, of not making time for the past and the people in our pasts but the hope is there that we can get through it, that we can make changes that will keep the stories and personalities alive long after they are gone. This story will stay will me long after I have closed the cover.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2012
I enjoyed this book, to me it's a story about letting go when there isn't really anything you can do to change things anymore. It's about a 29 year old woman named Parker and her grandmother, Dotty. Dotty has been there for Parker her whole life, when her parents weren't, and now Dotty is sick, and there is nothing Parker can do to help her, like she always helped Parker. All that is left of the past is letters and postcards. The postcards Dotty sent Parker, and the ones Parker sent back, and a strange box of love letters that Parker finds in Dotty's closet after she is moved to the Center. Love letters which strangely aren't what Parker originally thought, which was from her grandfather. The story follows Parker as she tries to come to terms with what is happening, her grandmother no longer remembers her, what will she do when there is no one left? Luckily, new friends are to be made, so they can all get through this together.
I'm not sure how to explain how I felt while reading this book. At first I was unable to feel a connection with Parker. She just seemed so unfeeling and detached from the rest of the world. And then we find out how awful her parents were. They may have felt they were doing her a favour, but they weren't. Finally I was able to feel pity for Parker. I can't even imagine what it would be like for your parents just to abandon you (pretty much) as a child. I can't get over the fact that they felt a 12 year old would be able to look after herself for months at a time, with no live in guardian. If they were real people, I would want to tell them off. Parker seems to only have one person in her life who actually gives a damn about her, but then she starts to lose that person. This is where I felt a strong connection with her. My own grandmother went through the phases of Alzheimers pretty quickly. I can't really blame her for not seeing it creep up, we didn't see it. You just assume as people get older they don't remember everything anymore.
Luckily for Parker, her grandmother caused her life to intertwine with Tanya, a teen she mentored. Both really care for Dotty, so you get to see if that connection will bring them together. Then she meets the neighbour Jerry, and he is able to comfort her just by being there to sit with. Parker goes through the incredible journey of change and acceptance of this change, she begins to learn more about herself and starts living her life, rather than just going through the motions. This story have me in tears and smiling, I would definitely recommend this book, especially to someone who is having a hard time letting go. This is a great read. Good job Abby Slovin.
I'm not sure how to explain how I felt while reading this book. At first I was unable to feel a connection with Parker. She just seemed so unfeeling and detached from the rest of the world. And then we find out how awful her parents were. They may have felt they were doing her a favour, but they weren't. Finally I was able to feel pity for Parker. I can't even imagine what it would be like for your parents just to abandon you (pretty much) as a child. I can't get over the fact that they felt a 12 year old would be able to look after herself for months at a time, with no live in guardian. If they were real people, I would want to tell them off. Parker seems to only have one person in her life who actually gives a damn about her, but then she starts to lose that person. This is where I felt a strong connection with her. My own grandmother went through the phases of Alzheimers pretty quickly. I can't really blame her for not seeing it creep up, we didn't see it. You just assume as people get older they don't remember everything anymore.
Luckily for Parker, her grandmother caused her life to intertwine with Tanya, a teen she mentored. Both really care for Dotty, so you get to see if that connection will bring them together. Then she meets the neighbour Jerry, and he is able to comfort her just by being there to sit with. Parker goes through the incredible journey of change and acceptance of this change, she begins to learn more about herself and starts living her life, rather than just going through the motions. This story have me in tears and smiling, I would definitely recommend this book, especially to someone who is having a hard time letting go. This is a great read. Good job Abby Slovin.
January 19, 2012
I've never read a book by an independent author before. I think I was over-analyzing it in the beginning. Then I stopped myself before I went crazy and eased into the story. From then on out I let the story fill me up.
