Customer Reviews

Life on the Refrigerator Door: Notes Between a Mother and Daughter, a novel

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I wasn't sure I was going to like the note style of writing but it was actually very easy to read. Because you can read the book in 20 minutes it almost doesn't feel like a 'proper' book. However it has both a story and characters who I found engaging.

It gives an insight into a relationship between a mother and her 15 year old daughter, not just a glimpse of their everyday lives but their worries and concerns when the mother has a health scare. The author captures the confusing and conflicting emotions both of them experience and although short, it's to the point and gets across what I feel was intended; Not only to appreciate and enjoy those we sometimes take for granted but also to communicate with each other. That doesn't mean just telling someone we love them but appreciating that we need to share our happiness and our inner worries with them too sometimes.

It made me cry (I think you'd have to be made of stone not to be moved by it), but maybe the last couple of pages were over too quickly because I would have liked to have felt more uplifted by it.

As most of the other reviewers have stated, this is an extremely fast read. I didn't find the characters particularly compelling, in spite of the tragic circumstances of the novel; Kulper's unconventional (but interesting) method of letting the story unfold solely through notes left on a refrigerator limits the depth of the characters and their story, and leaves the reader feeling somewhat detached from the whole experience.

I finished this while having my breakfast one morning, and it only took me 20 minutes. There's 240 pages, but each page has a note on it. Which can sometimes only be a line or two, occasionally, a paragraph.

The story's about a mother and daughter, who never see each other, they're like ships in the night, they pass each other. The mother's a busy doctor, the daughter's busy at school and her social life.

The mother discovers she has breast cancer, and suddenly, the relationship between the two changes. It's painstakingly honest, but too brief. You're made to feel like the daughter's selfish and doesn't care. Which didn't feel quite right.

The note style of the book is quite original, much like Cecelia Aherne's Where Rainbows End, but it does feel you leaving empty afterwards. And by the time you get to the last page, and keep turning, and there's no more, it's even worse. I did actually start crying, which wasn't pleasant (soggy cornflakes lovely), but at least I hadn't my face on for work yet. It was twice in twelve hours I'd cried, so don't read this book if you're already feeling emotional. I'm definitely going to pass this book onto my mum to read, and then onto a couple of my friends, as it's an excellent read, just too short.

One of my friends lent me this book 'Life On The Refrigerator Door', when I was in 4th grade. I absolutely loved it. I felt that it was such a touching, original story. Though some people flip through the book and say, "What is this? It's just a couple sentences on each page." That may be true, but some people look at it as a couple sentences, and some people feel these couple sentencs are so deep, that you appreciate the ability to read.

I still remeber every page and word, and still thank my friend for lending it to me. I think though you also need to buy or rent this book with a box of tissues, it's truely a beautiful book.

I read this book at the library while my children played (It only took about 1/2 an hr or so) and it was well worth it. I found most of the "notes" realistic and touching. I did get very teary eyed at the last few. The relationship between mother and daughter made me think of all the times I should have verbalized in my own life. Life is precious. It made me appreciate it more.

Mother and daughter relationships are so different from anything else. I loved this book. I loved the note type style it was written. It was VERY quick but got the point across. We have a mother who is a doctor. We have a 15 year old daughter who is left alone quite a bit because of the mother's work schedule. She does the shopping, cooking quite a bit and comes and goes as she pleases.

The mother gets bad news that she has breast cancer. From there it goes on -- Being a mother, I think the notes imply that you always "think" you have more time. The only thing I didn't enjoy is Claire seemed to come and go as she pleased. That wouldn't work for me. She had to grow up quick.

I did really love this little book. I wouldn't consider it a novel at all either. But then again I am not a writer or know what would constitute it a novel. I think this would be a good book to give for Mother's Day. Enjoy!

Claire and her Doctor/Mother live their relationship out in a series of notes left on the refrigerator door over a one year span. Then low and behold, a crisis hits and we see how shallow a teen daughter can be and how when communication between parent and child breaks down, there is always the refrigerator door. This small quick read book left me expecting that there should have been more. Wish there was.

We have all heard of open door communication, and that it is so important to keep lines of communication open. We have all jotted down notes to our moms, and other loved ones. All of us women have been daughters, and many of us go on to have daughters.
This novel could have been lived by many of us. For all of these reasons this book should be read, kept, reread, passed along and cherished by generations of mothers and daughters everywhere. It is one of the most simplistic yet creative books that I have read in quite sometime.It is not only meaningful, but important. I highly recommend it.
I will look for more from this author. However, whether she writes another book or not remains to be seen...but she has done her job beautifully in this book.

This is described as "a novel in notes", I'm not sure a 20 minute read constitutes a novel but maybe I'm just being picky.

I found it a very unsatisfying read, not surprisingly there is no character development whatsoever, which I could forgive if the characters were more interesting.

The major event of the book is a life altering one but it is handled in a clichéd way, with the content of the messages and the responses nothing you haven't heard or read before. Which would also have been ok if the writing was beautiful or witty or funny or something, but it is just plain - as you'd expect notes left on a fridge to be. Because of this they failed to evoke a strong emotional response in me and I think the situation should have.

In a way it sort of reads like a parable, it is attempting (I think in a heavy handed, unsubtle way) to remind us to spend time communicating with those we love and to make time for what is important in our lives, as the time available is finite and could be ripped away from us at any minute.
Which is a worthwhile message but presentation is everything and the superficial way this is presented means I can dispose of it without much thought - which, for me, is a bit sad. I like a book that makes me think.

An original to be sure. I experienced intimacy and truth through this book's simple (yet poignant) use of personal notes. I've revisited them in thought several times since reading it... authentic art does this for me, regardless of its adherence to or departure from convention.