Customer Reviews

Everyone She Loved: A Novel

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(13)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Everyone She Loved is one of the most intriguing books I've read in a long time. Sheila Curran's insight into the tangled web of feelings in relationships is nothing short of astounding. I found myself so caught up in these characters I really cared about what happened to them. It was a page turner from beginning to end.

I have read some of the other reviews and it makes me wonder what kind of trash some of these people usually read, that they were unable to understand the deep significance of this novel.Some criticism has been raised about the believability of the codicil...the basic premise that the story revolves around.If you want non-fiction...read it! Tell me a fiction novel that is actually entirely believable. Most of them have the same trite plot and all they do is change the names of the characters. Many are rife with explicit sexual scenes, yet you have excoriated Ms. Curran for a few very tame, not too explicit love scenes making this sound like a pornographic novel. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The plot had so many twists and turns it was consistently interesting and intriguing.I fell in love with the characters.
For anyone who has had close friends, sisters, husbands, children...the story will grab your heart, and you will see reflections of those you love in these characters.You may even see yourself.

As someone who suddenly lost a parent at an early age, I am amazed at how the author has captured the childrens' pain, fear, and psychological suffering as if she herself had gone through it.

I should say that I am an avid reader of all genre. I read at least 10 books per month, so I have read books that I finished and felt as though it had been a complete waste of my time.
This is a book I will certainly read again.I highly recommend it to anyone who has the intelligence to understand the intricacies of human relationships, and wants to explore them further. A GREAT READ!!!

I'm not really one for chick lit, but every so often one just calls out to me. While I still would not consider "Everyone She Loved" to my exact taste, Curran's strong writing and the lack of cheesiness in favor of some true, understated heart did leave with good feelings.

The story is set in a small Southern town where the more elite of society have made their homes. Penelope, though dead the entire novel, haunts the story with her memory and the impact of a rather silly-seeming legal document that put her four friends in charge of approving a new wife for her husband should anything happen to her. It's an amusing and intriguing concept that actually manages to make a serious and thought-provoking little story.

That isn't to say this isn't fun. Despite the serious tones, the novel is heart-warming and uplifting and even funny at times. There is scandal and drama galore and Curran certainly has her fun with her characters, but there is also a clear love for characters and story alike.

Indeed, it is chick lit, but I never did find it tacky or overbearing. Curran has a fabulous way with words that makes this a story worthy of reading.

We never get to "meet" Penelope - she has been gone for 2 years as Chapter 1 Opens. Instead, as her family and friends live their lives without her, you come to see her through their eyes. As you get to know each of the people in this story, you come to understand both Penelope and the characters in a very personal way - they become your friends too, especially Lucy, Penelope's husband, and her two teen daughters.

The storyline which is laid over the characters gives them a great place to play out their relationships with one another and it gives good cohesiveness to the book. But in the end it is the wonderful characters that I will remember and continue to love.

The only weakness that I found was that Ms. Curran did not craft the antagonists with the same painstaking care that she used on the more likable characters. Perhaps it is because Ms. Curran is a warm and likable person herself? But even so, I truly appreciate receiving this as a "Vine Selection" and really enjoyed the privilege of being able to read it.

4 Stars for an "almost" perfect read!

An interesting story about a woman who convinced her husband and her four closest friends to sign an agreement requiring unanimous approval by said friends in the event that she dies and her husband wishes to remarry. At first glance, this might sound like a lighthearted, funny story - I certainly thought so when I ordered it. But that would be wrong.
Everyone She Loved takes place following Penelope's death. Her closest friend Lucy, who is single, takes on primary responsibility for raising Penelope's two girls. Her husband continues as administrator of Penelope's Cameron Foundation, where two other friends, Martha and Susanna, are the in-house attorney and accountant respectively. Her half-sister, Clover, joins them as they cooperate in taking care of Penelope's girls, each other, - and her husband, Joey.
Then a pair of distant English relatives sue to take over the foundation on the basis that Joey is not competent to do so.
Each of the women harbors at least one secret that they keep from the others, while all of them try to protect Penelope's girls by keeping secrets from them. Each one is afraid that disclosing what she keeps secret will further upset Penelope's grieving daughters (or husband). Similarly, they work to prevent the English cousins from finding out anything that might strengthen their case that Joey is inadequate as the Foundation's administrator - or even as father to his children. As you might expect, all of these efforts backfire.
Everyone She Loved is well-written and engaging. The story flows smoothly, even while the reader may well be mentally castigating the characters for their secrecy - which allows the others to always think the worst.

In reading the other reviews of this book, they seem to fall into 2 categories with no in-between. They either absolutely loved it or didn't like it at all! I fall into the second group.