Parker is a 29 year old who seems t like being stuck in a rut. At least she doesn't seem to notice that she acts way older than she really is. At 29 I would think I wouldn't be as sad as I felt she was. Well anyway the one person she could trust sent her a letter. It's not unusual for her grandmother to do so because her childhood was filled with these letters. Letters going back and forth between their houses that aren't that far away. Letters filled with adventures across the sea or just in a new place altogether other than their home in New York. They were something to pass the time away but not only that. It filled a hole missing from Parker's life. A bond that has been seemingly unable to break. Her grandmother raised her after all while her parents explored the world and researched all of what they could so they can change the world. But what happened to Parker? Now she's all grown up and she looks to see why her grandmother would send such a letter again. This letter will drastically change her life and the way she views it.
I had to stop with this story after awhile. It's just that type that makes you sigh... I just wanted to get up and walk aimlessly to think. Because this book makes you think. At least contemplate especially with a character like Parker. Parker. Parker. Parker... she seriously acted way too old and I wanted to push her out the door into the world. She's so self conscience and that made me worried because I am too. The whole book felt solemn but in a good way. Again it made me think. I really liked Tanya. So self assured but also not. On the verge of being and adult but also in the verge of slipping up as teenagers like to do. I got really connected with both of them and their relationship even more so then Parker's and her grandmothers. Oh I did shed tears for them but I liked the hope and positivity their relationship represented. A new beginning. I don't know what I expected out of this book in the beginning but it evolved into something that I know I had no idea it would end up being like. I really think this book should have way more readers already and I don't know why it doesn't. It was truly great. Thanks for letting me read it Abby.
Parker is a 29 year old who seems t like being stuck in a rut. At least she doesn't seem to notice that she acts way older than she really is. At 29 I would think I wouldn't be as sad as I felt she was. Well anyway the one person she could trust sent her a letter. It's not unusual for her grandmother to do so because her childhood was filled with these letters. Letters going back and forth between their houses that aren't that far away. Letters filled with adventures across the sea or just in a new place altogether other than their home in New York. They were something to pass the time away but not only that. It filled a hole missing from Parker's life. A bond that has been seemingly unable to break. Her grandmother raised her after all while her parents explored the world and researched all of what they could so they can change the world. But what happened to Parker? Now she's all grown up and she looks to see why her grandmother would send such a letter again. This letter will drastically change her life and the way she views it.
I had to stop with this story after awhile. It's just that type that makes you sigh... I just wanted to get up and walk aimlessly to think. Because this book makes you think. At least contemplate especially with a character like Parker. Parker. Parker. Parker... she seriously acted way too old and I wanted to push her out the door into the world. She's so self conscience and that made me worried because I am too. The whole book felt solemn but in a good way. Again it made me think. I really liked Tanya. So self assured but also not. On the verge of being and adult but also in the verge of slipping up as teenagers like to do. I got really connected with both of them and their relationship even more so then Parker's and her grandmothers. Oh I did shed tears for them but I liked the hope and positivity their relationship represented. A new beginning. I don't know what I expected out of this book in the beginning but it evolved into something that I know I had no idea it would end up being like. I really think this book should have way more readers already and I don't know why it doesn't. It was truly great. Thanks for letting me read it Abby.
February 22, 2012
There are very few fiction books that focus on a female protagonist that choose to focus on the female relationships in her life without going all “beaches” on us, focusing on how she needs to “get the man” (either back or stealing him from a friend), or focusing on how she has totally fallen down on her knees and will never recover until some extreme twist of fate changes her life and suddenly she’s saved! SAVED!
Let me save you time. That doesn’t happen here.
Some events in life are quiet, painful, thoughtful, and, by turns, beautiful. Parker is a 29-year-old who is a part of the boomerang generation. She works in a job she doesn’t despise, and yet she finds herself lacking partnership in her friendships and her romantic relationships. Her ties are weak, at best, with everyone in her life including her parents. The exception to this is the amazing bond she shares with the grandmother who raised her. When Dotty, her grandmother begins to exhibit signs of memory loss as well as the inability to care for herself, Parker’s carefully constructed life does begin to crumble and the question is begged: to whom does an adult child turn when there are no parents who are emotionally able to catch her fall and there is no support system other than the person who is ailing?
