A Southern Family

Rating:
Summary: A moving, heartfelt, realistic novel
Review: I've read all of Gail Godwin's books, and this is my favorite. She's working with material that seems to mean a great deal to her here --and it shows. The book is basically several character's reactions to a very tragic death. Each character is drawn exquisitely, coming alive through his or her own point-of-view chapters. In fact, this is the only one of Godwin's books to present the point of view of so many complex characters. I saw her in a bookstore seveal years ago and asked her what the origin of the book was, and she said she was working from a similar incident in real life--the death of her half-brother. So in this book she seems to be trying to come to terms with family conflicts by bringing each family member to life on the page. She does a wonderful job, going beyond any kind of therapy for herself into true art, taking her own pain and making it universal. I reread this book every once in a while, and found it especially useful recently because I was going through my own reactions to a death in my family. Yes, to respond to one of the other reviews, there is hatred here, and conflicts are not resolved. It's very, very true to life that way, complex and rich.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting read
Review: If you are looking for a cheerful fluffy book ~~ this book isn't it. This is a detailed look into one family's life ~~ before, during and after the middle child dies. Actually, this book is more of reminisces ~~ a cluster of stories that revolved around the dead character as well as each individual characters' lives.

It's an interesting book ~~ but it did feel like it was dragging on too long in some places. It's depressing but uplifting at the same time. It's a look at the complicatated relationships between mother and son, husband and wife, wife and inlaws, brothers and sister, friends and so on. It's very fascinating ~~ a glimpse into people's private lives. The Quicks will be a family that you won't soon forget. There is Lily, the mother, Ralph, her husband, Clare, her daughter, Julia, Clare's friend from childhood on, Snow, the daughter-in-law and mother of the only grandchild, Felix, Clare's lover, Rafe, the younger brother and Theo, the middle child who kills himself and his girlfriend, leaving behind broken family ties that his family had to begin to ravel together again.

It's a book on life and grief and hope. It's well-written and thoughtful ~~ but it could have gone at least a 150 pages less ~~ but that's just my opinion.

3-30-04

Rating:
Summary: Not that bad
Review: this is not as bad as G. Godwin from Indie, Ind makes it out to be. True, there are some things in it I did not understand, but it rates more than a 1 as does all of G.G.' books do.This is a complex story of a southern family, the Quicks, who live in a mansion, which is a mess. The whole family is a mess, but isn't that fun to read about as we try to be good, upstanding citizens in USA? Snow is a wonderful little lady and someone to be admired. She is uneducated, but determined and a winner. People wind up hating each other and it is not the most tender of books but worth a read

Rating:
Summary: What a Bummer
Review: When I wanted to stop reading this book, I already had read half of it and kept plodding through it, waiting for it to get better. This definitely is not an unlifting book. Each chapter is spent on members and close friends of this Southern Family and their own personal histories up to the time their brother, friend, or father dies--and how they react or don't react to his death. What I found unbelievable is how this dead man's 3 year old son supposedly acts. What three year old thinks in full paragraphs? Can there really people that many dysfunctional people all in one family?

Rating:
Summary: What a Bummer
Review: When I wanted to stop reading this book, I already had read half of it and kept plodding through it, waiting for it to get better. This definitely is not an unlifting book. Each chapter is spent on members and close friends of this Southern Family and their own personal histories up to the time their brother, friend, or father dies--and how they react or don't react to his death. What I found unbelievable is how this dead man's 3 year old son supposedly acts. What three year old thinks in full paragraphs? Can there really people that many dysfunctional people all in one family?