Outside of the 2 daughters and the dog, I didn't like any of the characters. I'm not sure they even liked each other! They certainly were clueless when it came to Tessa and June. As highly educated and close as they were, that didn't ring true.

I was glad to be able to close the book. But to be honest, there are plenty of reviewers out there who disagree with me so maybe this will be the best read of your summer.

Everyone She Loved is a thoughtful and thought-provoking novel. The premise draws you in but Curran's carefully-drawn characters keep you reading. As a mother, I was especially moved by the thread of the story that follows two young girls as they try to make sense of the world after the death of their mother. For me, Curran captured the fear I carry deep inside but rarely admit to about what might happen to my children if I died-- fears about who would love and protect them in my place, who might use them for selfish purposes, who would accompany them on the journey of motherless childhood, who would move heaven and earth to keep them safe. The characters in Everyone She Loved are profoundly and painfully human. They possess talents and capacities for selflessness, emotional wounds and secrets, jealousy, lust and love. The emotional complexity of this book makes it more than simple beach reading, but Curran leavens her story with moments of humor, tenderness, and joy. I highly recommend Everyone She Loved.

Could not stop reading this amazing book. The characters are so complex and interesting. The book itself is quite comedic and has some great tender moments. This is a must read for anyone and I couldn't put it down. Hope you all get to enjoy a similar amazing experience that I had with this book.

For readers who have an appetite for books about individuals who come from dysfunctional families or have suffered through what might be termed emotionally damaging experiences in their youth and have never quite "gotten over it", EVERYONE SHE LOVED will fill up their senses like a seven course meal. For others who like a little less drama and a lot more laughter and lightness in their summer reads, my advice would be to steer clear of this offering.

Author Curran has created six women with back stories, Penelope, Lucy, Clover, Martha, Siobhan, and Susannah. It would appear that every member of this entourage (even the super rich Penelope) has some sort of emotional baggage ranging from parental neglect to mental illness to unrequited love that they have been carrying around for years and the author is anxious to give us an up close and personal look at all their many hang-ups. Added to this twisted mix we have the evil, greedy twin Cameron cousins, Peter and Nigel, whose take-over plotting is so over the top that the only thing missing from their "act" would be for them to possess long waxed mustaches that they could twirl ala an old 1920's silent movie.

Caught up in this meandering tale of pathos and chaos are Tessa and June, two young orphans who are flirting with anorexia and bulimia following the untimely death of their mother.

I believe that the author meant this to be a poignant study in friendship, sacrifice and love, (and there was a moment or two when it looked like she might succeed in her quest) but then she changed course and (for this reader, at least) the story reverted to its original direction and became merely a convoluted tale of deception, denial and downright stupidity. 2 1/2 stars (the extra half star is for Tessa and June......you could call it the sympathy star)

What an interesting story. As someone that is more used to reading mysteries which generally head one way and keep going that way until the mystery is solved, this book took some getting used to. There were several story lines running throughout the book and multiple flashback stories. The most sad part of the book was a child with anorexia and the nasty woman that was supposed to help her although the she was too severely mentally disabled herself to help anyone. Then there were the twin brothers whose only goal in life was to try by any means possible to take control of money that wasn't theirs. The main story revolved around some best friends and their spouses of a woman who had been murdered on Thanksgiving two years prior. Everyone seems to still be stuck in the grip of grief over the death of their friend, wife and mother. Life has not moved on. Two years later, instead of healing their lives are coming apart. The husband and his two daughters have moved in with his wife's best friend so that she could help with their care as he traveled for business. Rather than ask for help with the added expenses, she goes into debt to take care of the widower of a multimillionaire. This was a part I never understood about the book. Even though the main character (although dead) was supposedly richer than rich, her family lived a very middle class lifestyle. No nanny, no butler, no chauffer, no maid or cook. Just this best friend who ends up completely in debt feeding and housing the husband and daughters. Of course, she does it for love. The other best friends, one being a lawyer and one being an accountant and work at the charity run by the husband don't seem to see what is going on until the woman's credit cards are being canceled! This is just one of the many intermingled stories throughout the book. This book explores the art world, charitable giving, real estate scams, adultery, anorexia, bulimia, scams, plane wrecks, etc. A tall order for one book.

While for the most part well written, especially the evil twins, Miss Siobhan, and the children, I didn't think that the adult characters were very reality based. Perhaps they just weren't like anybody that I have ever met. However, the book did have a happy ending if that is important to you. For those who would like to know this also before picking a book, there are some graphically written sexual scenes that in my opinion did nothing to help the story along and could just as well of been handled with a `they kissed, fade to black'.

I loved this book my book club had read a string of not so good books so when this was the next read I wasn't so sure about it but I fell in love with it and consider it one of my favorites!