In Parker’s case, instead of leaning on the weak supports she has, she turns inward in a way that I have rarely seen in a novel. We tend to despair from the notion of an extrovert who has the ability to reach others or at least who has others that care about reaching her ignoring that help. In this case, Parker is left to go on her own until events with Dotty reach a bitter climax. Letters in Cardboard Boxes explores intergenerational friendships and how the most unlikely places provide us support in times of need. We never truly reach Parker and, frankly, that’s just how she’d prefer it. In the process, though, we get a story that winds us through some realistic life events that someone will need to hear and process.
If you are looking for a serious read that allows you to just feel the differences in relationships between women, this is the novel for you.
Note: I received this novel for free in exchange for my open and honest review of it. You can also see an interview with the author at my blog: http://blueshelled.com/2012/02/22/boo...
Let me save you time. That doesn’t happen here.
Some events in life are quiet, painful, thoughtful, and, by turns, beautiful. Parker is a 29-year-old who is a part of the boomerang generation. She works in a job she doesn’t despise, and yet she finds herself lacking partnership in her friendships and her romantic relationships. Her ties are weak, at best, with everyone in her life including her parents. The exception to this is the amazing bond she shares with the grandmother who raised her. When Dotty, her grandmother begins to exhibit signs of memory loss as well as the inability to care for herself, Parker’s carefully constructed life does begin to crumble and the question is begged: to whom does an adult child turn when there are no parents who are emotionally able to catch her fall and there is no support system other than the person who is ailing?
In Parker’s case, instead of leaning on the weak supports she has, she turns inward in a way that I have rarely seen in a novel. We tend to despair from the notion of an extrovert who has the ability to reach others or at least who has others that care about reaching her ignoring that help. In this case, Parker is left to go on her own until events with Dotty reach a bitter climax. Letters in Cardboard Boxes explores intergenerational friendships and how the most unlikely places provide us support in times of need. We never truly reach Parker and, frankly, that’s just how she’d prefer it. In the process, though, we get a story that winds us through some realistic life events that someone will need to hear and process.
If you are looking for a serious read that allows you to just feel the differences in relationships between women, this is the novel for you.
Note: I received this novel for free in exchange for my open and honest review of it. You can also see an interview with the author at my blog: http://blueshelled.com/2012/02/22/boo...
April 24, 2012
Original review can be found here: The Ultimate Book Nook
'Letters In Cardboard Boxes' is a bittersweet tale about family, loss and taking the ones that mean the most to us for granted.
Parker's life is nowhere near ideal. She is looked over at her job, has a mediocre boyfriend and a self centered best friend. The only real thing she has in her life is her grandma, Dotty. But when Dotty gets sick Parker doesn't know how to cope. How will she go on without the one person who has always been there?
I liked this book. It was a bit slow moving, especially in the beginning, but it was a sweet and emotional story. Though I did not fully come to love Parker, she wasn't as developed as I had hoped, she is surrounded by some really strong characters. Dotty being one of them. She was fun and lively. Actually, while reading, I kept picturing Parker as much older and Dotty as much younger, that just shows the kind of people they are. I enjoyed Tanya, a troubled teen who is mentored by Dotty. She reminded me so much of me when I was 17. Tanya and Parker's relationship was sweet. I liked seeing them grow together. Jerry was another character that I loved. I think I loved him the most, actually. He was sweet, funny and endearing.
My biggest complaint isn't about the story or the writing, it is with the structure of the e-book. Or lack of structure, I should say. There were random breaks in paragraphs and times where it was really hard to determine who was speaking. The lack of chapters irked me a little too. I don't think I would have minded it so much if it was put together differently. I did really like the fact that Slovin broke it up in 5 parts. It was a creative way to break it up given the subject matter. 5 parts of the book. 5 stages of grief. Get it? I loved it.
Overall it is a good book. With the exception of Parker's character development and some editing issues it was a well written, bittersweet novel with beautiful prose and bits of humor.
'Letters In Cardboard Boxes' is a bittersweet tale about family, loss and taking the ones that mean the most to us for granted.
Parker's life is nowhere near ideal. She is looked over at her job, has a mediocre boyfriend and a self centered best friend. The only real thing she has in her life is her grandma, Dotty. But when Dotty gets sick Parker doesn't know how to cope. How will she go on without the one person who has always been there?
