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What Members Thought

Yulia
Oct 13, 2007 rated it liked it
how can i put this? this was a horrendous book, painfully targeted to the oprah book club readers of the world and oh so politically-correct, with one-sided characters that can be summed up with one adjective (tip was the serious one, teddy the sweet one) and who are allowed to express contrary thoughts only once to show there may be more to them than is shown by patchett ("shut the fuck up about the coffee," as kenya thinks out of the blue, to show she is a human after all). after reading "bel ...more
Kecia
Jul 19, 2010 rated it really liked it
I did not want this book to end. I loved these characters. They are all the kind of people I would want to know...smart, caring, interesting people. They are all human with real human flaws, but they make up for their flaws with their hearts. I loved all of them.

I also envied them the kind of family they had. How wonderful to have a father who would read the story of the Beagle at night to his kids; who challenged them to memorize politcal speaches; who would ruin his career to protect them. Or
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Ruth
Oct 09, 2007 rated it it was ok
Everything was much too sweet and lovely. Everybody was perfect. The boys loved their adoptive parents and never thought about the possibility that they didn't fit together in most people's eyes. They loved each other. The father loved the kids. Everybody loved everybody. Nobody had problems with adjusting, or problems with the way outsiders saw the family, or problems with anything much for that matter.
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Pamela
Aug 20, 2007 rated it really liked it
This should be out in October.
Lee
Oct 27, 2007 rated it did not like it
I learned, from this book, to resist the temptation to buy books after reading reviews of them! This would have quickly ended up in my recycling box had I actually purchased it, but fortunately I was broke so read the library copy.

I found it difficult to keep going, but I had to try and figure out what some people had found to recommend in it. I couldn't find much. It was laboured prose, stulted characters, preachy tone, and boring plot. I am unable to understand what it has to recommend it.

I be
...more
Joyce
Jun 30, 2009 rated it liked it
OK, very much a fairytale, not as good as Bel Canto. She's a good writer, though. ...more
Dora
Oct 09, 2007 rated it really liked it
Not quite as riveting as Bel Canto, but still very good. Some beautiful characters, again, brought together through very unlikely circumstances, again. Patchett's talent is making the story seem believable.

I loved Tip's fascination with fish and all the descriptions related to fish. The scenes in Tip's office and at Tip's graduation contain my favorite descriptions.

I cried at the end. I'm still not sure why. I'll be re-reading this one.

(From 2007 recommended books.)
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Barbara
Jan 06, 2008 rated it really liked it
I liked this better than Bel Canto which seems to put me in the minority. Patchett dealt with the family relationships and characters in a way that felt real. I didn't like the endings in Bel Canto or Run. They felt contrived, but I'll forgive her that. It seems to be the failing of a number of good, not great, authors. ...more
Jennifer
Feb 24, 2008 rated it really liked it
One day in the life of a family that includes two black men adopted into a white family and an accident that changes the whole family. Enjoyable, but I wish it had been longer and explored the characters in more depth.
Lynn
Jan 01, 2008 rated it liked it
Reminded me of Ian McEwan's Saturday in that it takes place in one 24 hour period and explores the relationships between family members in light of a crisis incident. ...more
Summer
Jan 12, 2008 rated it it was amazing
Shelves: five-star-favs, us
So full of beautiful, beautiful prose, I did not want it to end.
Natalya
Aug 30, 2007 marked it as to-read
Dottie
Sep 03, 2007 marked it as books-to-check-out
Jane
Dec 08, 2007 rated it it was amazing
Jennie
May 19, 2025 rated it really liked it
Nicole
Dec 27, 2007 marked it as to-read
Beverly
Dec 28, 2007 rated it did not like it  ·  review of another edition
Ricki
Jan 03, 2008 rated it it was ok
Robin
Jan 06, 2008 rated it liked it
Shelves: generalfiction, 2008
allison
Jan 10, 2008 rated it really liked it
peg
Jan 17, 2008 rated it it was ok
Shelves: bookclub, fiction
Linda
Jan 22, 2008 rated it really liked it
Rachael
Jun 12, 2008 rated it it was ok
Sarah
Aug 29, 2008 marked it as to-read
Loretta
Jul 12, 2009 rated it it was amazing
Kate
Jul 06, 2010 rated it really liked it
Kirsten
Aug 20, 2011 rated it liked it
Marie
Nov 18, 2013 rated it really liked it
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