I liked this book. It was a bit slow moving, especially in the beginning, but it was a sweet and emotional story. Though I did not fully come to love Parker, she wasn't as developed as I had hoped, she is surrounded by some really strong characters. Dotty being one of them. She was fun and lively. Actually, while reading, I kept picturing Parker as much older and Dotty as much younger, that just shows the kind of people they are. I enjoyed Tanya, a troubled teen who is mentored by Dotty. She reminded me so much of me when I was 17. Tanya and Parker's relationship was sweet. I liked seeing them grow together. Jerry was another character that I loved. I think I loved him the most, actually. He was sweet, funny and endearing.
My biggest complaint isn't about the story or the writing, it is with the structure of the e-book. Or lack of structure, I should say. There were random breaks in paragraphs and times where it was really hard to determine who was speaking. The lack of chapters irked me a little too. I don't think I would have minded it so much if it was put together differently. I did really like the fact that Slovin broke it up in 5 parts. It was a creative way to break it up given the subject matter. 5 parts of the book. 5 stages of grief. Get it? I loved it.
Overall it is a good book. With the exception of Parker's character development and some editing issues it was a well written, bittersweet novel with beautiful prose and bits of humor.
September 16, 2012
This was one of the most disappointing books that I have read in years. The story is at first touching as a Grandmother (Dotty) who raised her granddaughter (Parker); Parker grown up with no friends, committed to a job that never gets really told, comes back to Brooklyn from Manhattan take care of her Grandmother who is suffering from Alzheimer's Disease. (In also comes Tanya, a inner city teen who Dotty has been mentoring and now leaves the job too Parker who appears to have no interest and is irresponsible in meeting the girl once weekly). Characters are introduced only to be left hanging in your mind and not embellished or discussed again.
Dotty use to write Parker letters throughout their life together pretending to be somewhere else (Egypt, islands, etc) and that is the only endearing part of this book, that Parker re-reads some of theses letters). However, this goes no where.
Not worth a whole lot of talking about, because the book just ENDS..... Grandmother still in nursing home, Tanya telling Parker to go travel, Jerry the old man neighbor left sitting in his house next door still heartbroken over the loss of Dotty when they were younger and in love, Parker's parents make a brief and strange visit during the book but are never mentioned again. Parker endlessly angry at herself for not getting to know anything about her Grandmother and being a selfish girl-woman her whole life, and pissed at her parents for travelling her entire life and not raising her.
Literally, I felt like the book ended without any climax, no explanations, no real plot, no closure, etc... If I was reading a real book I would have thrown it across the room, but it was on my IPad.
I was left feeling so disappointed that I basically wasted good reading time on this story when there are so many wonderful books on my "too read" list. (no wonder why the library didn't even purchase a copy for their patrons). Thankfully, it only cost me $2.99 and that wasn't worth it nor was my time. I've read hundreds of books and this tops my disappointment list.
Dotty use to write Parker letters throughout their life together pretending to be somewhere else (Egypt, islands, etc) and that is the only endearing part of this book, that Parker re-reads some of theses letters). However, this goes no where.
Not worth a whole lot of talking about, because the book just ENDS..... Grandmother still in nursing home, Tanya telling Parker to go travel, Jerry the old man neighbor left sitting in his house next door still heartbroken over the loss of Dotty when they were younger and in love, Parker's parents make a brief and strange visit during the book but are never mentioned again. Parker endlessly angry at herself for not getting to know anything about her Grandmother and being a selfish girl-woman her whole life, and pissed at her parents for travelling her entire life and not raising her.
Literally, I felt like the book ended without any climax, no explanations, no real plot, no closure, etc... If I was reading a real book I would have thrown it across the room, but it was on my IPad.
I was left feeling so disappointed that I basically wasted good reading time on this story when there are so many wonderful books on my "too read" list. (no wonder why the library didn't even purchase a copy for their patrons). Thankfully, it only cost me $2.99 and that wasn't worth it nor was my time. I've read hundreds of books and this tops my disappointment list.
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